Times Of Crisis Research Articles

Tackling the social marketing formative research bottleneck: comparative analysis of the complementary nature of community-generated personas and focus groups

Purpose This study aims to understand the utility of personas and illustrate, through a case study, how a persona-building exercise in a Community Based Prevention Marketing (CBPM) training of community leaders elicited important insights that complemented findings from ongoing formative research on vaccine hesitancy in the Hispanic/Latino population in the USA during COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory concurrent parallel qualitative study design compared three personas created by community-based organization members (n = 37) to transcripts from five formative research focus groups (n = 30) from the same project. All participants in this study were recruited by the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network as part of their capacity-building and formative research activities. Grounded theory guided the content analysis. Findings This study found personas and focus groups to be complementary. A high degree of co-occurrence was observed when investigating the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine under the categories of barriers, culture and communication. Between the two methods, the authors found strong associations between fear, disruption to the value system, work-related barriers, inaccessibility to health care and information sources and misinformation. Areas of divergence were negligible. Research limitations/implications While personas provided background information about the population and sharing “how” to reach the priority population, focus groups provided the “why” behind the behavior, followed by “how”. Practical implications A community-driven persona-building process built on cultural community knowledge and existing data can build community capacity, provide rich information to assist in the creation of tailored messages, strategies and overall interventions during a public health crisis and provide user-centered, evidence-based information about a priority population while researchers and practitioners wait on the results from formative research. Originality/value This case study provided a unique opportunity to analyze the complementary effectiveness of two methods acting in tandem to understand the priority population: stakeholder-informed persona-building and participant-informed focus group interviews. Understanding their complementary nature addresses a time gap that often exists between researchers and practitioners during times of crises and builds on recommendations associated with bringing rigor into practice, promoting academic contribution to real-world issues and building collaborative partnerships. Finally, it supports the utility of a nimble tool that improves social marketers’ ability to know more about their audience for intervention design when time is of the essence and formative research is ongoing.

Working Capital Management in Times of Crisis in Kenya

This study examines the role of working capital management in sustaining businesses, specifically during times of crisis like economic downturns or pandemics such as COVID-19. The study emphasizes the need for proactive strategies that can effectively manage uncertainties, preserve liquidity, and ensure business continuity despite disruptions in sales, supply chains, and credit risks. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review, the study highlights the importance of organizational resilience and proactive approaches to working capital management in addressing challenges during crises. Additionally, the paper thoroughly examines strategies including cash management, inventory management, and accounts receivable management, emphasizing the importance of thorough assessment, proactive planning, and strategic decision-making. In summary, the study underscores the importance of efficient working capital management as a key factor in enabling companies to successfully overcome crises and emerge stronger and more resilient.

Insights into Gold Investing: Exploring Investor Behavior

A content analysis was conducted to examine factors influencing investor behavior when investing in gold and to look into possible reasons for selling gold. The results showed that investors' needs, return expectations, herding behavior, fear of financial collapse, higher appreciation rate, store of value, and liquidity all significantly impact gold investment decisions. The analysis also identified factors that may lead to selling gold in times of crisis, such as uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, perception of gold as a safe haven during global financial instability, rise in the price of gold during crisis periods, its value as a hedging instrument, an essential investment source, protection against inflation, and also as a medium of exchange. An important motive for selling gold during these periods is to flee to safer assets. The research also revealed that although the demand for gold is usually higher in times of economic uncertainty and inflation, cash shortages do not significantly impact the decision to sell gold.

Review of “Communes and the Venezuelan State: The Struggle for Participatory Democracy in a Time of Crisis”

Review of “Communes and the Venezuelan State: The Struggle for Participatory Democracy in a Time of Crisis”

Enhancing intersectoral collaboration: Lessons from the coordinated donor support to the South African COVID‐19 vaccination programme

AbstractDespite the increasing importance of intersectoral collaborations to address crisis situations, relatively little is known about how they are organised, managed and governed. Moreover, within the field of public administration, there is still much to learn about how governments can use intersectoral collaboration to effectively address crises. This paper examines the case of the Coordinated Donor Support initiative in South Africa's COVID‐19 vaccination programme to illustrate the value of multisectoral partnerships, especially for developing countries. This partnership involved donors and philanthropic organisations, non‐governmental and civil society organisations, and private sector organisations, yet it sought to partner with the government, rather than take over the government's role. The paper also explores the complexities, contradictions and threats to such partnerships, and what is required to optimise them. It argues that several measures need to be put in place in the pre‐crisis phase to ensure that such multisectoral collaborations can quickly be mobilised when crises occur. It also shows that partnerships which are forged in times of crisis can assist countries to address their ongoing developmental challenges.

Do Daily Podcasts in Public Broadcasting in Israel Help Increase Resilience in Crisis Situations?

