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Showing papers in "Journal of Public Affairs in 2020"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a conceptual paper that is based on various research papers, articles, blogs, online newspapers, and reports of World Health Organization is presented to determine the engagement of employees by various companies during coronavirus pandemic.
Abstract: In the present business situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, employee engagement has become one of the utmost prominent primacies for human resource managers and practitioners in organizations due to lockdown. The paper is to determine the engagement of employees by various companies during coronavirus pandemic. Organizations nowadays are constantly developing innovative and effective means to engage the employees during this tough time. This paper is a conceptual paper that is based on various research papers, articles, blogs, online newspapers, and reports of World Health Organization. During this pandemic situation, organizations are evolving many engagement activities like online family engagement practices, virtual learning and development, online team building activities, webinars with industry experts, online conduct weekly alignment sessions, team meet-ups over video conference for lunch, short online game sessions, virtual challenges and competitions, online courses, appreciation sessions, communication exercises, live sessions for new-skill training, online counseling sessions, recognition and acknowledgment session, webinars dealing with anxiety and stress, providing online guidance for exercise and meditation, social interactions in a virtual office, classrooms training modules digitally, e-learning modules, and many more creative learning sessions. Work-from-home regime engagement activities are very fruitful for employees as well as for organizations. Those organizations doing these kinds of engagement activities for their employees are learning new skills and developing themselves. Employees are feeling committed to the organization and stay motivated during this tough time of COVID-19 pandemic.

103 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the existing knowledge on corona virus disease and policy responses to it, and its impact on the people, economic activities, and environment of India, and concluded that lockdown has become a boon for the environment to revive due to less pollution and reduced discharge of effluents to water from factories.
Abstract: The paper reviews the (a) existing knowledge on corona virus disease (b) policy responses to it, and (c) its impact on the people, economic activities, and environment of India. The pandemic has increased a sense of fear and insecurity among people due to probable job and pay loss. As well, the nationwide lockdown imposed by the government has increased cases of domestic violence and child abuse. The industrial sectors—tourism, aviation, agriculture, construction, retail, hotels, textile, gems/jewellery, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), manufacturing, and start-ups are temporarily closed leading to a significant revenue loss. Consequently, existence of many sectors and employability of a sizable number of employees is at stake. Despite the economic slowdown, the lockdown has become a boon for the environment to revive due to less pollution and reduced discharge of effluents to water from factories. The policy formulators should consider this as wakeup call and thereby align the people, economy, and environment strategically.

92 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors collected the data from social media users from March and April 2020 and collected a total number of 348 responses from respondents through random sampling technique, and the majority respondents showed positive attitudes toward using social media as medical information instruments.
Abstract: Social media have become popularly use to seek for medical information and have fascinated the general public to collect information regarding corona virus pandemics in various perspectives During these days, people are forced to stay at home and the social media have connected and supported awareness and pandemic updates The present study aims at highlighting the present situation of Indonesian society, where the outbreak position is quite high The study collects the data from social media users from March and April 2020 The data were also compiled from the secondary sources, like opinions, the literature and scientific articles from reputable journals The total number of 348 responses were collected from respondents through random sampling technique, and the majority respondents show positive attitudes toward using social media as medical information instruments The results demonstrate that social media have been used to seek social supports from the respondents' online networks and offline friends, relatives, and colleagues The study also examines that the usage of social media platforms is perceived as easy and accessible to every individual for sharing, posting, and reacting to any medical information regarding the pandemic Since people continue work from home, and ensuring the social distance, so, the majority of users have seen family and friends have provided support and attempt to raise awareness by sharing and circulating a range of information within their closed-social network

80 citations




Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a theoretical model that highlights the determinants of adoption of online teaching at the time of the outbreak of COVID 19 and investigated empirically by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM).
Abstract: The research develops a theoretical model that highlights the determinants of adoption of online teaching at the time of the outbreak of COVID 19. Empirical data was gathered from 643 school teachers by means of an online survey. The proposed conceptual framework was investigated empirically by means of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings of the study revealed performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions had a positive impact on behavioural intention as well as attitude. However, effort expectancy failed to drive teachers' adoption to online teaching. On the other hand, social influence had insignificant relationship with attitude but significant relationship with behavioural intention. Attitude had a significant impact on behavioural intention as well as actual use. This study contributes to the literature by presenting and validating a theory-driven framework that accentuates the factors influencing online teaching during outbreak of a pandemic.

