Crisis Scenarios Research Articles

Plan for the crisis!

Abstract Background The COVID-19-crisis has posed major challenges for organisations providing care in terms of fulfilling their contracts as well as maintaining their quality standards. This project aimed to analyse the implementation of gender and diversity sensitive crisis preparedness in health and social care organisations in Austria. The innovation of this project lies in the organisational crisis preparation including the interfaces of all organisations and actors involved in the care of a vulnerable person. Methods A comprehensive survey and analysis of existing structures and processes was carried out. A participatory approach was used to develop modular guidelines tailored to different crisis scenarios. This was followed by a detailed process analysis, integration of good practices and the creation of assessment tools for practical evaluation. Staff training and technology needs were identified, followed by an assessment of the applicability of the findings to other social sector organisations. Results This project created guidelines with modular structures that enable preparation for crises and their consequences. Thereby strategies for risk mitigation and good practice examples, e.g. from the COVID-19 pandemic, were developed. A self-assessment of the status of crisis preparation as well as the continuous monitoring with special consideration of the intersectional diversity of the target groups and their vulnerability was developed and made available on the web. Conclusions The project results in guidelines as well as a self-assessment and monitoring tool directly benefiting the participating organisations. Through its transferability to other organisations the project promotes overall crisis resilience and sustainably strengthens the care for vulnerable groups in times of crisis. In addition, solidarity-based help in crisis situations is promoted. The project promotes not only organisational, but also individual as well as macro-social and economic benefits. Key messages • The project developed guidelines for gender and diversity sensitive crisis preparedness for health and social care organisations, including risk mitigation strategies and self-assessment/monitoring. • Crisis preparation must be systematically implemented in health and social care organisations involved in care of vulnerable persons.

10.H. Round table: Transforming health systems in Europe to respond to the large-scale displacement from war in Ukraine

Abstract The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 caused one of the largest population displacements in Europe since World War II. More than 6 million persons have sought international protection in other European countries, distributed in ways that take little account of the host countries’ population size, national income, or health system capacity. This workshop provides a platform to present and discuss findings of a health system impact assessment designed to anticipate the range of mid- to long-term impacts of this large-scale displacement on essential health system functions in refugee-receiving countries, identifying the challenges they face and opportunities to develop transformative policies and actions. This task is urgent given the risks of wider conflict in Europe. Objectives The workshop will 1) present the main findings from the health system impact assessment in seven refugee-receiving countries, 2) set out options for effective responses, considering policy and implementation perspectives, and 3) capitalise on the expertise of workshop participants to develop and refine policy options for structural reforms that not only help to sustain an effective response, but enhance the resilience of European health systems for the benefit of displaced populations and national residents alike. Format The workshop will comprise a panel with three speakers, followed by a roundtable discussion. Each panel member will make a short presentation (5 min) on different, but interrelated aspects of a transformative health system response to a protracted crisis scenario. These will highlight country and regional-level challenges arising during the Ukraine crisis, propose concrete policy options for transformation, and identify intersections between the health system response with other societal sectors and crises. The workshop objectives and rationales will be introduced by Kayvan Bozorgmehr, including a short pitch-presentation (3 min) highlighting the unequal distribution of displaced persons from Ukraine and the key-findings of the health system impact assessment. The panel will include follow-up presentations elaborating specific aspects in this context: 1. Healthcare models and needs for transformative response in a protracted crisis (Dr. Nino Berdzuli, WHO Special Envoy for Ukraine Emergency Response in refugee-receiving countries); 2. Supra-national health financing as transformative reform: pros and cons (Eilin Rast, Bielefeld University, Germany); 3. Regional Geopolitical Conflicts and Population Health in Caucasus, CIS and Ukraine (Prof. Akaki Zoidze, Ilia State University, Georgia). The subsequent roundtable discussion will be chaired by Martin McKee. It will focus on the proposed actions and considerations from a policy and implementation perspective, and workshop participants will be invited to contribute to a critical reflection regarding barriers and enablers, as well as required alliances and processes to translate the structural reforms into practice. Key messages • The ongoing conflict-related displacements from Ukraine have created a protracted crisis that will require structural transformations to enhance health system resilience. • Enhancing healthcare delivery, continuity of care, and effective health financing requires national and supra-national collaboration to sustain effective responses and prepare for future crises. Speakers/Panelists Nino Berdzuli Division of Country Health Programmes, WHO/Europe, Denmark Eilin Rast Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany Akaki Zoidze Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia

