Normal Business Research Articles

Work from Home & Productivity: Evidence from Personnel & Analytics Data on it Professionals

Using personnel and analytics data from over 10,000 skilled professionals at a large Asian IT services company, we compare productivity before and during the work from home [WFH] period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Total hours worked increased by roughly 30%, including a rise of 18% in working after normal business hours. Average output did not significantly change. Therefore, productivity fell by about 20%. Time spent on coordination activities and meetings increased, but uninterrupted work hours shrank considerably. Employees also spent less time networking, and received less coaching and 1:1 meetings with supervisors. These findings suggest that communication and coordination costs increased substantially during WFH, and constituted an important source of the decline in productivity. Employees with children living at home increased hours worked more than those without children at home, and suffered a bigger decline in productivity than those without children.

Work from Home & Productivity: Evidence from Personnel & Analytics Data on IT Professionals

We study employee productivity (output per hour worked) before and during the working from home [WFH] period of the Covid-19 pandemic, using personnel and analytics data from over 10,000 skilled professionals at a large Asian IT services company. Hours worked increased, including a rise of 18% outside normal business hours. Average output declined slightly and employee productivity fell 8-19%. We then analyze determinants of changes in productivity. An important source is higher communication costs. Time spent on coordination activities and meetings increased, while uninterrupted work hours shrank considerably. Employees networked with fewer individuals and business units, both inside and outside the firm. They received less coaching and 1:1 meetings with supervisors. The findings suggest key issues for firms to address in implementing WFH policies.

Work from Home & Productivity: Evidence from Personnel & Analytics Data on IT Professionals

We study employee productivity (output per hour worked) before and during the working from home [WFH] period of the Covid-19 pandemic, using personnel and analytics data from over 10,000 skilled professionals at a large Asian IT services company. Hours worked increased, including a rise of 18% outside normal business hours. Average output declined slightly and employee productivity fell 8-19%. We then analyze determinants of changes in productivity. An important source is higher communication costs. Time spent on coordination activities and meetings increased, while uninterrupted work hours shrank considerably. Employees networked with fewer individuals and business units, both inside and outside the firm. They received less coaching and 1:1 meetings with supervisors. The findings suggest key issues for firms to address in implementing WFH policies.

A study on management of msmes during global crises of pandemic Covid-19

The Micro-Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are small sized enterprises categorised on the bases of their quantum of investment. They play significant role in the developing economies of the word by contributing significantly to output, employment and export. They perform They perform a crucial role in Indian economy by providing employment to a large number of unskilled and semi-skilled people, significantly contributing to exports, enhancing manufacturing sector's production and extending support to large industries by way of provision of raw material, basic goods, finished parts and components, etc. The world is going through the severe crisis of pandemic, Covid 19. Recently it has affected over 210 countries, infecting beyond 2 million people, with more than 1,37,000 casualties. The only remedy available to the government is to keep country under lockdown that gives rise to alarming situation. The question arises, whether the economy will be able to revive and protect the livelihood of the people? We have so far analysed that the global pandemic has created greatest global humanitarian challenge the world has faced so far. It has affected all the sectors of world economy badly. As MSMEs in India is being managed with fewer resources and with government support. This business sector is expected to be hit poorly. MSMEs can prove to be great measure in present scenario of pandemic covid-19 when large number of workers migrating back to their villages. It is crucial to strengthen MSME sector to accommodate new burden of migrated labourers on rural India. The present study finds out some grass root realities of MSMEs operating at Uttar Pradesh and highlights the issue with them. The present study also aims at analysing the challenges faced by MSMEs during pandemic, Covid 19 and to explore the suitable solutions to revive these business units back to the normal business and prepare for such crises in future.

Key Considerations in the Development of a University High Performance Training Centre Business Framework