ABSTRACT In times of crisis, the importance of the media to help convey messages that support resilience stands out. The present study examined the possible contribution of 21 daily podcasts that were broadcast on three public channels during a military conflict in Israel (May 2021). The research question concerned the possible contribution of the podcasts to resilience. The research findings show that podcast producers preferred topics from their areas of expertise, including critical journalism. The potential of the podcast to transmit messages boosting resilience, which may empower the listeners in facing the crisis, was not on their agenda.

Delegated Rule-making in Times of Crisis: New Challenges for Democratic Scrutiny?

Abstract The delegation of powers to the European Commission, facilitating the adoption of non-legislative acts to implement centrally provisions of European legislation, has long been an essential part of administrative governance in the European Union. However, the established practice of delegating legslative and implementing powers to the European Commission has increased over the last decade, at the same time in the context of the various crises that the EU has had to confront during this period. The crisis context has generally demonstrated that executive institutions often emergency politics, and the amplified use of delegated powers in such circumstances raises questions about the capacity of legislative institutions to carry out their usual control and scrutiny functions. The concern here is whether – at times when the established mechanisms of control need to be carried out in times of crisis, under greater time pressure – there is the risk of legislative institutions (that had originally delegated powers to the Commission) are being sidelined, with the detrimental effects that this may have on the democratic accountability of the whole process. Against this background of normative question-marks, this article examines empirically to what extent the scrutiny of the Commission’s adoption of delegated powers has fundamentally changed during times of emergency. In particular, it provides an analysis of the use of delegated powers by the European Commission in the context of the EU’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic in order to establish whether the Council and the European Parliament managed to enable the usual control mechanisms effectively. By way of conclusion, the article discusses the implications of the findings for the wider discussion and the future use of emergency governance in the European Union.

Analysis of the 50 Most Impactful Publications Pertaining to COVID-19 and Orthopaedic Surgery: What Have we Learned?

Purpose There has been abundant research published regarding the impact of COVID-19 on orthopaedic surgical patients which have varying degrees of impact on clinical practice. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the most influential articles relating to COVID-19 and patients undergoing orthopaedic surgical procedures. Though the global pandemic is over, it is beneficial to understand how the resilience of the healthcare system adapted to guide policy development and improve patient care amidst a worldwide time of crisis. Methods The Clarivate Web of Science Core Collection was searched for ‘COVID-19 AND orthopaedic surgery’ and returned 388 articles. The most influential peer-reviewed publications were determined by citation number. Expert opinion and review articles were excluded. Article title, journal name, type of study, country of publication, and clinically relevant findings of each study were collected. Results The top-50 most influential manuscripts concluded these articles were collectively cited 1875 times. The total citations ranged from 13 to 111 citations per article with a mean of 38 (95% confidence interval [31, 44]). England (14), the United States (11), and Italy (10) had the top number of publications. The top affiliations were IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi (5) and the University of London (4). The most popular journals were Bone & Joint Open (10) and International Orthopaedics (10). Though the articles were largely heterogeneous, they described the necessity of orthopaedic surgeons during the pandemic as well as safety precautions to prevent COVID-19 transmission in orthopaedic patients. Conclusion This comprehensive analysis identified the 50 most influential peer-reviewed clinical publications regarding COVID-19 and orthopaedic surgery, which is a concise resource that can be used to inform patient decision-making regarding orthopaedic care and COVID-19. The top-50 articles highlighted the importance of resource utilization, increased use of telemedicine, enhanced infection control measures, patient-centered care, and the well-being of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Critical Pedagogy and the Covid-19 Pandemic: Keeping Communities Together in Times of Crisis, edited by Eda Ata and Fatma Mizikaci

Critical Pedagogy and the Covid-19 Pandemic: Keeping Communities Together in Times of Crisis, edited by Eda Ata and Fatma Mizikaci

“Violent Times Call for Violent Prayers”: “Divine Violence” during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Nigeria

Interest in studying prayer has significantly increased because of the belief that it helps humanity to cope, particularly in times of crisis. Prayer is not just a communication with God, it is also an instrument of bond and embodied ritual among prayer litigants or people who belong to the same religious community. This article argues that divine violence, a sovereign act of God, was crucially needed by the litigants in order to guarantee human flourishing in the face of existential threat. The article studied how violent prayer—a genre of prayer that is targeted at the spirits underlying physical manifestation of suffering, pain, or crisis—was utilised by the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries (MFMM) in Nigeria to cope with the fear and uncertainties occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article is part of an ongoing ethnographic research on “The Politics and Poetics of Violent Prayer in the Nigerian Pentecostal Churches”, which began in 2021. I utilised ethnographic engagement, particularly interviews and participant observation, to attempt to understand what these prayer litigants are doing when they pray violently.

