Epidemic Crisis Research Articles

The catalytic effect of digitalization and health measures during COVID-19 on corporate social responsibility in the African context

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of digitalization and sanitary measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the African context. While CSR has traditionally been analyzed in developed markets, this paper explores how multinational subsidiaries can leverage CSR practices to create financial opportunities and market stability for themselves and their communities in Africa. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a panel of data from six listed African companies for the period ranking from January 2006–2022 to analyze the effect of financial performance (FP), digitalization and health measures on the social responsibility of these companies. The authors provide a robust test that improves the understanding of the impact of pandemics and innovation on CSR, using Machine Learning (ML) linear regression. Findings The results show that the social responsibility of African companies is highly dependent on FP and digitalization. On the other hand, the authors demonstrate that the moderating role of epidemic instability negatively affects social responsibility through FP, but on the other hand strengthens CSR in the presence of digitalization. The results of the initial analysis remain largely unchanged, demonstrating the validity and robustness of the empirical results through ML models. This article highlights some of the obstacles and opportunities for CSR adapted to the crisis context. The authors conclude that adjusting innovation strategies improves the forecasting performance of responsible companies, especially in a context of instability. Research limitations/implications The paper clearly shows that CSR literature varies across different regions. Given that the financial market in Africa is characterized by a lack of opportunity for innovation as well as financial stability, this paper represents an important first step in the elaboration of a CSR development strategy. In light of the results presented above, the study makes an important contribution to the literature on CSR, in particular the CSR practices of multinationals in developing countries and also provides CSR managers with various insights into the types of support they will need to leverage and improve the internal underpinnings of their CSR strategies and collaboration. Practical implications The results of this study contribute to the understanding of digital transformation in responsible business, offering empirical evidence of its benefits in tackling the health crisis. In addition, the study highlights the role of an innovative approach in enhancing reputation and developing sustainable, trusting relationships with stakeholders. Originality/value This research pioneers the academic link between innovation and epidemic crisis in responsible business, filling a notable gap and introducing a new academic perspective. In concrete terms, it provides women entrepreneurs with actionable insights into the digital strategies essential to improving business performance in a context of instability. Methodologically, the study sets a benchmark for research innovation, using ML to provide a reproducible model for exposing robust results and for future research in this evolving field.

Appalachia - Bridging the Opioid Epidemic Amid the Fentanyl Crisis.

Although the opioid epidemic and fentanyl crisis are nationwide problems of immense proportions, calming the storm raging across the isolating geo-economic framework of Appalachia demonstrates the need for courageous, culturally effective programs that have the power to address and overcome the grave situation of addiction in this region. In the Appalachian region, unjust social structures are embedded in the communities' socio-economic conditions. As this reality poses even greater barriers to addressing the opioid epidemic in these communities, the restoration of social relationships within a community becomes vital to the development of a broader approach to social functioning and human flourishing. Faith traditions and faith communities can play an important role in helping to establish and support such social cohesion through attention to the individual, social, and spiritual needs of the community. This essay explores the complex problem of the opioid epidemic compounded by the fentanyl crisis. It considers the importance of public health research within the regional geo-economic framework of Appalachia to (a) inform policies that improve health inequities and promote social cohesion, (b) develop social solutions with a spiritual dimension, and (c) reveal remedies capable of informing moral norms in support of building a more just society. Reflecting on the virtue of solidarity, this essay also highlights the witness of the Catholic Church's response to the suffering experienced within the communities and the societies within the Appalachian mountains. While there may be considerable interest in viewing this article as a research document, foundationally, this essay utilizes a literary narrative approach through a Catholic lens to inform ethical deliberations, reasoning, and practice while supporting ethical reflection and consideration of the responses raised. Further, the reader is strongly encouraged to reference the comprehensive footnote system provided for extension and verification of the data presented.