Roadmap for rebuilding the health system and scenarios of crisis path in Gaza.

The horrific attacks on Gaza have had a profound impact on Gaza's health system, culminating in a multidimensional crisis. The deliberate destruction of vital infrastructure, such as hospitals, schools, housing, and public facilities, coupled with the deaths and injuries of medical personnel and support workers has only exacerbated the situation and further highlighted the existing gaps. This unprecedented catastrophe proves the criticality of adopting a new national inclusive integrated approach to meeting the immediate and long-term needs of the population. In this perspective, we explore the recovery roadmap features for rebuilding the health system in Gaza, specifically focusing on determining the primary challenges that might emerge, the trajectory of recovery, and the expected crisis scenarios. The existing evidence and perspectives of key stakeholders, including state and non-state health authorities in Palestine were synthesised. Despite some local and international initiatives undertaken to generate a concrete road to recovery, there remains a need for realistic, innovative, and comprehensive Marshall plans to rebuild Gaza's health system. The article draws on insights and gaps in current efforts and underscores the urgent need to address the challenges of rebuilding the health system. The authors strive to offer an inclusive and realistic path with the potential scenarios toward recovery and resilience considering the mass levels of loss and damage, and ways to move forward for building back a resilient health system in Gaza.

Analisis Media Statement Kasus Lion Air Penerbangan Jt-610 Boeing 737 Max 8 Dengan Pendekatan Storytelling Michael L. Kent

The focus of this study is on how Lion Air managed crisis communication following the Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash of Flight JT-610. The research delves into the use of storytelling in media statements as a strategy for crisis communication during the aftermath of the crash. It outlines Lion Air's goals in sharing information and engaging with the public and media in the midst of this crisis. The study utilizes a qualitative text analysis to scrutinize three specific media statements released during the crisis. By applying Michael L. Kent's storytelling elements, the analysis of the media statements concentrates on factors like emplotment, narrative theory, identification, form, and masterplots. The selected statements cover the immediate aftermath of the crash on October 29, 2018; a subsequent statement on March 13, 2019, addressing broader safety concerns surrounding the Boeing 737 MAX 8; and a final statement on October 26, 2019, summarizing findings from the National Transportation Safety Committee's investigation. The research findings suggest that employing storytelling through straightforward text in media statements, incorporating credible character depiction, structured narrative, empathy, and compelling storytelling, can notably influence an organization's reputation recovery and improvement. Well-crafted and timely media releases are essential as primary information sources for the media, especially in crisis scenarios where prompt and precise information dissemination is critical. This method ensures that information, though disseminated quickly, maintains relevant and impactful storytelling aspects. The study concludes that storytelling, characterized by humanistic, empathetic, and coherent narratives across media statements, can be effectively utilized by Lion Air to uphold consistent and narrative-focused communication with the public through the media.

