Study Based on Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy Institute Research Project Published in Public Performance and Management Review

In their study, “What Affects Citizens’ Perception of Public Infrastructure Decision-Making in a Disaster Setting?”, Drs. Jeonghwa Yang (SUNY at Geneseo), Hyunseok Hwang (ISTPP Research Fellow), and Arnold Vedlitz (ISTPP Director), explore factors that influence citizens’ views on public-private partnerships (PPPs) in Texas. Using original data from a Texas, the study results indicate that risk awareness and institutional trust significantly impact citizens’ perceptions of PPPs and their preferences for private or nonprofit partners in local disaster-related infrastructure projects. The study suggests that citizens trust nonprofits more than for-profit entities, particularly in crisis situations, due to the community-centered focus of nonprofit groups. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating diverse citizen perspectives into resilience policies to promote social equity in public service delivery.