68 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial performance of Chinese listed companies were analyzed using pooled ordinary least square (OLS) regression as a baseline methodology.
Abstract: This study is aimed at analyzing the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the financial performance of Chinese listed companies. We applied pooled ordinary least square (OLS) regression as a baseline methodology to determine the effects of COVID pandemic on the financial performance of Chinese listed companies. We found that the small- and medium-sized companies are most affected by this pandemic, in addition to that our analysis has revealed that serious-impact areas and industries which were worst hit by the COVID-19 experienced a sharper decline in financial performance as compared to other industries. The findings of this study have broad implications for policymakers, as it is evident that governments, banks, regulatory bodies, and central banks must combine forces to tackle the financial and economic impacts of COVID-19 crises. They should come up with comprehensive policies to tackle the adverse impact of such crises in the future as well. Actions such as proving loans and rescheduling existing loans to worst-hit sectors such as tourism, airline industry, etc. are starting point. The disclosure of facts and figure by officials regarding the status of health care number of infections can reduce the chances of panic situations in the future.

60 citations





Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that the short‐, medium‐, and long‐term policies are required to mitigate the consequences of this pandemic and to revitalize the mountain economy of Gilgit‐Baltistan, and this study provides baseline information for policy‐makers and practitioners to devise such demanding policies.
Abstract: This study examines the trend of the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Pakistan and to explore the community perception of the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 pandemic in a rural mountain area of Pakistan. An online survey was conducted through snowball sampling technique and total 367 people participated in the survey. The results of the study show that COVID-19 cases spiked amid ease of lockdown in the country and the spread of novel coronavirus pandemic has significant socioeconomic impact on the lives of mountain communities in Gilgit-Baltistan. Financial uncertainty, decrease in income, fear of job loss, and food insecurity are some major challenges that mountain communities face due to outbreak of coronavirus in the region. The results further show that lack of community cooperation with government agencies, lack of awareness about the severity of coronavirus, and insufficient COVID-19 testing kits are the major factors that caused the spread of coronavirus cases. This study suggests that the short-, medium-, and long-term policies are required to mitigate the consequences of this pandemic and to revitalize the mountain economy of Gilgit-Baltistan, and in this regard, this study provides baseline information for policy-makers and practitioners to devise such demanding policies.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors employed a qualitative research design based on sentiment analysis to understand 15 industry experts' opinion concerning the socio-economic impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic on the Indian economy.
Abstract: The recent COVID-19 pandemic has not only resulted in the loss of human lives but also distressed economies The impact of this crisis is even higher in emerging economies like India due to already slowing growth rates, poor health infrastructure, and a significant population living in extreme poverty While the government is taking measures to handle this crisis, nobody can be sure if these measures are adequate, as this will depend on how soon the spread of the virus is contained in the country However, understanding the depth of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the Indian economy is vital to formulate the policy and measures to contain this economic impact This paper attempts to understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the Indian economy by employing a qualitative research design, based on sentiment analysis to understand 15 industry experts' opinion concerning the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 The study makes a theoretical as well as applied contribution to the field of study While theoretically, it contributes to the field of pandemic research, public health management, and disaster management;in an applied sense, we propose a set of measures for the policymakers based out in India, as well as in other emerging nations of the world