The relationship between corporate culture of SMEs and crisis response ability under the cross-cultural background

This research explores the critical influence of corporate culture on small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) crisis response abilities under varied cross-cultural environments. Amid the disruptive backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, SMEs globally have faced unprecedented challenges. This study addresses a gap in the existing literature by conducting a cross-cultural analysis of SMEs in China, Thailand, and Germany to understand how corporate culture affects crisis management. Utilizing a competitive cultural value model, the research categorizes corporate culture into four dimensions: group culture, development culture, hierarchy culture, and rational culture. These cultural dimensions are investigated in relation to their impact on crisis response abilities. Additionally, national cultural dimensions such as individualism and uncertainty avoidance are examined as moderating variables. The findings reveal that group and development cultures positively influence crisis response abilities, enhancing organizational resilience and adaptability. Conversely, hierarchy culture negatively affects crisis management, hindering flexible response strategies. Rational culture supports structured crisis response through goal-oriented practices. National culture significantly moderates these relationships, with individualism and high uncertainty avoidance impacting the effectiveness of organizational cultural dimensions in crisis scenarios. This study offers theoretical advancements by integrating cultural dimensions with crisis response strategies and provides practical implications for SMEs striving to enhance their resilience and adaptability in a globalized business environment.

Do various financial resources ensure renewable energy production and environmental protection in OECD countries: modelling for insight.

The recent global energy crisis scenario echoes the past, and the vulnerability of traditional fuels remains the proximate cause of environmental degradation. The fundamental changes in mobilising finance resources are predominant in an energy transition. So, acknowledging finance and energy transition via financial and environmental technology is necessary to meet sustainable development goals. Accordingly, this study employs panel econometric models to investigate how financial resources can ensure the production of renewable energy and environmental protection in 38 OECD member nations over a time period from 2000 to 2021. The empirical finding shows that foreign direct investment and financial technology ameliorate environmental performance by alleviating CO2 emissions. Environmental technologies positively impact environmental protection by eliminating CO2 emissions. The financial resources ensure renewable energy production and environmental protection by reducing the environmental externalities and encouraging renewable energy consumption. Similarly, the consumption of renewable energy catalyses environmental improvement. Economic globalisation spurs environmental externalities. The D-H causality test also shows a reciprocal movement from environmental performance to financial technology, environmental technology and renewable energy consumption. The study's outcomes offer a new model of insight for governments as well as financial and energy policymakers to protect the environment. Enable sustainable development in OECD countries by empowering financial innovation through fintech and incentivising environmental technology to increase renewable energy production.

GESTÃO DA MICRO E PEQUENA EMPRESA: DESAFIOS EMPRESARIAIS EM CENÁRIO DE CRISE DECORRENTE DA PANDEMIA DO COVID-19.

The main approach of this paper is to analyze the challenges imposed by the management of micro and small companies, considering the crisis scenario in a municipality in Minas Gerais. So it was approached as a research problem what are the challenges imposed on MSEs in a crisis scenario, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic in a city in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais? Using the method of a bibliographic review to support the field research, which in turn was carried out through the application of face-to-face questionnaires to sixtyeight micro and small entrepreneurs in the municipality of Piumhi / MG, with non-probability sampling for accessibility and later analysis of the data collected in the questionnaires. The results showed the business profile and the issues that most impact the ventures in relation to issues related to restrictions and general changes due to the pandemic, and it was verified that online sales have been one of the resources most used by Micro and Small companies in the sector. business. Finally, the work with regard to the practical implications, had the possibility to identify the main effects on MSEs in a crisis scenario, indicating appropriate practices to be implemented by microentrepreneurs. Key words: MSE management; Crisis scenario; Business challenges

Can ChatGPT replace humans in crisis communication? The effects of AI-mediated crisis communication on stakeholder satisfaction and responsibility attribution