Volatility spillovers and time-varying correlations across stock and commodity markets: An assessment during the epidemic crisis era

The financial and economic stability of the business world is greatly damaged by a number of crises over the years. These crises also change and affect stock markets around the globe. This study examines the nonlinear behavior of well-known stock markets in the US, Europe, Canada, and Asia (S&P 500, Nikkei 225, CAC40, DAX30, Bombay Stock Index, Hang Seng Index, and Canadian Stock Index). We also investigate the commodity indexes (Gold, Bitcoin, Brent Crude Oil, and West Texas Crude Oil). The transmission of returns and the volatility propagation pattern across stock-commodity markets during the COVID-19 era is analyzed using the VAR DCC MEGARCH model. The results demonstrate that correlations intensify and become more complicated during the COVID-19 period, especially between financial market indices and oil commodity indices. However, the volatility spillover statistics during the pandemic period show a definite rise in the uncertainty of financial market indices due to index instability. The analysis also shows that financial markets experience a substantial leverage effect during the pandemic crisis. According to the research, Bitcoin is crucial for reducing portfolio risk during the health crisis, and gold proves to be the best option for investors to diversify their financial risk.

Performance evaluation of supply chain resilience in epidemic crises: an extension of network non-parametric methodology

Performance evaluation of supply chain resilience in epidemic crises: an extension of network non-parametric methodology

Occurrence, persistence, and removal of contaminants of emerging concern through drinking water treatment processes – A case study in South Africa

The presence of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in drinking water is a global issue of concern. Evidence galore of the potential impacts of CECs on human health, yet there are no concrete guidelines or regulatory oversight to effectively tackle CECs exposure from drinking water. As a result, CECs concentrations can be well-above the suggested thresholds, particularly in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to undeveloped or underdeveloped (waste)water treatment infrastructure and/or substandard treatment practices. Yet, CECs occurrence and particularly their persistence during drinking water treatment is not well-documented in such settings. For this reason, here, the occurrence of 19 CECs was monitored across the different treatment steps (coagulation, sedimentation, sand filtration, and chlorination) of a typical water treatment plant in South Africa using UPLC-MS/MS. The most dominant CEC was, by and large, efavirenz (1103.9 ± 743.1 ng/L in raw water) tracing back to antiretroviral treatment for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and revealing unpleasant realities about the HIV epidemic crisis in Sub-Sahara Africa (Global South) and possible drug abuse for illicit drug (whoonga/nyaope) manufacturing. For the other examined CECs, their concentrations in drinking water were, from higher to lower score: 1,7 dimethylxanthine (403.3 ± 244.2 ng/L) ≥ emtricitabine (358.4 ± 250.8 ng/L) ≥ atrazine (227.0 ± 61.0 ng/L) ≥ caffeine (194.1 ± 216.5 ng/L) ≥ tramadol (189.5 ± 112.4 ng/L) ≥ carbamazepine (122.9 ± 24.5 ng/L) ≥ sulfamethoxazole (107.8 ± 55.1 ng/L) ≥ methaqualone (72.2 ± 20.5 ng/L) ≥ benzotriazole (61.2 ± 18.8 ng/L) ≥ trimethoprim (59.1 ± 30.4 ng/L) ≥ cetirizine (33.7 ± 19.6 ng/L) ≥ codeine (26.7 ± 57.2 ng/L) ≥ naproxen (25.7 ± 11.3 ng/L) ≥ venlafaxine (21.6 ± 16.3 ng/L) ≥ acetaminophen (17.7 ± 25.8 ng/L) ≥ benzoylecgonine (9.6 ± 5.1 ng/L) ≥ methamphetamine (8.6 ± 6.4 ng/L) ≥ diclofenac (5.2 ± 7.9 ng/L). The large standard deviations indicate the high temporal variations in CECs releases in freshwater. The silver lining is that in the final drinking water, CECs concentrations are greatly reduced, with percentage removals in the range of 9 % (diclofenac) to 75 % (efavirenz). Nonetheless, in LMICs tangible limits and regulatory frameworks for the effective removal of CECs from drinking water, along with more robust polishing techniques such as activated carbon treatment, are missing and should be introduced to avoid the worst effects of CECs exposure.