Universities and colleges are under increased pressure to be self- sustainable and to rely less on government funding and generate more third-stream revenues. In sport, university High Performance Training Centres (HPTCs) are seen as key strategic assets to the university, but generally do not receive continuous direct funding from the universities and need to be self- sustainable in its own right. These centres support university sport in general but are also commercial entities that serve all target markets, including professional and recreational sport and fitness. The onus is on these HPTCs to be sustainable and even profitable, following normal business practices like sales and marketing and client service, with retained earnings being used for capital improvements and additions, as well as general operational expenses of the centres. Recently, university HPTCs across South and Southern Africa (and internationally) are on the increase, but there seems to be a lack in the consistency of business framework principles implemented by the different universities and colleges. The aim of this research is to develop and propose a standardised business framework specific to university HPTCs, which can be implemented to enhance the overall likelihood of sustainability and even profitability of the HPTCs, and also ensure that these HPTCs are less reliant on continuous university funding. The framework will align with specific micro, macro and meso level policy factors that have to be considered in the development of a university-specific business framework. The study proposes several Key Success Factors (KSF) to be considered in the development of the business framework. To reach the aim, various business practices and frameworks from university HPTCs were compared to non-university HPTCs, consisting of commercial and government- supported centres. In conclusion, a generic business framework is proposed, specific to the university and college sport environments.

Firms' Inflation Expectations and Pricing Strategies During Covid-19

We use the Bank of Italy's Survey on Inflation and Growth Expectations to explore how the COVID-19 shock affects firms’ pricing policies and their inflation expectations. We find that the longer the time deemed necessary to return to their normal business levels and the greater the attention they pay to their competitors’ pricing policies, the more likely firms are to reduce their own product prices. Moreover, firms' inflation expectations react to the expected persistence of the macroeconomic effects of the shock. We rationalize this evidence through the lens of a general equilibrium model.

Kein schnelles Ende der Corona-Krise: Mittelfristige Produktions-, Beschäftigungs- und Investitionslücken der deutschen Industrie

Although a number of economic indicators are suggesting that 2020 ended with a strong recovery following the sharp downturns in the spring, the return to a normal business cycle in Germany is likely to be slow in coming. When measuring and interpreting output gaps, it is important to bear in mind that German industry has actually been in reverse gear since the end of 2017, and in recession since mid-2018. In the fourth quarter of 2020, industrial production was still around 9 per cent below the annual average for 2018. The IW Business Survey asked firms about the production, employment and investment gaps they were expecting. In November 2020 both service providers and manufacturers were already predicting an increase in their output gaps for the first half of 2021. By 2022, the gaps in manufacturers' production, employment and investment will have closed significantly, although half of them expect production shortfalls to continue in 2022. Those industrial firms reckoning with reduced production in 2022 put the size of their output gap at around 5 per cent. The largest gap will be in investment, at just over 6 per cent. The employment gap in manufacturing is likely to be some 4 per cent - provided the recovery is not jeopardised by a deterioration in price competitiveness.

МЕХАНІЗМ ПРОТИДІЇ ШАХРАЙСТВУ ІНСТРУМЕНТАМИ ВНУТРІШНЬОГО КОНТРОЛЮ

The article reveals the formation of a mechanism for combating fraud and economic crimes with the tools of internal control. An assessment of the most common types of economic crimes and fraud and describes their impact and consequences for the company. Attention is focused on the fact that today fraud is a threat to the stable development of any enterprise. Fraud has affected more than half of Ukrainian businesses in recent years, and these losses tend to go far beyond financial losses. The article discusses the consequences of fraud and economic crimes, which can cause significant damage to intangible assets (relationships with business partners, reputation, brand), and are extremely important factors for the successful operation and development of any organization. The necessity of building an internal control mechanism as an effective tool to combat fraud is proved. It is determined that the mechanism for combating economic crimes and fraud should use the tool of internal control as an effective means of management, the purpose of which is to timely detect deviations from the normal business process and implement adequate management measures to improve financial condition. The paper examines the general scientific principles of control, and describes the need for their use for internal control. In view of this, the authors propose to follow the following principles of internal control to form a mechanism to combat fraud: efficiency, legality, continuity of control, independence and objectivity, inevitability of control and punishment and publicity. The elements of the internal control mechanism for counteracting fraud are evaluated, and the mechanism of counteracting fraud is described using such elements as legal, organizational and economic. The legal mechanism allows to ensure the cessation of dishonest actions on the part of staff in the process of internal conflict and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The organizational mechanism for fraud prevention allows the formation of a system of relationships between owners and employees, with an important element is the internal control service. The economic mechanism provides an effective system of staff motivation, allows to create a system to prevent fraud in the enterprise, in which fraud and economic crimes for each employee in the enterprise are unprofitable.