Imagine a world where chatbots are the first responders to crises, efficiently addressing concerns and providing crucial information. ChatGPT has demonstrated the capability of GenAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence)-powered chatbots when deployed to answer crisis-related questions in a timely and cost-efficient manner, thus replacing humans in crisis communication. However, public reactions to such messages remain unknown. To address this problem, this study recruited participants (N1 = 399, N2 = 189, and N3 = 121) and conducted two online vignette experiments and a qualitative survey. The results suggest that, when organizations fail to handle crisis-related requests, stakeholders exhibit higher satisfaction and lower responsibility attribution to chatbots providing instructing (vs. adjusting) information, as they are perceived to be more competent. However, when organizations satisfy requests, chatbots that provide adjusting (vs. instructing information) lead to higher satisfaction and lower responsibility attribution due to higher perceived competence. The second experiment involving a public emergency crisis scenario reveals that, regardless of the information provided (instructing or adjusting), stakeholders exhibit greater satisfaction and positive attitudes toward high-competence (vs. low-competence) chatbots. The qualitative study further confirms the experimental findings and offers insights to improve crisis chatbots. These findings contribute to the literature by extending situational crisis communication theory to nonhuman touchpoints and providing a deeper understanding of using chatbots in crisis communication through the lens of machine heuristics. The study also offers practical guidance for organizations to strategically integrate chatbots and human agents in crisis management based on context.

Racism and discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences of Turkish migrant women in the Netherlands

As observed in numerous historical crisis scenarios, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated unfavorable perceptions of ‘foreigners’ and ‘migrants’ in the Netherlands. The construct of a ‘foreigner’ has been socially fashioned as a label that distinguishes what is dissimilar from the norm, and within the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the concept of the “other” has gained prominence. Building upon this central premise, the present study aims to probe into the occurrence of racism and discrimination directed at Turkish migrant women in the Netherlands, a nation often characterized as progressive and liberal, with an intersectional approach. Considering the increased awareness surrounding Dutch colonial history, exemplified by events like the Black Lives Matter protests, the research also delves into whether migrant women draw connections between their experiences of racism and the historical Dutch colonial past. How have migrant women experienced and reacted to racism during the pandemic? Does the encounter with racism and discrimination prompt an intensified identification with or detachment from their migrant identities? To unravel answers to these inquiries, the article draws from semi-structured interviews with fifteen migrant women alongside a non-governmental representative, an artist, and an activist in the Netherlands. Through the personal narratives of these women, this article illuminates the ongoing discussions surrounding racism and discrimination within the broader discursive landscape of the Netherlands during the pandemic.

Regional power duration curve model for ungauged intermittent river basins

ABSTRACT Hydropower is a sustainable and renewable energy source that can serve as a practical and economically viable solution to the future possible energy crisis and climate change scenarios. Moreover, it possesses a higher energy density compared to other alternative renewable energy sources such as solar, wind energy, etc. In order to determine the potential of hydropower, long-term observed hydrometeorological data of streamflow, precipitation, etc. are crucial. This study investigates a new power duration curve (PDC) methodology. Basin characteristics such as drainage area and basin relief with meteorological data as precipitation are used for regional models in the application. The classification based on geographical locations is made for regional models. Six models based on equation type were utilized to determine the optimal regional model. Absolute errors of cease-to-flow point estimates ranging from 0.01 to 11.49% were observed. The model provided successful results according to Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency which is widely used in hydrological studies very close to 1 and higher than 0.87 except for one streamflow gauging station therewithal all other calculated performance metrics. It is observed that power and cease-to-flow point estimates of intermittent rivers can be obtained with a new PDC model based on basin characteristics.

The impact of crisis leadership on the performance in public sector: The mediation role of trust and knowledge sharing

AbstractIn crisis scenarios, trust and knowledge sharing are rare and crucial for moderating the relationship between leadership and performance. This paper examines how leadership influences the performance of civil servants during crises in the public sector, mediated by trust and knowledge sharing. The authors develop a theoretical model and empirically test it with survey data from 346 civil servants in the public sector related to epidemic response in China. A structural equation model is used to examine the paths through which leadership affects performance. This research indicates that crisis leadership can directly enhance contextual performance but does not directly impact task performance. However, both explicit and tacit knowledge‐sharing behaviour can exert significant mediating effects. Furthermore, cognition‐based trust can indirectly influence task performance through a chain mediation effect involving explicit knowledge sharing. This research underscores the multifaceted impact of crisis leadership and elucidates how leaders can effectively navigate crises through different types of trust and knowledge‐sharing strategies.