Mixed influence of COVID-19 on primary maternal and child health services in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly affected the provision of and demand for routine health services in the world. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary maternal and child health (MCH) services in sub-Saharan Africa. The studies searched original studies reporting on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary MCH services. Four scientific databases (Pubmed, AJOL, CAIRN, CINAHL) and one gray literature database (Google Scholar) were used for this search. We also searched through the snowball citation approach and study reference lists. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary MCH services has been mixed in sub-Saharan Africa. Attendance at some health centers declined for antenatal care, deliveries, immunization, and pneumonia cases. Other health centers did not experience a significant influence of the pandemic on some of these services. In fact, antenatal care increased in a number of health centers. MCH service indicators which declined during COVID-19 were linked on the demand side to regulatory measures against COVID-19, the perceived unavailability of resources for routine services, the perceived negative attitude of staff in these facilities, the perceived transmission risk in primary health care facilities and the perceived anticipated stigma. On the supply side, factors included the lack of equipment in primary facilities, the lack of guidelines for providing care in the pandemic context, the regulatory measures against COVID-19 taken in these facilities, and the lack of motivation of providers working in these facilities. This study recommends prioritizing the improvement of infection prevention measures in primary health care facilities for resilience of MCH indicators to epidemic crises. Improvement efforts should be tailored to the disparities in preventive measures between health centers. The identification of best practices from more resilient health centers could better guide these efforts.

Factors Affecting the Competitive Advantage of Thai Entrepreneurs in Adapting to Survive During the Epidemic Crisis of Coronavirus Disease 2019

Factors Affecting the Competitive Advantage of Thai Entrepreneurs in Adapting to Survive During the Epidemic Crisis of Coronavirus Disease 2019

Vaccine communication strategies among healthcare workers as a reflection of the Israeli Ministry of Health’s communication strategies before and after the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundHealthcare workers play a central role in communicating information to the public regarding vaccines. Most of the literature has focused on healthcare workers’ hesitancy and doubts about getting the flu vaccine themselves. However, few studies have dealt with how they perceive their role in communicating information regarding vaccines, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.Objectives(1) To identify the communication strategies used by the Israeli Ministry of Health regarding vaccines during epidemic crises (before and after the COVID-19 pandemic); (2) To identify the communication strategies used by healthcare workers regarding vaccines before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA qualitative study based on in-depth interviews was conducted among healthcare workers and used a semi-structured protocol as a research tool. A total of 18 healthcare workers were sampled using purposeful and snowball sampling.ResultsDespite healthcare workers’ perception that there has been a decrease in trust in the Israeli Ministry of Health among the public following the COVID-19 outbreak, they still rely on the Israeli Ministry of Health as their primary source of information and use the same communication strategies (such as fear appeals and correcting information) as of the Israeli Ministry of Health to communicate with the public, healthcare providers, and other relevant stakeholders.ConclusionHealthcare workers have been shaped by the professional socialization processes within the health system, leading to a predominant reliance on established communication strategies and informational channels. This reliance underscores the importance of evolving these methods to better engage with the public. To address this, there is a compelling need to innovate and adopt new communication techniques that emphasize effective dialogue and transparent interactions. By doing so, healthcare professionals can ensure that their outreach is not only informative but also responsive to the diverse needs and preferences of the community.

Fear of COVID-19, Health Anxiety and Work-Family Conflict in Nurses Working in the COVID-19 Ward.

