Unexpected Crisis Research Articles

Advancing Cities’ Sustainability: Exploring the Effects of Interaction on the Public’s Perceived Efficacy of Emergency Infrastructure Projects—A Psychological Distance Perspective

Considering that emergency infrastructure projects (EIPs) play a significant role in the response to urgent events globally, the public’s perceived efficacy with respect to EIPs has become increasingly critical guidance for infrastructure systems and advancing cities’ sustainability. The interactions between the public and governments are deemed to be instrumental in enhancing the perceived efficacy. Concurrently, psychological distance, which can influence individuals’ thoughts and behaviors, is seen as a beneficial method of boosting the public’s perception of the effectiveness of EIPs. However, the underlying mechanism linking interaction, psychological distance, and perceived efficacy in relation to EIPs remains largely unexplored. In the current study, a theoretical framework was established through a literature review, leading to the formulation of four hypotheses. These hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling based on data collected from a questionnaire survey of 337 residents regarding Leishenshan Hospital. The findings indicate that, firstly, interaction directly affects the public’s psychological distance and perceived efficacy. Secondly, the public’s psychological distance from EIPs directly affects the public’s perceived efficacy. Thirdly, the public’s psychological distance from EIPs plays a mediating role between interaction and perceived efficacy. These findings enhance the theoretical understanding of Environmental Innovation Policy (EIP) governance, aiming to maximize public welfare by effectively addressing unexpected crisis events and promoting the sustainable development of cities and society.

PT DANONE'S HANDLING OF FINANCIAL ISSUES AND CRISIS DUE TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE MUI FATWA BOYCOTT

This article discusses the issue management and crisis communication implemented by the food and beverage company, Danone, in responding to the spread of hoax news related to the MUI fatwa accusing its products of supporting Israel. This fake news poses a serious threat to the reputation and trust of consumers so it also affects the company's finances and requires an effective financial management strategy. This article analyzes in depth the steps taken by Danone in responding to these problems, including problem identification, crisis planning, forming a crisis management team, and implementing appropriate management strategies to maintain financial liquidity. This research also highlights the impact of boycott news on the liquidity of the PT Danone company. The results of this research provide insight into how large companies such as Danone are able to handle complex issue challenges in the era of social media and the rapid dissemination of information in maintaining company financial liquidity. It is hoped that these findings will contribute to business practitioners, policy makers and researchers interested in the financial sector, especially in the highly sensitive food and beverage industry. This research also emphasizes the importance of targeted issues and financial management strategies as a key factor in maintaining company liquidity in the midst of an unexpected crisis situation.

Secondary School Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Online Learning Tools: Teachers’ Behaviour in Distance Education

Secondary school teachers’ attitudes towards online learning tools have been modified by systemic measures adopted in the school network as a result of COVID-19. This unexpected crisis situation forced schools to quickly implement digital infrastructure and look for optimal methods of online education. The aim of this study is to investigate on which factors (gender, age and subject area taught) the use of online tools for teaching activities depends. The aim is also to explore the subjective emotional experience of teachers when using online tools and the reasons of their perceived stress in distance education in the Covid era. The factors influencing the use of online tools for teaching, teachers’ subjective emotional experiences of using online tools, and the reasons for teachers’ perceived burden in distance education in the COVID era are analyzed using Welch’s ANOVA test and Games-Howell’s Post-Hoc test. The correlation values focused on teachers’ perceived feelings using online teaching tools are calculated by Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The results are directed towards the level of teachers’ emotional experience in the context of using online tools for the respective activity. Satisfaction and well-being are experienced by teachers when explaining, activating students, assigning written work, and providing information resources. The study identified a major problem in education, which is the use of online tools for oral examinations. Another problem is the integration of homework into online education. The study has practical impact on the integration of teachers’ digital competences. A holistic approach should be developed in teacher training, seeking to fully integrate digital competences, and social and health aspects should also be taken into account.

Procalcitonin and D-dimer as a prognostic marker and outcome predictor in COVID-19 patients and effect of comorbidities on these biomarkers

Abstract Background and Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as an unexpected crisis at the beginning of year 2020 and amidst the crisis arises a need to identify biomarkers that can predict mortality among these patients. The effect of comorbidities on the levels of these biomarkers and the outcomes was also studied. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional type of observational study involving a total of 111 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Among these patients 17.1% were diabetic, 19.8% were hypertensive, and 19.8% were both diabetic and hypertensive. Serial values of PCT on days 0, 3, and 7 and that of D-dimer on days 0 and 5 were measured among these patients and the results were analyzed. Results: The results showed that baseline serum PCT and D-dimer were significantly higher among the patients who were deceased and showed an increasing trend on serial evaluation suggesting that they are strong predictors of outcome. The mean values of PCT and D-dimer were also higher in patients with comorbidities when compared to those with no comorbidities. Out of a total of 111 patients, 33 patients (29.7%) were deceased and 78 patients (70.3%) were discharged. Interpretation and Conclusion: Serum PCT and D-dimer both were independent and strong predictors of outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Comorbidities like diabetes had a significant effect on the levels of above-mentioned biomarkers.

