Editorial: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): Socio-Economic Systems in the Post-Pandemic World: Design

Page 1

TYPE Editorial

PUBLISHED 30September2022 DOI 10.3389/fcomm.2022.1034562

OPENACCESS

EDITEDANDREVIEWEDBY StaceyConnaughton, PurdueUniversity,UnitedStates

*CORRESPONDENCE AndrzejKlimczuk klimczukandrzej@gmail.com

SPECIALTYSECTION

Thisarticlewassubmittedto OrganizationalCommunication, asectionofthejournal FrontiersinCommunication

RECEIVED 01September2022

ACCEPTED 06September2022

PUBLISHED 30September2022

CITATION

KlimczukA,BerdeE,DovieDA, Klimczuk-KochanskaMandSpinelliG (2022)Editorial:Coronavirusdisease (COVID-19):Socio-economicsystems inthepost-pandemicworld:Design thinking,strategicplanning, management,andpublicpolicy. Front.Commun. 7:1034562. doi:10.3389/fcomm.2022.1034562

COPYRIGHT © 2022Klimczuk,Berde,Dovie, Klimczuk-KochanskaandSpinelli.This isanopen-accessarticledistributed underthetermsofthe Creative CommonsAttributionLicense(CCBY) Theuse,distributionorreproduction inotherforumsispermitted,provided theoriginalauthor(s)andthecopyright owner(s)arecreditedandthatthe originalpublicationinthisjournalis cited,inaccordancewithaccepted academicpractice.Nouse,distribution orreproductionispermittedwhich doesnotcomplywiththeseterms.

Editorial:Coronavirusdisease (COVID-19):Socio-economic systemsinthepost-pandemic world:Designthinking,strategic planning,management,and publicpolicy

AndrzejKlimczuk1*,EvaBerde2,DelaliA.Dovie3 , MagdalenaKlimczuk-Kochanska4 andGabriellaSpinelli5

1 DepartmentofPublicPolicy,CollegiumofSocio-Economics,SGHWarsawSchoolofEconomics, Warsaw,Poland, 2 DepartmentofMicroeconomics,DemographyandEconomicsResearchCentre, CorvinusUniversityofBudapest,Budapest,Hungary, 3 CentreforAgeingStudies,Universityof Ghana,Accra,Ghana, 4 FacultyofManagement,UniversityofWarsaw,Warsaw,Poland, 5 Brunel DesignSchool,BrunelUniversityLondon,Uxbridge,UnitedKingdom

KEYWORDS

coronavirusdisease(COVID-19),ecosystems,futureofhealth andhealthcare, internationalsecurity,publichealth,publicpolicy

EditorialontheResearchTopic

Coronavirusdisease(COVID-19):Socio-economicsystemsin thepost-pandemicworld:Designthinking,strategicplanning, management,andpublicpolicy

Overview

ThedeclarationoftheCOVID-19pandemicbytheWorldHealthOrganizationon March11,2020,ledtounprecedentedevents.Allregionsoftheworldparticipatedin implementingpreventivehealthmeasuressuchasphysicaldistancing,travelrestrictions, self-isolation,quarantines,andfacilityclosures.Thepandemicstartedglobaldisruption ofsocio-economicsystems,coveringthepostponementorcancellationofpublicevents, supplyshortages,schoolsanduniversities’closure,evacuationofforeigncitizens,arisein unemploymentandinflation,misinformation,theanti-vaccinemovement,andincidents ofdiscriminationtowardpeopleaffectedbyorsuspectedofhavingcoronavirus disease. Attemptshavebeenmadetoprotecttheoldestagegroupatrisk,butinmany cases,this hasledtoover-restrictionandagediscrimination.

TherationaleforworkingontheResearchTopic“Socio-economic systemsinthepost-pandemicworld:Designthinking,strategicplanning, management,andpublicpolicy”wastheneedtostartreflectingon resilienceandlessonslearnedfromthispublichealtheventthatrevealed theglobalunpreparednessincriticalareas.Also,thepandemictriggered

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bothtop-down(e.g.,policytoolstowardlabormarkets) andbottom-up(e.g.,socialandtechnologicalinnovationsin education)responsesthatneededmorein-depthanalyzes.

ThisResearchTopiccoversinterdisciplinarycontributions addressingnewthinking,challenges,andtransformations requiredforpost-pandemicglobal,national,regional,and localrealities.ThepresentedResearchTopiccombinesstudies focusedonrecognizingtheactionsandinterventionsleading totherecoveryofsocio-economicsystemsduringthetailend andafterthepandemic.Thestudiesdeliveredrecommendations regarding,amongothers,thecareofvulnerable,planningsocioeconomicrestart,andimaginingthe“newnormal.”