COVID-19 is an example of an epidemic and sudden crisis that has affected many aspects of life and work and identifying the factors that contribute to its impact can help prevent similar crises in the future. The purpose of this study was to investigate fear of COVID-19, health anxiety, and work-family conflict in nurses working in COVID-19 wards in hospitals affiliated with the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). This descriptive-analytical study used a census method to survey 226 nurses working in eight hospitals affiliated with TUMS. Demographics information and three questionnaires including; the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Short Health Anxiety Inventory, and Work-Family Conflict Scale were completed online. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analytical statistics, and a significance level of p < 0.05 was considered. Structural equation modeling test showed that work-family conflict had an effect on health anxiety, and health anxiety had an effect on fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.05). The severity of the effect of work-family conflict on health anxiety was 0.73, and the severity of the effect of health anxiety on fear of COVID-19 was 0.46. Work-family conflict had an indirect effect on fear of COVID-19 mediated only by health anxiety (p < 0.05) and the severity of the indirect effect was 0.33. Health anxiety plays a mediating role in the relationship between work-family conflict and fear of COVID-19. Workplaces should provide more support to their employees during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and prevention programs should be implemented to decrease anxiety.

The importance of a healthy lifestyle to prevent mental health problems during crisis situations: evidence from Corona Immunitas Ticino

Abstract Aim The increasing frequency of epidemic, climate, and political crisis situations, compounded by modern life stress, is associated with a rise in mental health problems. Unhealthy lifestyle, including unhealthy eating habits, insufficient sleep, and scarce physical activity, may further contribute to mental health problems, especially in young populations. The aim of the present longitudinal study is to examine the impact of eating habits, sleep, and physical activity on mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic as a crisis situation. Subject and methods We analyzed longitudinal self-report data collected at baseline (T1), 4 (T2), 8 (T3), and 12 months from 1029 participants aged 5 to 21 during the COVID-19 pandemic within the Corona Immunitas Ticino project. Results Repeated-measures ANOVA showed a significant decrease in mental health problems from T1 to T3, with a slight increase at T4. Hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed that a decrease in unhealthy eating habits together with an increase in physical activity from T1 to T4 were negatively correlated with mental health problems at T4. On the other hand, an increase in sleep time over the same study period was positively associated with mental health problems at T4. Among covariates, women and adolescents experienced more mental health problems. Conclusion The findings support previous research that highlights the role of a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating and physical activity, in reducing mental health problems during difficult life circumstances exacerbated by crisis situations. Age- and gender-sensitive targeted interventions promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors are thus essential.

Anthropogenic NO x emissions of China, the U.S. and Europe from 2019 to 2022 inferred from TROPOMI observations

Anthropogenic nitrogen oxide (NO x ) emissions are closely associated with human activities. In recent years, global human activity patterns have changed significantly owing to the COVID‐19 epidemic and international energy crisis. However, their effects on NO x emissions are not yet fully understood. In this study, we developed a two-step inversion framework using NO2 observations from the TROPOMI satellite and the GEOS-Chem global atmospheric chemical transport model, and inferred global anthropogenic NO x emissions from 2019 to 2022, focusing on China, the United States (U.S.), and Europe. Our results indicated an 1.68% reduction in NO x emissions in 2020 and a 5.72% rebound in 2021 across all regions. China rebounded faster than the others, surpassing its 2019 levels by July 2020. In 2022, emissions declined in all regions, driven mainly by the Omicron variant, energy shortages, and clean energy policies. Our findings provide valuable insights for the development of effective future emission management strategies.