Role of Strategic Leaders in Unexpected Healthcare Crisis Management

Objective: This study aims to explore the roles of strategic leaders in business concerns and how they maintain sustainability in business during an unexpected crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study investigated the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis on the healthcare industry, organizational performance, and various leadership strategies to overcome such a crisis. Methods: Hospital leaders frequently face new challenges, especially in a healthcare crisis like a pandemic, which may be beyond the scope of the current leadership practices. Additional unavoidable responsibilities may arise, affecting employees' productivity, emotions, adaptability, and leadership styles in a crisis. Result: Transformational leadership is identified as suitable for leaders in a crisis to motivate employees and introduce rapid changes to maintain sustainability. Employee engagement, motivation, innovation, creativity, and many more are critical for a business's survival in a crisis. Transformational leaders are active and utilize different tactics to formulate and implement decisions, provide motivation, promote innovation, display the significance of supporting the organization, and strengthen employee engagement. Conclusion: Influential leaders have roles ranging from routine management activities to handling extra-work roles such as strategy formulation, technology expert, coach, mentor, entrepreneur, etc. Swift changes in leadership styles are necessary to accommodate such rapid changes brought by crises in the healthcare sector for work situations.

Navigating Strategic Change Process in Healthcare Organizations During Unexpected Crisis Change Process in Healthcare Organizations During Crisis

The Radiation Oncology (RO) clinical department is a significant healthcare facility in university hospitals dedicated to treating cancer patients using radiation. Radiation oncology has undergone significant workflow changes, patient appointments, patient scheduling, treatment flow, medical care, and many more to continuously treat cancer patients safely in healthcare facilities during the pandemic crisis. The present study examined the decision-making, change initiatives, implementation process, and post-transition review of these changes in the department of a major university hospital. In contrast to the usual change initiatives, the executive level made all the crucial decisions with the support of a network of teams and then passed them on to the lower-level employees for quick implementation in the crisis. formulated quickly implemented the formulated decisions, sending the essential communications through various electronic methods. The department performed well in this change initiative/ process, allowing patients to continue radiation treatments by taking the necessary steps to tackle the crisis effectively. The department revenue was reduced over the period, and no employee lost their job due to the effective involvement of the management from the beginning of the crisis. Many employees were allowed to work from home, implemented telehealth programs for patient consultations, and provided patients with specific appointment times for radiation treatments. These steps considerably reduced department traffic to control viral spread issues successfully.

Social Media Use and Psychosocial Implications of Covid-19 Pandemic among Adolescent Students

COVID-19 has been an unexpected crisis period, directing the minds of people into ear and anxiety. Social distancing being a major preventive activity to overcome this contagious disease, which led to affect all aspects of life worldwide. The new pandemic experience has highly affected the psychosocial aspects of adolescents. Social media has become the centre of communication during this isolated period. Classroom learning has changed to virtual teaching during the lockdown period. A research was conducted to analyse the influence of COVID-19 on adolescents' social media usages. The study focused on social media usage and its impact on adolescents' psycho-social behaviour. Participants were 287 adolescent students from 6 mostly affected states of India. Data gathering was carried out during the COVID-19 Lockdown in India with a self-structured online questionnaire. The respondents have not agreed that online classes are better than classroom learning. There was a high increase in the use of social media during the lockdown period. Social media has helped them to cope with the isolated situation and has led to an increase in their creativity. WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are the prominent social media used during this pandemic situation.

Dr. Mahmoud Khattab: leading by example through an Egyptian revolution

Learning outcomes This case study is most suitable for a target audience of graduate-level students in leadership and/or change management classes. It will help students to apply a change management model to an existing problem/change and analyze its applicability, recognize different leadership approaches in practice and assess their appropriateness in different contexts and present key findings and ideas in front of an audience. Case overview/synopsis This case study examines the leadership of Dr. Mahmoud Khattab, CEO of B.TECH, during the turbulent times of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution. B.TECH was founded in 1997 as a subsidiary of the Egyptian home appliances manufacturer Olympic Electric, to enter the retail market. The morning after January 28, 2011, the “Friday of Rage,” Khattab found the company’s stores looted and seized, and the employees panicked. The company leader was pressured to decide the next steps quickly. Everything was condensed into a dilemma of whether to keep the stores open but potentially risk employee trust and safety as well as the company’s assets – or close them but lose revenue, the ability to pay workers and the company’s market leader position. Students should also identify and reflect on the elements of leadership that contributed to a business success in a turbulent political environment. This case study highlights critical leadership and management decisions during an unexpected crisis that threatened the company’s operations and diversification efforts. Khattab acted almost instinctively, using the interpersonal and creative skills he had acquired while running a family business in his native Egypt and while occupying various leadership roles. Complexity academic level This case study is particularly suitable for classes on change management and leadership for university students at the graduate level. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS11: Strategy.