Parsing the Performance of Stock Market Indices Amidst COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine War: A Comparative Study of DSEX, Nifty-50, and KSE-100

The primary objective of this investigation is to assess the performance of the benchmark indices in the stock markets of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, denoted by DSEX (Dhaka Stock Exchange Broad Index), Nifty-50 (National Stock Exchange Fifty), and KSE-100 (Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index), respectively. Data is meticulously gathered across distinct periods, namely the pre-COVID, the COVID-19, and the concurrent COVID-19 era along with the Russia-Ukraine War period, and amid the consequent global ongoing financial crises. The study encompasses information spanning from July 2, 2013 to May 9, 2023, employing descriptive statistics, where both mean returns and risk-adjusted returns were calculated consecutively. The evaluation of diversification among the indices during the specified periods is conducted through descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation. The findings of this study indicate that all the indices exhibited negative mean returns during the COVID-19 phase. Furthermore, both mean returns and risk-adjusted returns of the indices witnessed substantial increments amid the inflationary environment concurrent with the COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine War periods. OLS estimation results suggest an absence of a discernible diversification relationship among the indices. In summary, our results underscore the dynamic nature of index prices across diverse temporal and global crisis scenarios. These implications offer valuable insights for investors and stockholders, enabling them to discern hedging opportunities and identify diversifiable indices within the global stock markets across disparate periods and crises.

Dynamic leverage policy in Islamic and conventional banks during crises in the OIC countries: a procyclicality and prospect-theory analysis

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the dynamic leverage policies of Islamic and conventional banks within selected Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries. The study specifically focuses on the concepts of leverage procyclicality and prospect theory. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the research objectives, the study uses data from three distinct periods: Crisis I (2007–2009), Crisis II (2011–2012) and Crisis III (2020). The analysis uses dynamic panel-data regression, using the generalized method of moments (GMM) technique. Findings The research findings indicate that both Islamic and conventional banks demonstrate leverage procyclicality. Interestingly, Islamic banks exhibit weaker leverage procyclicality during normal conditions but display stronger procyclicality during crises compared to their conventional counterparts. The application of prospect theory reveals that both bank types exhibit risk-taking or risk-averse behavior through leverage under certain financial and market performance measures as the first-level domain of the gain-vs-loss condition. Furthermore, during crises (as the second-level domain of the normal-vs-crisis condition), both Islamic and conventional banks experience heightened leverage. Notably, Islamic banks, owing to their lower risk exposure and greater shock resilience, demonstrate lesser risk-taking behavior through leverage than conventional banks, both during periods of underperformance and worsening conditions amid crises. These findings validate the extension of prospect theory's applicability in a two-level domain perspective. The dynamic nature of leverage policy, being procyclical and adhering to prospect theory, also varies following different crises specifically. Research limitations/implications The study's limitations include the unequal crisis periods (Crises I, II and III), leading to an imbalanced examination of their effects, certain financial and market performance metrics that fail to corroborate the expected hypotheses and the limited generalizability of findings beyond the selected OIC countries. Practical implications Understanding the intricate dynamics and behavioral aspects of leverage policy for both Islamic and conventional banks, particularly during crisis scenarios, proves crucial for reviewing banking regulations, making informed financial decisions and managing risks effectively. Originality/value This study enriches the current knowledge by presenting two key points. First, it highlights the dynamic nature of leverage procyclicality in Islamic banks, showing a change from weaker procyclicality in normal conditions to stronger procyclicality during crises compared to conventional banks. Second, it expands the application of prospect theory by introducing a dual-level domain context. Examining the comparative leverage policies of Islamic and conventional banks during different crises within OIC countries provides novel insights into leverage procyclicality and behavioral responses.