ThepresentedResearchTopicincludes27articlesprepared by113authorsfromallcontinents.Thissetoftextscontains seventypesofpaperscovering:14originalresearcharticles (BenoandHvorecky; Bhandarietal.; Bjurselletal.; Breitenbach etal.; ElDeeb; Ferchiouetal.; Kieslingeretal.; Liuetal.; Musangoetal.; Poppe; Rasuletal.; Rivera-Rodriguezand Urdinola; Suomietal.; Chenetal.),twoperspectivearticles (LeeandKang; Takewaki),fourreviewarticles(Contrerasetal.; Kumar,Mallaetal.; Singuetal.; HamidandMir),onestudy protocolarticle(Marstonetal.),threeopinionarticles(Lever andSafra; SciacchitanoandBartolazzi; VlachaandFeketea),one conceptualanalysisarticle(AuriemmaandIannaccone),and twobriefresearchreports(Kumar,Kodidelaetal.; Sunetal.).

Theeditorshaveidentifiedsixthemesunderpinningand linkingtogetherthefinallyselectedpapers.Theidentifiedmacro themeshelptodistinguishthemaincontributionfocusandthe areasofapplicationofthepublishedresearch.However,these studiesarealsoatestimonyofthepandemic’simpactoneach andeverysignificantaspectofoursocieties.

ThemeI:Resourcemanagementof healthcaresystemsandpublichealth strategies

Thisthemecoverspapersthatexploretheinterrelationships betweensocio-economicconditions,publichealthstrategies, andthepreparednessofhealthcaresystemsduringthe pandemic.Forexample, Singuetal. explorethelinkbetween populationcharacteristicsandtheemergenceandtransmission ofCOVID-19intheUnitedStates,focusingonsocial determinantsandtheirimpactonhealthoutcomes.Thepaper by Poppe focusesonreconsideringtheefficacyofpublic healthstrategiesusedindevelopedcountriesindifferentsocioeconomicsettings,suchasLatinAmerica,whereinformal andcasualemploymentmaybeprevalent.Thisstudyreveals thatpublichealthpolicieshavevaryingdegreesofadherence, henceefficacy,dependingoncountry-relatedmacroeconomic indicators.Similarly,thepaperby Musangoetal. highlights theimportanceofexistingpopulationcharacteristicsandsocioeconomiccontextswhencalculatingthevaluemoneyofthe

deathtollinMauritius.Thestudyappliesahumancapital approachtodetermineatotaldiscountedmoneyvalueforthe humanliveslostinthecountry.

SeveralpapersinthisResearchTopichavemodeledpossible responsestotheCOVID-19pandemicinthecontextof informeddecision-makingandresourceallocation.Inthe articleby Ferchiouetal.,simulationisusedtofigureout pandemicpreventativemeasuresforvariouspopulationgroups andtransmissionrates.Themodelleadstotheidentification ofseverallockdownstrategiesandrecommendationsfor policymakersregardingbiosecuritycompliancethatmay beachievablebymonitoringgeneralpopulationbehavior. Anothermodelingstudyby Rivera-RodriguezandUrdinola was conductedtosupportpolicymakersindevelopingcountries, suchasColombia,todecidewhatpublichealthtools,e.g., lockdown,shouldbedevelopedbasedontheforeseeableneeds ofintensivecareunitbeds. Bhandarietal. applyhazard modelingtoforecastthedemandforhospitalbedsduringthe pandemic,lookingattheimpactofselectedpopulationvariables. Afinalcontributionthatusedmodeling,particularlytechnical efficiencyanalysis,isby Breitenbachetal. Thisworkaimsto determinetheefficiencyrateincountry-specificresponseto COVID-19.Theanalysiswasundertakenoverasampleof36 countriesrepresenting90%oftheglobalinfectioncasesand consideredpandemic-relatedinfectionanddeathcasesinthe computation.Thedevelopedmodelhighlightedthatdespite allocatingresourcesforhealthcaresystems,theefficiencyis likelytodegradeduetothelackofasystematicapproachin respondingtothecriticalchallengesraisedbythepandemic.

ThemeII:COVID-19andregulatory issues

TheCOVID-19stateofemergencyraisedpressureon regulatoryframeworksworldwideduetotheurgentdemand forthedevelopmentofeffectivepolicytoolsnotonlyrelatedto health(Bentonetal.,2020).Thepaperby LeeandKang shows thattheauthoritiesneededtoaddressthechallengeofmanaging variousformsofregulationsrelatedtoCOVID-19inpeople’s everydaylives.Forexample,SouthKoreahasimplemented streamlinedfast-trackservicesforthebiotechnologyindustry toproducetestkitsswiftly.Thementionedstudyfocuses ontheprecisionregulationapproachthatdeliverstheright regulationmethodsfortherightgroupofpeopleattheright time.Anotheressentialregulationissuethat Sciacchitanoand Bartolazzi underlineistheimportanceoftransparencyin negotiatingCOVID-19vaccineproductionandfinalvaccine price.Transparencycouldhelpavoidmisconceptionsand strengthenthecollaborationbetweenhealthcaresystemsin EuropeanUnioncountries.Transparencyisalsoessentialto avoid“vaccinenationalism,”whichunderminesglobalefforts toensurefairaccesstovaccinesforeveryoneandfacilitates

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thedevelopmentofviralmutations.Accordingtothestudy by LeverandSafra,oneofthemostnoticeablereactionsof governmentstoCOVID-19hasbeentoimposelockdownsand restrictionsonfreedomofmovementandassociation.These decisionscanbetemporarymeasurestocontrolormitigate thespreadoftheepidemicwhilewaitingforthevaccineto bedeveloped.However,pharmacologicalsolutionsshouldnot preventconsideringtheendogenousfactorsinthesocieties whichhelpedcatalyzethispandemic.