Popunjenost visokokategorisanog smeštaja u odnosu na izmenjene uslove tražnje - primer opštine Vrnjačka Banja

The municipality of Vrnjacka Banja, which has an excellent tourist base, a good offer of accommodation facilities and a huge tradition, is certainly one of the "tourist" leaders, which is why the success of its business can be viewed through the prism of overall spa tourism business in Serbia. A review of the existing business of highly categorized facilities in the municipality of Vrnjačka Banja can serve to obtain a clearer picture of the position of similar economic entities in the Republic of Serbia, especially in spa tourism. After reviewing the motive base of this municipality, this research discusses the supply, occupancy and price of highly categorized accommodation in the municipality, before the outbreak of the pandemic and compared to the demand in the first six months after the outbreak of the pandemic. Based on the analysis of the business of highly categorized accommodation capacities in the first six months of the crisis, it was determined that despite big problems, they managed to survive on the market. State aid and the discovery of alternative forms of accommodation helped them overcome the crisis period until the return to normal business conditions.

Uncollected Fare as Unresolved Problem of Public Transport Enterprises Engaged in Transportation of Benefit Holders

The international practices show that there are active policies of encouraging the use of public transport by people of special, privileged categories. Differentiated tariffs are used, all transport modes are combined into a single system, an index of accessibility of passenger transportation services is introduced. The system of free and discounted travel is widely implemented in Russia. But the problem of social support for privileged categories of citizens cannot be solved without ensuring payment of their travel with public transport. The burden of financing the provision of benefits cannot be assigned to carriers. Only development and subsequent application of the method of calculating uncollected fare will solve the problem of paying for transportation of social benefit holders. In this case, public transport enterprises will be able to conduct normal business activities and provide high-quality and safe passenger transportation services. The objective of the article is to justify the need to develop a method for calculating uncollected fare taking into account established tariffs. Nation-wide and regional legislation, as well as judicial practice regarding research problems, were studied at the example of some Russian regions. A critical analysis of the relevant regional regulations has been made. Information was collected on public transport enterprises that had ceased operations. As a result of a graphical interpretation of information on tariffs established by the state and compensation to carriers, the collected data were synthesized, which made it possible to clearly demonstrate the absence of a relationship between compensation and passenger transportation tariffs.

Optimal Time for Withdrawal of Voluntary Retirement Scheme with a Probability of Acceptance of Retirement Request

Voluntary retirement schemes are observed in certain sectors of the Indian Industry such as Banking and Insurance. There is a need to determine the optimal time to withdraw a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), balancing the reduction of high compensation of a segment of employees, prevent mass voluntary turnover from the grade, achieve optimal productivity and ensure normal business operations. In this paper an approach to derive an optimal policy to withdraw a voluntary retirement scheme considering a probability of acceptance of a retirement request, cost due to announcing a voluntary retirement scheme and cost to the organisation due to one-time special payments to those who retire during the time period is discussed.

Acute Myocardial Infarction Identified by Paramedics Using the Smith-Modified Sgarbossa Criteria: A Case Report

Identifying acute MI in the setting of left bundle branch block (LBBB) is challenging because ST-segment elevation is often found at baseline. When faced with LBBB and ischemic symptoms, identifying which patients require urgent reperfusion therapy is critical. Sgarbossa et al. derived three criteria that can be used to help identify these patients, Smith et al. refined these criteria creating the Smith-modified Sgarbossa criteria. We present a case of LBBB meeting the Smith-modified Sgarbossa criteria, recognized by paramedics and used to activate the catheterization laboratory after normal business hours. The patient was found with 95% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery and received stenting.

Mobile money system and market risk mitigation: an econometric case study of Kenya's farm business

PurposeThe study presents and evaluates a proposition that there is market information bundled with the mobile money (m-money) system. Also, that such information is disseminated to farmers in the process of their normal financial transactions and business interactions. This market information is important to mitigate the price uncertainty of farm products.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical analysis is conducted with a two-stage econometric procedure. First, a probit model is used to estimate the likelihood of m-money take-up by farm entrepreneurs. Second, the ordinary least squares model is used to regress the farming price uncertainty index on the m-money take-up, which is quantified with a set of predicted values from the probit model in the first stage. The data used in econometric estimation come from Kenya's FinAccess Household Survey published in 2016.FindingsThe results of this paper show a negative effect of m-money service take-up on the price uncertainty index. A one unit increase in the m-money system is associated with a 12% reduction in the price uncertainty index. The authors interpret this as saying that access to the m-money system by farm business has a beneficial spillover effect on product risk mitigation, ceteris paribus.Research limitations/implicationsThe implication of this research is that policy initiatives which support farm entrepreneurs to access the m-money system should be encouraged not only for their financial inclusion advantage but also for their positive externality on product risk amelioration for rural farm businesses.Originality/valueThe paper introduces an idea that the m-money system is bundled with relevant information for mitigating price risk to the benefit of rural farm businesses.

