Laboratory Resilience: Enabler for Organizational Resilience and Public Service Continuity

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated how laboratory personnel define and enact resilience within a regional public sector environmental laboratory in the Philippines, and how these practices contribute to institutional resilience and the continuity of public service. Using an ethnomethodological approach, this research examines how resilience emerges from everyday routines, interactions, and work systems – as a dynamic, context-dependent practice. Data from semi-structured interviews and written responses revealed that laboratory resilience is expressed across four temporal domains: (1) risk management (before), (2) response (during), (3) recovery (after), and (4) refinement (post-disruption), each anchored in leadership’s resolve to deliver mission-critical services despite disruptions caused by both internal vulnerabilities and external threats.

The analysis of resilience practices revealed three central themes: (1) Leadership – commitment, values, and systems; (2) People – availability, behavior, and competence; and (3) Process Reliability. These themes illustrate how personnel manage uncertainty, uphold accountability, and sustain operational continuity. Resilience was found to be not only technical in nature, but also deeply rooted in cognitive, behavioral, and transformative capacities, as well as in visionary leadership, and strong institutional values.

This study underscored the critical role of laboratory resilience in fostering organizational resilience and maintaining public service continuity. It allows laboratory operations to remain functional, adaptive, and credible amid disruption. The findings of this study contribute to resilience theory and public sector research by demonstrating that resilience is dynamic, ethically grounded, and shaped by the unique demands of frontline regulatory environments.