The COVID-19-Led Reverse Migration and Labour Supply in Rural Economy: Challenges, Opportunities and Road Ahead in Chhattisgarh

Migration is an integral part of the Indian economy and constitutes a significant share in the GDP of the country. But the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a devastating shock resulting in huge reverse migration in India as well as in its respective states. In this context the present study tries to investigate labour supply and employment opportunity in rural areas of Chhattisgarh due to COVID-19-led reverse migration and also examines the gender specific impacts of COVID-19 on reverse migrants in Chhattisgarh. The study also suggests the possible measures to rebuild the Chhattisgarh’s rural economy after COVID-19. Thus, the study inculcates both secondary and primary data. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis are computed to get the results. The study found that there is a sudden rise in labour supply in the rural economy of Chhattisgarh. Job loss is the biggest problem faced by migrants followed by loss in income. The study also found that there is no significant impact of reverse migration due to Covid-19 between both the gender in rural Chhattisgarh. Thus, on the basis of primary survey and focused group discussions the study concludes that the returned migrants would surely get back to their normal lives and would gradually afford the better standard of living to themselves as well as to their families. A comprehensive overview of the economic, health and gendered implications of the Covid-19 pandemic reveals the need for a more proactive and on-the-ground strategy to combat the post -crisis scenario in the rural economy of Chhattisgarh. Also, the Covid-19 pandemic have reinforced the need for and the importance of compiling data of migrants. Such a database helps in effective administration of various government interventions. However, there is also an urgent call for the proactive actions to be undertaken to retain these reverse migrants in their original source, so that they would contribute towards the development of their own state.

System dynamics simulation follow-up fuzzy cognitive map for investigating the effect of risks on relief in crisis management

Given the significant threat posed by natural disasters like earthquakes to communities, it is important to assess the associated risks beforehand in order to minimize human and financial losses. This study focuses on identifying existing risks caused by an earthquake crisis by designing a network that evaluates its impact on urban infrastructure. The resulting system dynamics simulation model was used to analyze the frequency of different hazards and estimate the amount of relief goods needed in eight earthquake scenarios. The Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) technique was also employed to determine the weight, impact, and effectiveness of each hazard, thus allowing for a ranking of the earthquake crisis scenarios based on their severity. FCM evaluation results showed that the most important and influential risks in an earthquake crisis were fire (with a weight value of 0.124), damage to first-class buildings (0.099), lack of hospital capacity (0.096), and damage to the power grid (0.095). Furthermore, it was observed that mitigating or eliminating the most significant risks would lead to a significant decrease in the demand for relief goods in each scenario. In fact, by addressing the top three earthquake risks, the demand for medicine reduced by 147%. Finally, the ranked results of the earthquake scenarios indicate that fire (with an impact of 12%), damage to the water network, and lack of capacity in relief centers (both with an impact of 6%) are the most and least effective risks, respectively.

RESILIENCE AND LESSONS LEARNED IN COLOMBIAN FAMILY FARMING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

<p><strong>Background: </strong>A health crisis exposes people to food vulnerability by restricting the mobilization and commercial exchange of food. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an ample food supply was available to ensure the basic consumption of the population, prompting two questions: What resilient practices did farmers adopt to produce under conditions of high sanitary restriction, and what lessons did they derive to confront future crises? <strong>Objective:</strong> The article presents and collects the experiences of 59 small family farmers in Colombia in implementing good practices for economic and financial resilience and the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, constituting a new source of knowledge to understand human behaviors and actions in the face of adversity and the experiential learnings gained to act in future crisis scenarios. <strong>Methodology</strong>: To characterize the resilient practices of agricultural producers in the department of Norte de Santander, Colombia, amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, researchers conducted interviews with 59 smallholder farmers from 12 municipalities. The study encompassed 11 agricultural products and 6 animal products, ultimately identifying three overarching categories: economic resilience, financial resilience, and lessons learned.<strong> Main Results: </strong>The results indicate strategies for diversification of production, use of local resources, solidarity-based family work, short marketing chains and an economy of scarcity in family spending. <strong>Implications: </strong>These lessons can inform future policies and practices to better prepare for and respond to similar challenges. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study's findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and small farmers, emphasizing the importance of local resource utilization, community cooperation, and adaptive strategies to enhance resilience and sustain livelihoods during crises. </p>