Favorable Business Environment as a Criterion for Criminal Proceedings Effectiveness in Modern Russia

The paper analyzes various scientific approaches to understanding the effectiveness of criminal proceedings. It is concluded that in the doctrine of criminal process effectiveness is connected with the achievement of its purpose and tasks different understanding of which causes different understanding of effectiveness. On the basis of the analysis of the criminal procedure law, it is substantiated that the main criterion of evaluation of the effectiveness of criminal proceedings includes its influence on creation of favorable business environement in the country. The author recognizes the possibility of dividing the effectiveness of criminal proceedings into legal and social ones. The author interprets the legal effectiveness of the criminal process as its ability to ensure the public interest of all members of the society related to the full and comprehensive establishment of circumstances of the criminal case, the incrimination of the offender, the fight against crime. It is proposed to consider the possibility of criminal procedural means to secure normal economic relations and favorable business environement as one of the components of social effectiveness.The paper proves that the means chosen to increase the social effectiveness associated with the implementation of economic rights and freedoms, negatively affect both itself and the legal effectiveness of the criminal process related to the implementation of its intended purpose. It is proposed to refuse to consider a favorable business environment as the main criterion for assessing the effectiveness of both the entire criminal process and its individual components. Effectiveness should come to the fore, and the criterion of such effectiveness includes public interests aimed at combating crime. It is concluded that even as a secondary component, favorable business environment as a criterion of effectiveness requires such legal means of ensuring it that would not reduce the guarantees of implementation of the highest public interest. It is substantiated that the creation of legal guarantees to protect business from criminal prosecution is unacceptable without creating a mechanism that can separate legal business from illegal business.

Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) platform engagement in cancer patients during COVID-19.

172 Background: Tennessee Oncology partnered with an ePRO platform solution to support patients during their cancer care journey. This cloud-based ePRO platform is designed to assist in improving the management of symptoms. Providing two core pieces of functionality allow both the patient and care teams to retrieve information quickly and communicate effectively. The patient portal is patient input driven and allows the patient to communicate with their care team, track symptoms, and access their health records via website or mobile app. The clinician portal provides multiple care teams the ability to manage and prioritize patient needs as well as communicate directly with patients. In March 2020, due to the pandemic, patients needed a convenient and remote way to communicate with the care team. Our communication plan had to be nimble and provide immediate updates to our large patient population. We leveraged our ePRO platform to meet this need. Methods: We focused efforts on increasing patient engagement by educating them on the benefits of this communication platform. We utilized secure messaging to send appointment details and for Telehealth visits a link to the visit was sent. We were able to provide weekly updates outlining our latest information regarding our safety protocols. Results: We noted an increase in the activation of patient accounts and patient-initiated messages in our ePRO platform. We saw an average of 1,000 new patient accounts activated each month during March, April and May. We saw that patient-initiated messages through the platform showed a 15% increase from February to March. The response rate for patients completing post-treatment questionnaires increased 8% from February to May. Conclusions: By providing patients with a single communication platform to contact their care teams outside of their office visits, patients become an active part of their care journey. As an organization, we continue to identify ways to connect our patients to their care team in a meaningful way through technology. Whether during normal business hours or after-hours, patients need a simple, reliable and consistent way to engage with their care team.