Layoffs during a pandemic: Results from an experiment on the management practices of nonprofit organizations and business firms

AbstractGiven the challenges of the COVID‐19 pandemic, both business and nonprofit organizations were forced to respond quickly with regard to organizational operations, resources, and workplace safety. The pandemic offers a unique context through which to examine how the public perceives organizational responses to unexpected crisis situations and whether they view them as socially responsible. Using a mixed experimental design, this study investigates the influence of organizational decision‐making during COVID‐19 on the public's perceptions of the organization. It also examines whether the type of organization—nonprofit or for‐profit—influences these perceptions and the willingness of participants to support the organization either by purchasing the product or donating to the organization.

Gold and Bitcoin as Hedging Instruments for Equity Markets under Crisis

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: 'Cambria',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 宋体; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Gold has been traditionally well recognized as a safe heaven for financial markets. Lately, Bitcoin has been gradually considered as a popular alternative. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, it has become even more necessary and critical to examine the diversification capability of them to hedge financial risks associated with an unexpected crisis comparable to the pandemic. This paper hence employs the wavelet analysis, complemented by the multivariate DCC-GARCH approach, to measure the coherence of the gold and Bitcoin prices with six representative stock market indices, three for developed economies and three for emerging economies, all of which are heavily affected by the pandemic. To have a more balanced and comprehensive analysis, two-year data are used, spanning from 12th April 2019 to 15th April 2021, which covers approximately one year before and one year after the announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that the returns of both gold and Bitcoin are generally not strongly correlated with the market returns of all six indices, particularly for short-term investment horizons. That is, investors in all six indices can benefit through gold, as well as Bitcoin, in terms of hedging. Meanwhile, compared with Bitcoin, gold shows to be less correlated with the indices, particularly for long-term investment horizons. The findings hence suggest that gold and Bitcoin offer diversification benefits to investors in the market indices during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for short-term investment horizons. The study also reminds policymakers thinking beyond the pandemic about the future of the earth, including air pollution and health, for sustainable development of the whole world.</span></p>

Agri‐food supply chain resilience strategies for preparing, responding, recovering, and adapting in relation to unexpected crisis: A cross‐country comparative analysis from the COVID‐19 pandemic

AbstractResearchers and practitioners insist on equipping supply chains with the adaptive capability to return to a more desirable state after being disrupted. Various resilience capabilities have been emphasized in the literature; however, limited research has linked them to resilience phases and cultural value orientations. Moreover, preparedness and adaption phases have hardly been studied. To address these gaps, we adopted middle‐range theory to investigate agri‐food supply chain (AFSC) resilience to the COVID‐19 crisis in a cross‐country setting. Data were collected from interviews with AFSC practitioners from China and Spain, followed by thematic and comparative analyses. The results indicate that frequently discussed resilience capabilities, such as collaboration, redundancy, flexibility, leadership, and innovation, were implemented across the preparedness, response and recovery, and adaption phases; however, successful AFSC recovery also depends on each country's cultural value orientations. A hierarchical cultural orientation generates sense‐making and collectiveness and further leads to synergy across all AFSC stakeholders, thereby contributing to AFSC response and recovery. Under an egalitarianism cultural orientation that places self‐interest ahead of group goals, organizations are encouraged to make decisions based on their own situational understanding, which contributes to their response and recovery. This study also provides theoretical contributions and managerial and policy implications.

The Digital Transformation of the HR Function: A New Chapter in the Era of Covid-19:

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, companies have had to urgently adapt to this unexpected crisis. The major changes brought about by the pandemic forced companies to accelerate the transition to digital processes. At the heart of these transformations, the HR function was at the front line, managing an unprecedented reorganization of work to ensure business continuity. In this context of uncertainty, where an increasingly alarming atmosphere prevails due to an unstable future, companies are still trying to survive in order to ensure their sustainability. The Covid-19 pandemic compelled HR services to swiftly transform their processes in record time, giving an unprecedented boost to the digital transformation of the HR function and raising awareness of the benefits of digital solutions.