Making agile governance work: the community grid as a ‘safety valve’ institution during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for agile governance to effectively address and prevent future global crises. Scholars have examined China’s grid system and its application by local governments in controlling the spread of COVID-19. Our research supports these findings, and we further argue that the grid system enhances responsiveness, inclusiveness, and transparency in governance, thereby benefiting both the government and its citizens. Through a detailed case study of grid governance in the M District of Shanghai from July 2020 to August 2022, we explore the operational mechanisms of the grid system. By incorporating the safety valve theory, we propose that the community grid, the smallest administrative unit in China, functions as an institution to issue pre-emptive warnings, integrate communities, and alleviate pressures during times of crisis, contributing to governance agility. As grid governance has constantly been strengthened, this research not only advances our comprehension of the effectiveness of grassroots governance in China, but also offers valuable insights pertaining to crisis management in mega-cities worldwide.

Bank performance and financial stability during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons from the MENA region

PurposeThis study investigates the role of market concentration and efficiency in banking system stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. We empirically test the hypothesis that market concentration and efficiency are significant determinants of bank performance and stability during the time of crises, using a sample of 575 banks in 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).Design/methodology/approachThe main sources of bank data are the BankScope and BankFocus (Bureau van Dijk) databases, World Bank development indicators, and official websites of banks in MENA countries. This study combined descriptive and analytical approaches. We utilize a panel dataset and adopt panel data econometric techniques such as fixed/random effects and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator.FindingsThe results reveal that market concentration negatively affects bank profitability, whereas improved efficiency further enhances bank performance and contributes to the banking sector’s overall stability. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that during the COVID-19 pandemic, bank stability strongly depended on the level of market concentration, but not on bank efficiency. However, more efficient banks are more profitable and stable if the banking institutions are Islamic. Similarly, Islamic banks with the same level of efficiency demonstrated better overall financial performance during the pandemic than their conventional peers did.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation is related to the period of COVID-19 pandemic that was covered in this paper (2020–2021). Therefore, further investigation of the COVID-19 effects on bank profitability and risk will require an extended period of the pandemic crisis, including 2022.Practical implicationsThis study provides information that will enable bank managers and policymakers in MENA countries to assess the growing impact of market concentration and efficiency on the banking sector stability. It also helps them in formulating suitable strategies to mitigate the adverse consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our recommendations are useful guides for policymakers and regulators in countries where Islamic and conventional banking systems co-exist and compete, based on different business models and risk management practices.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to the banking stability literature by investigating the role of market concentration and efficiency as the main determinants of bank performance and stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is the first to analyze banking sector stability in the MENA region, using both individual and risk-adjusted aggregated performance measures.

Social media content strategy for DMOs: examining linguistic style in times of crisis

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 outbreak has drastically impacted destination marketing organisations’ (DMOs) communication and consumer engagement on social media. The study examines consumer engagement during different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (pre-COVID, lockdown, post-lockdown) based on the language used by DMOs in their social media communications. An analysis of 21,677 tweets recording 3.63 million impressions on 23 official Indian DMOs’ Twitter handles was undertaken. The Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count dictionary examined the tweets’ linguistic characteristics. Negative binomial regression was employed to test the hypotheses. Results show that 1) consumer engagement on Twitter, measured as likes and retweets, increased during lockdown; 2) the use of linguistic text features by DMOs has changed with the pandemic stages; and 3) while cognition significantly explained the changes in consumer engagement, positive emotion partially explained, and confidence failed to account for the changes. The findings provide operational guidance for DMOs on how to design social media content.

Discourse wars and ‘mask diplomacy’: China’s global image management in times of crisis

ABSTRACT To achieve foreign policy goals and boost prestige, states try to influence how foreign publics perceive them. Particularly during crises, the imperative to mitigate a negative image may see states mobilize resources to change the global narrative. This paper investigates whether China’s ‘mask diplomacy' efforts influenced portrayals of the country in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. We validate and apply a semi-supervised scaling method to 1.5 million English statements in newspapers around the world mentioning China and Covid-19. Multi-period difference-in-differences models reveal that media tone improved significantly after mask diplomacy engagement. Using its Covid-19 White Paper to determine China’s preferred external narratives, we also find that a country’s domestic media reproduced key terms more after the country received PRC support.

Reflections on co‐productive research in a youth‐focused climate education project

AbstractThe 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child emphasises the value of listening to young people’s voices. Since its inception, there have been significant moves to involve young people in research that concerns their lives in a time of environmental emergency. Drawing on critical analysis of our work with Youth Action Partnerships (YAPs), this article explores how co‐production with young people can effectively be achieved and offers meaningful ways for young people to share their stories in a time of climate crisis. We draw on rich insights from our experience of working in partnership with young people and explore how they have been supported to shape and influence the research process. Our findings enable us to build on Hickey’s five principles for co‐production with adults in a health and social care context. We show that, in addition to those, there is need to consider three other principles when co‐working with youth. We embed the eight principles for co‐production in a new model for effective co‐production with young people to support researchers to successfully prepare for, and implement, such co‐production processes in other work.