SEARCHING FOR TASKS: TASK-ORIENTATION AND THE PROCESSUALITY OF DIGITAL SKILLS

Skills are not “out there” to be learned but develop through their enactment in situ. Rather than defining skills using a tool- or media-driven approach, we understand skills as situated, embodied processes known as ‘task-orientation’. Coined by Tim Ingold (2011, p. 195) this term refers to “any practical operation, carried out by a skilled agent in an environment as part of his or her normal business of life”. Part of this approach entails taking a holistic, narrative approach to investigating everyday life (Ingold, 2000; 2006; 2011) which some scholars have applied to digital media use (Moores 2017; Sumartojo et al. 2016; Pink 2016, 2015; Pink & Leder Mackley 2013; Pink 2011). We believe task-orientation offers a flexible way to define tasks performed online and offline encompassing three interrelated themes: 1) the processional quality of tool use; 2) the synergy of practitioner, tool, and material; and, 3) the coupling of perception and action. Our focus for this project is an investigation into how people perform unfamiliar tasks with digital media using the four processional phases. Unfamiliar tasks are an inherent part of our digitally-mediated everyday life to the extent that we have learned to ‘cope’ (see Sigaut 1994; see Ingold, 2000, p. 332; see also Nicolosi & Falsaperna, 2015, p. 71) with them — making them, in turn, one of our most ubiquitous and essential digital skills.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on firms: a survey in Guangdong Province, China

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected all sectors of the world economy and society. To understand the impact of the pandemic on firms in China and suggest public policies to deal with the negative effects, we investigated firms in Guangdong Province.MethodsThe survey sample included 524 firms in 15 cities in Guangdong Province. We chose these firms from the list published by the government, considering the industrial characteristics of Guangdong province and firm size. The questionnaire was developed based on previous studies carried out by UNDP. It comprised four categories with a total of 17 questions. The executives of firms were contacted by telephone or WeChat, and were invited to answer self-administered questionnaires through an online survey platform. The data was analyzed by SPSS.ResultsThe following key findings were revealed through the survey: (1) 48.7% of firms maintained stability, and 35.1% experienced a halt in operation or faced closure; (2) Nearly 70–90% already exploit online commerce or are willing to do so, and also remote office work, and digital operations. (3) 46% believe that they will certainly incur losses for 2020, and 83.5% expect the city’s GDP to decrease.ConclusionsFirms in Guangdong Province have faced great challenges in the epidemic. Their production and operation activities have been limited, and they are facing significant risks. It is necessary to implement policies that would profoundly lower production costs for firms, help them survive this difficult period, and gradually return to normal business.

No business as usual: a case for data ethics and data governance in the age of coronavirus

PurposeThe purpose of this commentary is to reflect on the transformative changes organisations experience, in the form of increased use of emergent information and communication technologies (ICTs), as a significant factor in enabling the continuation of normal business practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent key ethical considerations in the use of new technology by organisations.Design/methodology/approachThis commentary adopts a reflective approach and is based on a review of theories on diffusion of innovation, dynamic capabilities and data ethics and governance, as well as up-to-date business reports to reflect on the ethical implications of new technologies for organisations.FindingsOrganisations from different industries and sectors around the world have experienced major disruptive changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adoption and integration of new ICTs occurred at an accelerated pace in a collective effort to maintain “business as usual”. The use of emergent technologies is not without risks. The commentary argues that, in times of crisis, it is vital that organisations address the growing concerns around privacy and security of personal data by designing effective data governance frameworks that go beyond a mere compliance with existing policies and prevailing data privacy and protection laws to ensure data security and protection for all stakeholders.Originality/valueThis commentary is making the case for more considered approaches to data governance and data ethics in business following the unprecedented challenges posed by the recent COVID-19 pandemic and suggests possible ways of moving forward from an ethical perspective.

Universities and research in times of crisis: the getting of wisdom

PurposeIn a time of the COVID-19, pandemic universities and researchers have been faced with unprecedented issues and challenges, and the purpose of this paper is to explore those challenges and issues.Design/methodology/approachIn this article the role of universities and research in times of crisis and emergency is explored.FindingsCOVID-19 has impacted upon universities and their staff and students in a range of ways involving course delivery, staff location and limited campus access and university income. The decline in the amount of funding provided by the federal government to Australian universities over several decades has caused a heavy reliance on international student enrolments; thus, the decrease in international students’ numbers, especially, has had a dramatic effect on university budgets. . Research and researchers are shown to be most vulnerable at a time when their expertise, knowledge and wisdom are arguably most required.Originality/valueThis sudden and unpredicted decline in funds available in universities due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with the disruption of normal university business, poses major problems for all the activities of universities. In this article the current Australian university context is used as a vehicle to explore the role that universities have during crises with particular reference to the role of research and researchers across all discipline areas.

Effects of Long-Term Containment in Residential Spaces

Global events of pandemic have struck the world to standstill even before COVID-19. Its adverse effects are affecting normal life; particularly the way societies used to function and relate to one another, spatial order, and normal business...