Ultrastructural evaluation of the oocytes and spermatozoa of the scleractinian coral Mussismilia harttii

Global coverage of living coral has declined by half since 1950s. Reef-building species have been severely impacted in this climate crisis scenario, compromising the future of coral reefs. Despite their importance, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the reproductive biology of scleractinian corals. In the present study, we evaluated through electron microscopy approaches, the gametes of the endemic Southwestern Atlantic coral Mussismilia harttii. We observed spherical oocytes with microvilli throughout the outer membrane. Fine granular material dispersed in cytoplasm, lipid granules, numerous yolk bodies, and mitochondria were identified in the oocytes. In addition, small Symbiodinium-like cells were observed, suggesting a vertical transmission from parental coral to oocytes. The spherical-head sperm presents a 9.3 ± 2.1 μm flagellum. The nucleus is located centrally in the head, and the centrioles are positioned between the nuclear base and the flagellar insertion, which is connected to the axoneme. This axoneme has a microtubular arrangement (9+2). Vesicles, underlining the inner plasma membrane, presented the same electron-dense pattern as the Golgi complex, and mitochondria positioned surrounding the axoneme. The vesicles present in the sperm may have a role as an acrosome since the oocytes do not develop any cell specialization for fertilization.

Modeling Spontaneous Volunteers in Cross-Border Crisis Scenarios

Abstract The rise of social media has led to a new degree of spontaneous volunteering in the aftermath of disasters, even in border areas. However, spontaneous volunteering across national borders creates further obstacles that need to be addressed and prepared for. This paper introduces an agent-based simulation to examine coordination procedures of spontaneous volunteers in crisis scenarios, particularly the specifics of travel restrictions imposed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, research is conducted on the effects of insufficient or delayed coordination of the population’s offer of voluntary help, which reduces the motivation of volunteers and leads to missed request for help.8. The results show that coordination of spontaneous volunteers is a key factor for helping the affected population, especially in a pandemic, where the possibilities to help are limited. These results are discussed with regard to costs that need to be considered in order to establish coordination, as well as health issues and motivation of spontaneous volunteers in different coordination scenarios.

Tax aggressiveness in a scenario of economic crisis and financial difficulty: an analysis of companies listed on B3

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between economic crisis scenarios, financial difficulties, and tax aggressiveness in companies listed on B3. Methodology: This descriptive and documentary study employed a quantitative approach, incorporating a sample of 326 companies. Data analysis entailed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis with panel data. Results: The findings of this study suggest that a crisis environment does not promote the adoption of aggressive tax strategies by the companies within the sample. This contradicts established literature, which has posited that there is a heightened effort to decrease tax liability during periods of crisis. Nonetheless, it was observed that companies experiencing financial difficulties tend to adopt aggressive tax strategies in an effort to alleviate their tax burdens. Study Contributions: This research aims to contribute to discussing tax aggressiveness among Brazilian companies during economic crises, pointing out discrepancies with previous studies. Additionally, it seeks to broaden the understanding of tax aggressiveness in situations of crisis and financial difficulty, thereby enhancing the body of knowledge in the tax domain.

Threats and Hazards of Grey Rhino Paradigm

Grey Rhino is a metaphor for security threat, which is unkept irrational for large extent also high probability of harmful effect on a subject of risk owner. Business continuity management system is assessed in a diagram as controlling instrument aimed at operational hazard mitigation of continuity disturbance of affected subject. A ´from Operations´ Value Added – O´VA is established as qualitative dynamic information about productivity of activities. The measures are designed in crisis scenario for quality improvement of subject´s crisis readiness. An indicator of business risk continuity slip is defined. In a connection with war conflict on Ukraine is assessed if it is Grey Rhino manifestation.