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results reveal that the negative effects of COVID‐19 on the market returns and its disruption to the stock market returns—inflation relationship may not die away rapidly considering that the duration of the pandemic is unknown.
Abstract: Given the palpable fear generated by the threat of COVID-19 pandemic and the bearish sentiments of stock investors, this study represents one of the first efforts towards testing the effect of COVID-19 on the stock market returns-inflation relationship. Specifically, the study investigates the stock market returns-inflation nexus by controlling for the effect of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria from February 27, 2020 to April 30, 2020. Using the estimation procedures based on the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity type models (GARCH (1,1), the GJR-GARCH), and the accounting innovation tests, our results show that COVID-19 increases volatility and distorts the positive relationship between inflation and stock market returns, which tends to negate the Fisher's hypothesis. In addition, the results reveal that the negative effects of COVID-19 on the market returns and its disruption to the stock market returns-inflation relationship may not die away rapidly considering that the duration of the pandemic is unknown. Further, these findings are validated by the innovation accounting tests. Therefore, the study presents to policymakers the consequences of COVID-19 and the urgent need to strengthen the market through collaborative efforts.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors tried to provide an economic perspective of COVID-19 in India using some statistical figure of economic indicators and found that India could experience a health debacle at present and excruciating economic contraction in the near future if the government is unable to execute a proper policy framework.
Abstract: The global outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns raises serious economic concern and havoc worldwide. This article tries to provide an economic perspective of COVID-19 in India using some statistical figure of economic indicators. Analysis is based on the data collected for macro-economy, travel & tourism, transportation, stock market, human capital and trade. Finding revel that India could experience a health debacle at present and excruciating economic contraction in the near future if the government is unable to execute a proper policy framework. Based on the discussion, a few policy suggestions have been presented to counter both health and economic crisis.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The findings indicate that policymakers and healthcare providers across South Asia have been showing efficient teamwork while dealing with this pandemic, and this response to the Covid‐19 pandemic is strategic and operational.
Abstract: The Covid-19 epidemic is a public health emergency of international concern. It poses a massive risk for the human race across the planet, calling for the need to take measures at the local, regional, national, and global levels. South Asian countries stand more vulnerable to the pandemic due to their dense population, poor infrastructure, and low surveillance system. This paper aims to understand the challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic for South Asia; and investigates the strategic and operational responses to this pandemic by policymakers and healthcare professionals, respectively, in South Asia. The study uses interviews and opinions of policymakers and doctors, from the South Asian region, involved in tackling the Covid-19 crisis. The qualitative analysis is performed on these interviews and opinions by using NVivo 12 software. The findings indicate that policymakers and healthcare providers across South Asia have been showing efficient teamwork while dealing with this pandemic. The healthcare administrators being at the operational level, convey the challenges they face to the policymakers who then respond to them at a strategic level.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Empirical results show that a 1% increase in life expectancy and death rate increases and decreases economic growth by 3.85 and 1.84%, respectively, which suggests the need for Health Policymakers in Nigeria to implement active strategies that reduce the death rate.
Abstract: The current health pandemic that has plagued the global of which the global south-Nigeria is not insulated from is the premise for this empirical investigation. The present study relies on recent annual time-series data to conceptualize the hypothesized claim via Pesaran's Autoregressive distributed lag techniques. Empirical findings from the bounds test traces the long-run relationship between public health expenditure and economic growth over the study span. However, unlike previous studies, we introduce life expectancy and death rates in the model framework. Although health expenditure is not significant, empirical results show that a 1% increase in life expectancy and death rate increases and decreases economic growth by 3.85 and 1.84%, respectively. This suggests the need for Health Policymakers in Nigeria to implement active strategies that reduce the death rate, which is a blueprint for active engagement in the face of a global pandemic such as COVID-19.