The authentic leader in times of crises: a portrait of the effects of authentic leadership on the well-being of its employees during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: The pandemic caused by the new new-sars-cov-2 variant significantly modified working conditions. In this context of crisis, leaders have come to occupy an even more sensitive and strategic place for companies. In this way, this article intended to study how an authentic leadership style could influence employees during the pandemic caused by COVID-19. Methodology: We used a quantitative approach. More specifically, through Structural Equation Modeling, by the SmartPLS 3.0 software, we analyzed data from a survey conducted with 1142 participants. Findings: The results show that organizations led by leaders who are considered authentic by their employees are more likely to take particular actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, which contributed to reducing work stress. Additionally, the presence of an authentic leader presents a direct influence on the professional stress levels decreasing of the respondents. Originality: Several studies have analyzed professional contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have made little correlation with the adopted leadership style, as in this study. In addition, the scope of the sample and the use of Structural Equation Modeling make the article unique.

Editorial: Protecting education at all costs? Education in times of crisis and conflict

Editorial: Protecting education at all costs? Education in times of crisis and conflict

Be Direct! Restaurant Social Media Posts to Drive Customer Engagement in Times of Crisis and Beyond

Restaurants were significantly shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced them to intensify their use of social media to communicate with customers. Our objective was to identify which digital marketing strategies generated higher customer engagement during the pandemic, according to variations in the intensity of sanitary restrictions. We manually extracted 639 Facebook posts by 16 restaurants in two Canadian cities (one in a metropolitan area, one in a peripheral region), and coded them according to type of verbal move, format (image, text), and emoji use. The engagement rate was two times higher for restaurants in the metropolitan area, which also used three times more emojis per post on average. The engagement rate was also five times higher for nationally branded restaurants than for independent restaurants. When the pandemic hit, restaurants started to use more text and more directive verbal moves to convey crucial and precise information to customers, notably about sanitary restrictions. Emojis and expressive verbal moves also helped increase customer engagement. While being direct was more efficient in times of crisis, directive verbal moves continued to be used after most sanitary restrictions were lifted. Being direct, thus, appears to be a good digital marketing strategy in the “new normal”.

Older People’s Understandings and Experiences of Using Health and Social Care Services under COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Internationally, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes to services as governments funneled health-related funding and resources into stopping the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, older people were singled out as an “at-risk” group, which prompted caution from both older people and governments to limit their exposure to COVID-19. It remains unclear what the impact this has had on older people’s routine health and social care access, and how older people themselves viewed these changes. This analysis investigates older people’s understanding and experiences of using health and social care services under the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in 2020. This analysis draws from a wider, letter-writing study that received 748 letters from 854 participants aged 70 years and older who were living in New Zealand during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Just over half of letter writers described access to health and social care services. Informed by Penchansky and Thomas’ 5 A’s of the access framework, we conducted a thematic analysis of this subsample of letters (n = 404). This analysis identified four broad categories relating to access to health and social care services under COVID-19 lockdown restrictions: (a) the system-wide strangeness of physically accessing services, (b) accommodation of services, (c) availability of resources and personnel, and (d) enhanced quality of those included by services. Rather than passively accepting changes, older people adapted to restrictions by drawing on their available materials and social resources. We conclude this analysis with suggestions for improving future interventions and policies to better older people’s access to health and social care during times of crisis.

Valuable Beyond Vulnerable: A Scoping Review on the Contributions of Older Forced Migrants in Post-migration Recovery

AbstractDuring times of crisis, including pandemics, climate change, and forced migration, much of the discourse in ageing research and intervention centers on the vulnerabilities of older adults. Unfortunately, the valuable contributions of older adults to post-disaster recovery and healing are often overlooked and undervalued. Our aim in this scoping review is to shed light on the critical contributions of older forced migrants to post-migration recovery. We set the scene by introducing the two significant global demographic changes of the twenty-first century: forced migration and ageing. We provide a discourse on older forced migrants, ageing in situations of forced migration, and some of the challenges faced by older forced migrants. We then present some of the substantial roles of older forced migrants in post-migration recovery, including building resilience, contributing to culture and language transfer, providing emotional support, offering mentorship and leadership, participating in community building, and fostering social integration. We close by highlighting some of the lessons that can be drawn from understanding the unique roles played by older adults in post-forced migration recovery and the key actions necessary to promote these roles.