Enhancing Public Sector Risk Management for Sustainable Governance and Service Delivery: An Integrated Theoretical Framework

Abstract

Effective public sector risk management is fundamental to strengthening governance, organisational resilience, and sustainable service delivery. Despite the widespread adoption of internationally recognised risk management frameworks, many public institutions continue to experience challenges in integrating risk management into strategic decision-making and organisational processes. This study develops an integrated theoretical framework for enhancing public sector risk management through an integrative literature review (ILR) of contemporary theoretical and empirical studies published between 2022 and 2026. The review synthesises nine complementary theoretical perspectives with internationally recognised frameworks, including ISO 31000 and the COSO Enterprise Risk Management Framework. The findings identify four interrelated dimensions behavioural, structural, capability, and contextual that collectively influence risk management effectiveness, governance performance, and sustainable service delivery. The study contributes to the literature by proposing a comprehensive theoretical framework that advances governance sustainability, organisational resilience, and public value creation while providing practical guidance for strengthening risk management in public sector institutions.