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recommendations were formulated that indicate the necessity of training leaders in the Islamic approach to crisis management, its strategies and its scientific steps in crisis management.
Abstract: The current study sought to generate a theory from the data on crisis management in Islam, and also aimed to identify the strategies used by leaders in the crisis management process. The grounded theory approach was applied, which is one of the qualitative designs. The content of the verses of the Noble Qur'an and the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad that dealt with the issue of crises were analyzed. The results of the qualitative analysis of the verses of the Qur'an and the hadiths of the Prophet's noble Sunnah have resulted in four concepts that constitute a broad conceptual theory of crisis management according to the Islamic approach. These concepts are: Crisis management strategies in Islam, the stages of crisis management, the characteristics of a leader who manages crises, and the roles of a leader during the crisis management process. A number of assumptions have been made of this generated theory about Islamic crisis management model. In light of the results of this study, recommendations were formulated that indicate the necessity of training leaders in the Islamic approach to crisis management, its strategies and its scientific steps in crisis management. These results have wide applications in the field of training leaders, and also recommend future studies to verify the assumptions of the theory that emerged from the data in this study on crisis management in Islam (COVID-19 pandemic crisis as a model).


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the link between trade and unemployment for the case of Nigeria with the intention of exploring how the unemployment crisis has been impacted within the dynamics of the country's trade performance.
Abstract: The recent exacerbation of unemployment crisis in Nigeria stands to be a serious threat to both socio-economic stability and progress of the country just as the report from the nation’s bureau of statistics shows that at least over 8.5 million people had no gainful employment at all as at the last quarter of the year 2017. It is on the above premise, that the present study explores the link between trade and unemployment for the case of Nigeria with the intention of exploring how the unemployment crisis has been impacted within the dynamics of the country’s trade performance. The empirical evidence shows that the nation’s terms of trade were insignificant to unemployment rate while trade openness and domestic investment, on the other hand, have significant opposing impacts on unemployment in Nigeria over the period of the study. Further breakdowns from the empirical analysis also revealed that the Philips curves proposition is valid within the Nigerian economic context while the evidences for the validity of Okun’s law only exist in the short-run scenario. Based on the empirical results, we recommend that concerted effort should be geared toward stimulating domestic investment by providing adequate financial and infrastructural facilities that will promote ease of doing business while utmost precautions are taken to ensure that unemployment crisis is not exacerbated when combating inflation in the economy in the wake of dynamic trade relations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is proposed that the contact tracing, stay at home restrictions and international movement restrictions are most effective in controlling the spread and flattening the COIVD19 curve.
Abstract: The objective of the study is 2-fold. First, it estimates the 2019 new coronavirus disease (COVID19) flattening curve using Panel Random Coefficient Model. This allows each country to have its trajectory while allowing for random error effects to transfer across countries. Second, it calculates the expected number of days to reach the flattening point of COVID19 curve and estimate the empirical effectiveness of government policies around the world using Poisson regression. This study avails global COVID19 incidence data for 190 countries between January 22, 2020 and May 11, 2020. In the absence of a vaccine or of more appropriate treatment options, non-pharmaceutical approaches must be used to control the spread of the COVID19. This study proposed that the contact tracing, stay at home restrictions and international movement restrictions are most effective in controlling the spread and flattening the COIVD19 curve. At the same time, habits that hurt the immune system like smoking have a negative effect on the flattening of the curve. The government should integrate these policies in their lockdown plan to make it smart lockdown.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the impact of citizens' use of social media for political participation and expression in developing democracies of Africa in particular Uganda and found that social media does matter in the developing democracy of Uganda as the second most preferred form of media.
Abstract: This study examines the impact of citizens' use of social media for political participation and expression in developing democracies of Africa in particular Uganda. Findings from studied N = 2,400 respondents, evidenced social media does matter in the developing democracy of Uganda as the second most preferred form of media (.95 ± 2.37). Findings also showed the use of social media for political participation in persuading others to vote for a given candidate or party was positively correlated r = .043*(p value at .05), n = 2,400, and p = .035 with R2 = .002. Future studies should examine the use of social media platforms for policy implementation, civic engagement, and inclusiveness.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study examined various forms of mathematical models that are relevant for the containment, risk analysis, and features of COVID‐19 and placed greater emphasis on the extension of the Susceptible–Infectious–Recovered (SIR) models for policy relevance in the time of CO VID‐19.