Relationship between Social Networks, Support Patterns, and Health Problems among the General Hungarian Population during the Last Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Numerous research works prove that social relationships and the support they provide have particular importance in maintaining both mental and physical health: they help to deal with stressful life situations, overcome diseases, and maintain health. It is also known that certain periods of life and life events can be critical in terms of social support, as they involve the narrowing of possible sources of support, so the lack of a network of contacts and social support increases not only the risk of becoming lonely but also the occurrence or worsening of diseases. This study investigates the relationship between social network factors and support provided through networks and health problems, taking into account the perceived personal and general impact of COVID-19. The data came from a cross-sectional study, a representative sample of 5000 Hungarian participants was conducted during the dwindling period of the pandemic. We used a latent profile analysis to separate the different groups of respondents based on the support received from different sources of relationships, aiming at capturing the diversity of supported support combinations based on the type of relationships in the network, the form of support, and frequency. Multilevel regression was used to examine the impact of social connectivity factors, emerging patterns, and COVID-19-related perceived consequences on health conditions. Our results confirm that the “poorly supported network” plays a key role in the occurrence of chronic diseases and depression. It seems interesting, however, that the probability of poor physical and mental health was higher in the group of those receiving financial and in-kind support mainly from family compared to the group of those receiving support from multiple sources of relationships. The models also suggest that network integration plays a major role in maintaining mental and physical health during an epidemic crisis.

The nexus of a regional competitiveness and economic resilience: The evidence-based on V4+4 NUTS 2 regions

Economies have always been prone to economic downturns, industry shocks, currency crises, and the current COVID-19 epidemic crises, destabilising a region’s economic growth trajectory and pattern. By re-establishing economic ties both inside and outside regions, regional economies that have been disturbed by a shock may transition to a new growth trajectory. We examined the idea of competitiveness and resilience in a regional development context to answer why one region is more susceptible to economic shock than others and the competitive advantages and disadvantages of V4+4 countries. This article highlights some of the core characteristics of regional competitiveness and resilience and gives a survey of the notion, main empirical results, and planning tasks concerning regional competitiveness and resilience. The idea of resilience is gaining greatness because of the COVID-19 crisis, and its importance is growing in research and economic policymaking. Ideas like “2020 made us stronger” and “resilience, tenacity, and the ability to bounce back” are obviously alluring during the current crisis. The COVID-19 problem, however, has decreased the main systems’ shock resistance and caused failures to spread from one system to another. Thus, it is necessary to suggest a systems approach focused on resilience to have socio-economic systems ready for potential shocks. The paper’s main topic is resilience-focused tactics, with a focus on the current European Union strategy. The European Union must strengthen its resilience considering the COVID-19 issue and the political agenda that is transition-driven in order to move forward or recover but emerge stronger. If policies are to be effective in the long run, an attitude responding to the systemic causes and impacts of big shocks is required.

Examining the dynamic and nonlinear impacts of public health events on the resilience of food supply chain: evidence from China

IntroductionThe fragility of agriculture makes the food supply chain vulnerable to external risks such as epidemic, conflict, disaster, climate change, economic and energy crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has spread and continued globally in recent years, resulting in food supply chain disruption and insecurity, which triggers profound reflection on the impacts of public health events (PHEs). Studying the impacts of PHEs on the resilience of food supply chain has great significance to effectively reduce the risks of disruption and insecurity in the future.MethodsBased on the composition of PHEs and the division of food supply chain, this paper adopted the nonlinear Granger causality test to verify the nonlinear causal relationship between PHEs and proxy variables in the food supply chain; then the TVP-VAR-SV model was constructed and its three-dimensional pulse response results were matched with the sensitivity, recovery, and adaptation of the food supply chain resilience to deeply explore the dynamic impacts of PHEs.ResultsPHEs has significant nonlinear conduction effects on the resilience of food supply chain, the impacts of PHEs on the partial sector resilience have significant dynamic characteristics in the whole sample period, and the impacts of PHEs on the recovery and adaptation aspects of food supply chain resilience have structural break characteristics.DiscussionThe differences, dynamic characteristics and structural breaks of the impacts of PHEs on the resilience of food supply chain are caused by the infectivity and mortality of PHEs, attributes of food products, regulation of supply and demand in the market, behavioral decisions of all participants, changes in the policy environment, and coordination and upgrading of all sectors in the supply chain.