How does COVID-19 affect the spillover effects of green finance, carbon markets, and renewable/non-renewable energy markets? Evidence from China

COVID-19 brings new challenges to addressing climate change and achieving the goal of environmental sustainability. This paper examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affects transmission of returns spillovers among green finance, carbon market and renewable & non-renewable energy in China. We evaluate the dynamic and directional risk connectedness across time and at various frequency bands using Diebold and Yilmaz and Baruník and Křehlík approaches. First, the total spillover effects increase significantly when the COVID-19 outbreak. Second, the carbon price fluctuations are mainly influenced by non-renewable energy. Third, the spillover effect is mainly acted in the short term, meaning that it is strongly influenced by investor sentiment in the short term. Fourth, non-renewable energy and carbon markets are the main net recipients and can be used as hedge assets. Finally, the total spillover is time-varying that is affected by the unexpected crisis. The findings will help policymakers and environmental investors to develop policy measures and portfolios that are appropriate for different frequency domains.

A blended future? A cross-sectional study demonstrating the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on student experiences of well-being, teaching and learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated emergency changes to teaching, learning and assessment across higher education. Healthcare courses were particularly affected because of their interdependence with overstretched health services. We used this unprecedented situation to provide insight into how students react to unexpected crises and how institutions can most effectively support them. This cohort study explored students' experiences of the pandemic across programmes and stages from five schools (medicine, dentistry, biomedical sciences, psychology and health professions) in a health faculty in a UK university. We carried out an inductive thematic analysis on the data collected. Many students reported fluctuating emotions and struggled to adapt to home working. Students' changes in motivation and coping strategies varied, many found structure, recreation and social interaction important. Opinions on how well online learning worked relative to face-to-face diverged across programmes. A one-size-fits-all blended learning response is unlikely to be appropriate. Our study shows students across one faculty, within one institution, responded diversely to an emergency affecting them all. Educators need to be flexible and dynamic in delivering curricula and supporting students responding to an unexpected crisis during their higher education.

An Accountable Care Organization Maintains Access for Appendicitis During the COVID-19 Pandemic

IntroductionIt has been reported that pediatric patients experienced a delay in treatment for acute appendicitis during the pandemic, resulting in increased rates of complicated appendicitis. We investigated the association of the COVID-19 pandemic and the incidence and severity of acute appendicitis among pediatric Medicaid patients using a population-based approach. MethodsThe claims database of Partners For Kids, a pediatric Medicaid accountable care organization (ACO) in Ohio, was queried for cases of acute appendicitis from April to August 2017-2020. The monthly rate of acute appendicitis/100,000 covered lives was calculated each year and compared over time. Rates of complicated appendicitis were also compared. Diagnosis code validation for classification as complicated or uncomplicated appendicitis was performed for patients treated at our hospital. ResultsDuring the study period, 465 unique cases of acute appendicitis were identified. Forty percent (186/465) were coded as complicated. No significant difference in the incidence of acute appendicitis cases was observed across the 4 y, either in an overall comparison or in pairwise comparisons (P > 0.15 for all). The proportion of acute appendicitis cases that were coded as complicated did vary significantly over the 4-year study period (P = 0.005); this was due to this proportion being significantly higher in 2018 than in either 2019 (P = 0.005 versus 2018) or 2020 (P = 0.03 versus 2018). ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic was not associated with reduced access to treatment for acute appendicitis among patients in a pediatric Medicaid ACO. This suggests that an ACO may promote continued healthcare access for their covered population during an unexpected crisis.

Resilience Capability and Capacity in Unexpected Crises: Experiences and Lessons Learned in a Healthcare Organisation during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Aim. The current article aims to gain insight into (a) what characterises organisational resilience during an unexpected crisis such as COVID-19 and (b) how organisations respond to developments in their environments. Background. In times of societal crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the resilience of the healthcare organisation is tested. Method. This research is based on a case study in a university hospital and a county hospital in Sweden using surveys with both structured and open answers. Results. The result shows ambiguity and “polarised” experiences, emphasising flexibility vs. structure, clear hierarchical information vs. spaces for peer learning through dialogue, and focus on acute care vs. determination to continue with core operations. Conclusion. The article concludes that the pandemic resulted in paradoxes, tensions, and new experiences in organisational processes and interactions. These create opportunities for learning not only during crises but also for improving nursing management in both acute and planned care. Three relations are important in building organisational resilience in crises: resilience capability, resilience capacity, and sustainable resilience practices. Implications for Nursing Management. Organisational resilience under extraordinary circumstances, such as a pandemic, as well as enhancing the previous literature on nursing management that offer a more individually oriented perspective.

