Towards a Restructured Theorization of Development and Adaptability for the Post-COVID-19 Era

It becomes progressively understood that the health crisis (and the deriving socioeconomic crisis) of COVID-19 drives the global system towards radical transformations. The successful adaptation of the various socioeconomic actors in this emerging reality probably constitutes the most significant challenge ahead. This chapter suggests a restructured theorization of socioeconomic development for the post-COVID-19 era, focused on the prerequisite organizational adaptation. This conceptual research examines fundamental evidence concerning current developments globally, arriving at a repositioning in evolutionary and interdisciplinary terms by adopting the strategy-technology-management synthesis to change management and innovation (Stra.Tech.Man).

The Impact of Mortality Salience on Purchase Intention and Creativity Evaluation on Products During COVID-19 Pandemic

In the environment of COVID-19, people are faced with mortality salience (MS) and socioeconomic crisis. According to the terror management theory, the MS would lead to particular consumption attitudes and behaviors caused by the self-esteem and cultural worldview defense. The creativity as a potential value of products needs to be examined to explore how the MS changed the creativity evaluation of three types of products categorized into normal, renovative, and innovative products, based on the degree of originality (Zhang et al., 2019). Two experiments were conducted to examine (1) the MS effect on the creativity and purchase intention evaluation and (2) both MS and country-of-origin effect on the evaluations. The results show that usefulness and purchase intention are affected by both effects, and the novelty is mainly affected by MS.

Obstacles faced by healthcare providers during COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan

The impacts of COVID -19 pandemic have been quite significant on healthcare providers. I was particularly challenging for those in Low and Middle-Income Countries including Sudan . Unfortunately, the pandemic has hit Sudan on extremely difficult time for the country and its people. The country was coming out of long-brutal and devastating dictatorship and transitioning to new democracy with civilian leadership. In addition to the pandemic related issues, trying to rebuild the health system during socioeconomic crisis, healthcare providers in the country were challenged personally and professionally. These challenges include the stress of working in under-resourced settings with limited access to personal-protection equipment and testing kits raised the fear of contracting the virus and spreading it to their families. The professional, social, and personal life of healthcare providers have been dramatically changed by the ongoing pandemic, however, they are heroically accepting this change in a hope that, this will save the life of many more people. Nevertheless, their fights and sacrifices should at least be rewarded by governments and communities altogether strictly enforce the implementation of other preventive measures including vaccination, face masking, and social distancing and get all protected. We should all understand that, unless we are all protected no one is protected, so all must adapt to the new norm of life and collaborate not only on ending this pandemic but to prevent similar ones in the future.

Assessment of Spanish Food Consumption Patterns during COVID-19 Home Confinement

People’s eating habits and lifestyle can have a negative impact on health. In situations of difficulty or socioeconomic crisis, these habits tend to be modified, leading to unhealthy dietary patterns that result in an increase of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Previous studies have indicated that, due to the state of alarm imposed in Spain to combat the spread of COVID-19, an increase in the purchase of non-core products occurred, along with a decrease in the daily physical activity of the population. This could be a risk factor for COVID-19 infection. The objective of this observational study was to analyze the dietary pattern of the Spanish population during home confinement and to compare it with the pattern of habitual consumption collected in the last National Health Survey, analyzing the possible changes. More than half of the respondents in the sample increased their consumption of sweets and snacks during confinement, while the consumption of fresh products decreased. Most claimed to be emotionally hungry, leading to an increase in their daily energy intake. The stress and anxiety generated by confinement could be the cause of the increased consumption of products rich in sugars and saturated fats, which are associated with greater stress and anxiety.

Indonesian covid-19 issue on media: review on spiral of silence application theory

Covid-19 has resulted in a global health and socioeconomic crisis that is still unprecedented in history. Since Indonesia confirmed its first Covid-19 case, UNICEF has led several pandemic response efforts in collaboration with the government, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other partners. This research discussed the process of handling the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The theory used in this research was the Spiral of Silence theory, while the method used van Dijk's Critical Discourse Analysis. The object of research was articles on Kompas.com published from August to December 2020. We concluded that the government provides too much security through nonverbal languages, such as not providing examples of the health protocol implementation that should have been implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, there is still a sense of security generated in the absence of compliance with policies and sanctions that should have been implemented. As a result, the public has become oblivious to the applicable regulations and believes that the pandemic is not a major issue. As a result, this condition has worsened the Covid-19 pandemic situation in Indonesia.

Covid-19 dans la ville de Kinshasa : Représentations sociales chez les fugitifs du confinement.

Upon the announcement of lockdown of Kinshasa (The capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo) due to increase cases of corona virus infections, a wave of fear and concern arose among the population of the city causing a massive population’s displacement towards neighboring provinces. This is to contextualize a phenomenological qualitative study exploring the social representation of COVID-19, the motivations influencing the shift of population and the discourses of the subjects on the care strategies, or “therapeutic artifacts” proposed by this population of Kinshasa. The analysis of 19 semi-structured interviews highlighted the presence of five categories of representations of COVID-19: imaginary disease, disease for businessmen, invention for demographic purposes, war between states and, divine punishment. In addition, four types of motivation have influenced the movement of the population: socioeconomic crisis, insecurity, ban of churches and, easy access to traditional treatment. This study finally shows that the fugitive population uses traditional therapies (herbalists and traditional beliefs, including prayers and sorcery) to cope with this pandemic. Improving knowledge, strengthening the communication system and interventions aimed at changing social representations causing negative images of COVID-19 are recommended.

Social and Solidarity Economy in Uruguay

The social and solidarity economy is a widely used concept to indicate economic logics based on solidarity and the centrality of sustainability in life, differentiating them from the hegemonic economy unilaterally based on rational individualism, the maximization of profits, and the free market. It involves dynamic and specific sociohistoric constructions. In Uruguay, cooperative organizations, which have been in existence for more than a century, are traditionally identified with these types of practices. Cooperativism developed in dialogue with the distinct stages of Uruguayan history and over the last fifteen years, these experiences have tripled, based on the strengthening of public policies for the promotion and support of the sector. Institutional consolidation and the long trajectory of distinct sectors of cooperativism, mutualism, and rural development societies tend to be identified with the social economy. On the other hand, around the dawn of the new century, there emerged a diversity of forms of organization and networks which emphasized the need for social transformation, appealing to practices based on solidarity and reciprocity, both between people and between them and the environment. In general, these are decentralized structures which, in a regional context marked by the socioeconomic crisis and the slogan of the World Social Forum of “another world is possible,” organize economic activities according to the principles of democratic management, cooperation, autonomy, and transformation.

Iraq’s converging crises will set back fiscal reform

Significance Promised extra food rations have yet to appear, deepening economic pressure on households. Last year’s twin shocks of the pandemic and oil-price collapse contributed to a fiscal and socioeconomic crisis. The revised 2021 budget, signed into law on April 8, avoids structural economic reforms ahead of parliamentary elections due in October. Impacts The government’s lack of policy credibility will make it difficult to secure a reform-linked long-term bailout package from the IMF. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi will offer limited reconstruction assistance, seeking to counterbalance Iranian influence. Service delivery, especially of electricity, will be critically constrained as the government deprioritises capital expenditure.