Perceived risk of COVID-19 hurts mental health: the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 and the moderating role of resilience

BackgroundDepression and anxiety have been found prevalent during all phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late December 2022, almost all COVID-19 control measures were lifted in China, leading to a surge in COVID-19 infections. The public’s perceived risk and fear of COVID-19 would be increased. This study aims to examine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the Chinese general population and explores the mediating role of fear of COVID-19 between COVID-19 perceived risk and depression/anxiety and the moderating role of resilience between fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Wenzhou, China, immediately following almost all COVID-19 control measures lifted. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the COVID-19 Risk Perception Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) were used to evaluate depression, anxiety, COVID-19 perceived risk, fear of COVID-19, and resilience, respectively. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Maximum Likelihood (ML) estimator and adjusted for significant background factors was performed to test the moderated mediation. Data obtained from 935 participants were analyzed.ResultsThe prevalence of moderate to severe depression and anxiety was 23.7% and 9.5%, respectively. The present study revealed positive associations among COVID-19 perceived risk, fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety, and negative associations between resilience and fear of COVID-19/depression/anxiety. Fear of COVID-19 partially mediated the association between COVID-19 perceived risk and depression/anxiety. Furthermore, resilience significantly moderated the association between fear of COVID-19 and depression/anxiety. Two moderated mediation models were constructed.ConclusionDepression and anxiety were prevalent among Chinese adults during the final phase of the pandemic in China. The significant mediation role of fear of COVID-19 implies that reducing fear of COVID-19 may effectively alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms. Moreover, enhancing public resilience during an epidemic crisis is crucial for promoting mental health.

Туристский потенциал административно-территориальных единиц: оценка, анализ, интерпретация

In the early 2020s, the epidemic and sanctions crisis prompted a shift in Russian external tourist flow towards the domestic market, resulting in increased interregional competition. Consequently, it has become important to identify territories suitable for economically effective tourism development. At the regional level, measuring the tourism potential of municipal districts has become a common tool for addressing this issue. However, academic literature often considers the concept of tourism potential to be subjective and contradictory, with many estimates criticized as unreliable. This paper attempts to systematize the theory and methodology for measuring Administrative Units’ Tourism Potential (AUTP). We identified six key strands of aca­demic literature that laid the groundwork for the tourism potential concept from the late 19th century to the 1960s, as well as four modern approaches to investigating AUTP in studies published from 1960 to 2024. Our analysis proposes a periodization of knowledge on AUTP development. A key outcome of our analysis is the identification of strengths and weaknesses in contemporary approaches. Building on this, we developed our own method for analyzing AUTP that addresses these weaknesses. This new approach may serve as a foundation for creating a more refined methodology for AUTP analysis, ultimately aiming to enhance the effectiveness of regional financial allocations for tourism purposes.

Assessing the Resilience of Fintechs to Epidemic Crises from a Monetary Stability Perspective: Evidence from Africa

The paper aims to assess the resilience of fintechs to epidemic crises in Africa. This study is new in that it is one of the few to have examined the impact of fintechs on monetary stability in the African region, and it shows how digital tools have become crucial for regions to better manage their response to the crisis. To do so, we use the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) technique to investigate the complexity of the relationship between Fintechs and monetary stability during the years 2011, 2014 and 2017. The study confirms that debit card use leads to an increase in inflation and participates in the decline of the interest rate. We also find that the use of the internet during transactions plays a stimulating role in lowering inflation, encouraging currency transactions and reinforcing the increase in interest rates. Finally, we conclude that the stability of money in bank accounts decreases the effect of inflationary pressures but favors exchange rates and interest rates together as a result of the increase in money.