The Humanitarian Mission by Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in Hungary (1914-1921)

The purpose of the research paper is coverage of the process of deployment of the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee’s humanitarian mission in Hungary, determination of its scope and addressees, evaluation of aid results.
 The scientific novelty is lies in the fact that for the first time the JDC’s humanitarian mission is shown in the Hungarian territories – during the First World War, as part of Austria-Hungary, after – as an independent State. The JDC’s role in helping both Hungarian Jews and refugees from the territories who suffered from hostilities is shown. The volumes of assistance, its forms and the main addressers of its receipt are disclosed.
 Conclusions. In spite of insurmountable difficulties during World War I and in the post-War years that followed it; in spite of the lack of unity and of many internal differences; in spite of negative attitudes from various governments – in spite of all these obstacles, American Jewry was able not only to deliver general organized relief to the starving European Jews (including Hungarian Jews), but also to assist in the organization of the machinery for the transmission of private relief. Indeed, on November 13, 1919, Dr. Bogen wrote in his report: “The most essential factor in this rehabilitation is the establishment of the necessary means to transmit the relief so generously proffered by American Jewry, the organization of the transmission system”.
 JDC for the first time had brought together in the common task of mercy American Jews of all shades of opinion. The experience of these years had developed an organization and had recruited dedicated personnel. A small but adaptable staff of diverse background and experience brought together a corps of experts ready to take on additional assignments. A network of affiliated Jewish organizations was prepared to assume responsibility for reconstruction, but was also available in the event of unexpected crisis.
 Aids for the Jews of Hungary was, though small, but very tangible. Local Jews, as well as refugees from neighboring territories (especially Galicia) received much-needed support. Participation in the program of the European Children’s Fund saved tens of thousands of children and their families from death. At the same time, this program had its continuation in the future. All this created the basis for the transition to the stage of reconstruction, which, if possible, we will highlight in further studies.

Drugs for COVID-19 Treatment: A New Challenge.

COVID-19 infection is a new disease and our knowledge is limited; day in and day out more and more interesting yet diverse observations are reported by the different research groups from different corners of the world. So, there is an urgent requirement of the invention of some effective and efficient drugs that can carry out the end of the deadly viral infection. Throughout the world, there have been many efforts carried out in different labs to invent such a drug and also identifying any pre-existing drugs which can carry out the killing of the virus. In this review, an effort has been made to understand the potential drugs which can be used against the SARS-CoV-2 viral infection. Again, the strategies on the current and the future drug discovery mechanisms against the SARS-CoV-2 are also mentioned. The different drugs made and the drugs re-used and also the drugs which are in the making process in different research laboratories across the world are also mentioned. To combat this unexpected crisis, we still need some more efforts from the different scientific communities around the world for finding a cure against this viral infection and this is needed to be done for the prevention of more loss of human life.

Institutional and network social support during COVID-19: A case study of one university’s students and their support-seeking behaviors

ABSTRACT This case study of one university’s students and their support-seeking behaviors offers an initial explanation of what types of social support students sought during the pandemic and if their needs were met. This study fills a gap in the literature, as it addresses where students actually sought support during this time of crisis, and based on this analysis, we offer applications for how universities can be ready to support students even more effectively the next time an unexpected crisis occurs. Implications for institutional social support services at universities and more accessible opportunities for institutional support are discussed. As universities continue to evolve to meet holistic student needs during this stressful time, the evaluation of students’ access to support is discussed. Thus, this investigation bridges a divide between college students’ COVID-related stress and support services by measuring their support-seeking behaviors during the pandemic.

The influence of board governance structure on tourism enterprises resilience – based on the data of listed Chinese tourism enterprises

ABSTRACT Previous research has shown that firms’ resources and management capabilities can contribute significantly to differences in firm resilience. However, little is known about the effect of board governance structures on tourism enterprise resilience during industry crises. This study is the first to explore the effects of board governance structure on tourism firms’ resilience in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study constructed an econometric model, applying ordinary least squares and two-stage least squares with instrumental variables. The model was empirically tested using data from listed Chinese tourism companies for 14 months before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. The study's findings show that board structure significantly impacts tourism enterprises’ risk resilience. The role of the board governance structure is significantly heterogeneous owing to differences in the proportion of independent directors, the shareholding ratio of directors and the dual role levels of the chairman and general manager of tourism firms. This study extends the growing tourism resilience literature by adding the important variable of board governance structure. The contribution of this study lies in providing strategic suggestions for tourism firms to enhance their resilience by adjusting their board governance structure, thereby increasing their ability to weather unexpected crisis events.