Abstract: In this study, we examined various forms of mathematical models that are relevant for the containment, risk analysis, and features of COVID-19. Greater emphasis was laid on the extension of the Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) models for policy relevance in the time of COVID-19. These mathematical models play a significant role in the understanding of COVID-19 transmission mechanisms, structures, and features. Considering that the disease has spread sporadically around the world, causing large scale socioeconomic disruption unwitnessed in contemporary ages since World War II, researchers, stakeholders, government, and the society at large are actively engaged in finding ways to reduce the rate of infection until a cure or vaccination procedure is established. We advanced argument for the various forms of the mathematical model of epidemics and highlighted their relevance in the containment of COVID-19 at the present time. Mathematical models address the need for understanding the transmission dynamics and other significant factors of the disease that would aid policymakers to make accurate decisions and reduce the rate of transmission of the disease.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The paper concludes that epidemic situations like COVID‐19 severely affect economies around the globe, and the basic reasons behind such severity are immobility of labor, reduction in productivity, discontinuation of the supply chain, and so on.
Abstract: This study aims to present a quick overview of the novel coronavirus (afterward COVID-19) which triggers from Wuhan, spread approximately 213 countries and territories around the globe, and still currently ongoing. Particularly, we are interested to investigate the economic perspective of COVID-19. This paper uses data from online published articles and current media sources, as the COVID-19 situation is unfolding yet. To deeply explore the said matter, we divide the economic impact into six dimensions that is, Chinese economy, Central Asian economies, South Asian economies, South East and West Asian economies, European economies, Northern African, and Middle Eastern economies. The paper concludes that epidemic situations like COVID-19 severely affect economies around the globe. The basic reasons behind such severity are immobility of labor, reduction in productivity, discontinuation of the supply chain, a decline in exports, uncertainty, and so on. This study is quite important for businesses and policymakers to estimate and plan current and post-COVID-19 situations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) embrace an ambitious and wide ranging set of environmental, social and economic issues designed to effect a transition to a more sustainable future as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) embrace an ambitious and wide ranging set of environmental, social and economic issues designed to effect a transition to a more sustainable future. While the SDGs are global in nature, there is an increasing awareness that the they also have an important local dimension. With this in mind, this commentary paper outlines the characteristics of the SDGs, reviews their importance at the local level, provides some illustrations of how they are being addressed locally within North Western Europe and UK and offers some reflections on localising the SDGs. The paper suggests that progress in launching and developing local initiatives within the UK has, to date, been limited. In part, this reflects the lack of a clear national policy framework for the localisation of the SDGs and in part, it reflects the challenges of raising awareness of the importance of local SDG initiatives and of funding such initiatives. Looking to the future, communications and public relations professionals may have an important role to play in raising awareness of the importance of the SDGs at the local level and this may help to change hearts and minds in addressing the policy making and financial challenges.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an attempt to analyze the economic effect of the outbreak in India is made, where the authors consider the outbreak as a human tragedy and assess the economic cost associated with the pandemic.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected different sectors of the economy in an unprecedented way, and this article is an attempt to analyze the economic effect of the outbreak in India However, before we assess the economic cost associated with the pandemic, we economists fully consider the outbreak as a human tragedy There has not been any econometric technique that can account the countless human sufferings that the crisis has brought Through this article, we address several important research questions and demonstrate India's strength to stay immune to combat COVID-19 pandemic The research questions are as follows First, what will be the effect of COVID-19 on the Indian economy and how does it affect the different sectors of the economy? Second, how does the pandemic affect the bilateral trade relation between India and China? Third, we question the role of the public health system in dealing with the outbreak of the virus in India This article also presents the growth projection of the Indian economy by different economic agents We finally conclude the article by mentioning a few policy recommendations for the Indian economy