Hegemonic Knowledge and Situated Knowledge

What is power? What is knowledge? What is the link between power and knowledge? This paper interrogates the relationship between knowledge and power in the context of Guinea's epidemic crises and political events. It draws on observational data collected during the Ebola epidemic (2013-2016), the Covid-19 pandemic (2020-2022), and the ongoing military transition in the country since September 2021. The article first looks at the conception of the relationship between power and knowledge in decolonial literature and the writings of Amadou Hampâté Bâ. The text then describes this relationship in the context of the Ebola and Covid-19 epidemics, and in the ongoing political transition. Finally, the analysis provides an epistemological reflection on knowledge-situated in Guinea to rethink the conceptual and empirical research perspective on the production and circulation of (academic) knowledge in the country's knowledge ecology.

General Cultural Competence of a Future Teacher in a Changing World

The purpose of the study. The paper analyzes the content оf the concept of “general cultural competence of a future teacher” and its dialectical development in a changing world under the influence of various factors: the new technological order; the complexity and diversity of various social environments; the risks of environmental, energy and epidemic crises; the emergence of artificial intelligence and learning neural networks; and the large consequences of small (at first glance) events in public life. The authors of this paper identified the inseparable connection of the general cultural competence of a future teacher with the general culture of human society. The work culture (professional activity) of a teacher is understood as an intellectual, socially oriented creative activity in the field of education, which has a spiritual ground and value sense. Such professional activity includes imperatives of personal and professional development, learning new things, motivation to participate in the life and upbringing of the subjects of their work – students. The trend of pragmatism in the development of educational programs of higher education, underestimation of the humanistic function of pedagogical universities and the need to form longitudinal professional and life goals of graduates is actualized. Materials and methods. The study is based on the analysis of scientific publications in the field of competence-based, culturological and learner-centered approaches in pedagogy. The content of publications was compared, and the frequency of key terms in these publications was analyzed using the online service “Semantic text analysis online, seo text analysis”.The results of the study. The results prove that the phenomenon of culture arises in the process of human coevolution. In this study, the structure and content of culture is seen as a sphere with three poles (religion, art, science). In the process of historical increase in the volume of culture, these poles could have changed mutual distances, demonstrating a prevailing influence of each pole on the volume of the culture sphere. Furthermore, the series of categories of “cult – culture – general cultural competence of a future teacher” was analyzed. In the context of the competency-based approach, an analysis of the content of the concept “general cultural competence of a future teacher” is considered. It has been suggested that leadership competence can be considered as part of the general cultural competence of a future teacher, determining the ability to independently organize his or her own professional and life trajectory from the position of a leader, creating an atmosphere of cooperation in the pedagogical, design or research process. The leader's worldview is seen to be an integral part of the general culture of a person, being realized in the normative (regulatory) and evaluative (axiological) functions of the culture, as well as in the socialization function together with a continuous desire for self-improvement in the profession and life.Conclusion. The findings of the study demonstrate that teachers, as carriers and subjects of culture, need to develop their general cultural competence to navigate in and adapt to a changing world. The considered competences are crucial in the modern conditions and should be directly or indirectly introduced into the future Federal State Educational Standards of Higher Education in the Russian Federation.

The Main Difficulties and Countermeasures of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises under the COVID-19

The COVID-19 epidemic broke out suddenly and swept the world rapidly in 2020, which had a great impact on China's economy and even the global economy. Under the pressure of enterprises stopping production and increasing personnel costs, many small and medium-sized enterprises are facing bankruptcy. This paper analyzes the difficulties and opportunities faced by small and medium-sized enterprises under the epidemic crisis, and the role and challenges of Internet technology in helping small and medium-sized enterprises to transform and upgrade. This study holds that Internet technology can provide small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with more innovation space, broaden sales channels, improve the effect of customer drainage and other advantages. At the same time, it also needs SMEs to change their business ideas, strengthen the use of information technology, and strengthen the talent pool. The paper puts forward some concrete suggestions, such as strengthening the awareness of Internet management, accelerating the transformation of industrial model, and strengthening the talent pool, so as to help small and medium-sized enterprises realize innovative development by using the Internet. Based on relevant data and cases, this paper explores and analyzes how small and medium-sized enterprises use the Internet to achieve innovative development.