ThemeIII:Environmentale ects

OneoftheinitialobservationsrelatedtotheCOVID-19 pandemicwasitsimpactontheenvironmentandsustainability management(Barreiro-Genetal.,2020). Kumar,Mallaet al. showthatsocietiesandtheenvironmenthavewitnessed apparentpositiveandnegativeimpactsoflockdowns.Closures offacilitiesandmovementrestrictionsalteredenergydemand patternsandcausedaneconomicdownturn.Suchasituation providedunprecedentedinsightsintothedynamicsofnatural andbuiltenvironmentsthatcanleadtoviableconservation pathsandhelpcreatenewrecoveryenvironmentalpathways. Anotherstudyby ElDeeb presentsthespreadoftheCOVID19infectioninLebanon.Theauthorshowsthatcombining andunderstandingthedisease’sspatial,demographic,and geographicaspectsovertimeallowsforregionallyandlocally adjustedhealthpoliciesandmeasuresthatcouldprovidehigher socialandhealthsafety.Thecontributionfrom Liuetal. aims toanalyzethepotentialspreadofthecoronavirusthrough railtransport.Theauthorsalsopresentrecommendationsfor controllingthespreadofthediseaseinWuhan,China.The studytakesintoaccounttheeffectivenessofcontrolmeasures suchaslockdown,theuseofmasks,sanitization,andsocial distancingforrailwayauthoritiesandpassengers.Inthestudy by Takewaki,“resilience”inarchitectureandengineeringhas beeninvestigatedprimarilyintermsofconventionalnatural disasterrisks.Thepapershowsthatarchitecturaldesigners andengineershaveanimportantmandatetothinkaboutthe functionsofbuildingsandtheirsurroundingsinthedisease spread.Finally, HamidandMir provideacloserlookatthefood andtheagriculturesectorthatwashitbylockdownsandmarket shutdownswhichhaveendangeredthesupplyofagricultural andfooditemsacrosscountryborders.Especiallyfoodsecurity andsupplychainstabilityhasbeenaffectedinemergingandless developedcountries.

ThemeIV:Macrosocio-economic e ects

TheCOVID-19pandemichasalsoimpactedvariousareas ofsocio-economicdevelopmentby,forexample,arisein

economicuncertaintyandchallengestomonetarypolicy,fiscal policy,andtradepolicy(McKibbinandFernando,2021).The paperby Rasuletal. showsthatSouthAsianstateshave encounteredachallengingsituationculminatingfrom,among others,alargepopulation,inadequatehealthfacilities,high povertyrates,lowsocio-economicconditions,andlimited accesstowaterandsanitation.Theneedtocontainthe COVID-19spreadhasledtolockdownswitheffectson economicgrowth,increasingthefiscaldeficit,monetaryburden, andmacroeconomicinstability.Accordingto Auriemmaand Iannaccone,theadoptionoflockdownshasprecipitatedsocioeconomicdevelopmentbygeneratingradicalchangesindaily lifeatthenational,supranational,andinternationallevels. Forexample,inItaly,thesuspensionofcommercialactivities ledtoasearchforsmartemploymentsolutionsbutalsoto thedigitaldivideandnewformsofrelationships.Thestudy by Marstonetal. showsthatusingdigitaltechnologiesisan alternativetomaintainingeconomicandsocialactivitiesduring physicaldistancingadherence.Thepaperdescribeshowthe pandemicimpactedsocialinteractions,includingtheassociation oftheuseofdigitaltechnologieswithpsychologicalwellbeing andlevelsofloneliness.Anothersideoftechnology-related issueshasbeeninvestigatedby Kieslingeretal.,whostudied thelackofmedicalhardwaresuppliesduringtheCOVID-19 pandemic.Thissituationledtomoresignificantinnovationin healthcaresystems,especiallythelocalproductionofCOVID19-complianthealthcareproducts(e.g.,faceshieldsandmedical supplies),withimplicationsforreducingdependencieson internationalsupplychainsandmainstreammassproduction.

ThemeV:Laborand employment-relatedchallenges

TheCOVID-19pandemiccausedashockforthelabor marketsworldwide,includingchangesinworkforcemobility, workreorganization,andapplyingvariouslabormarket policymeasurestodecreasetheriskofmassunemployment (InternationalLabourOrganization,2020).Thecontribution by Sunetal. isbasedonasurveyamongfinancialmanagers beforethecoronavirusdiseasepeakedinChina.Theauthors analyzedthemanagers’copingstrategies,theriskperception directlycausedbyCOVID-19,andtheindirecteffectthatrefers tomanagers’fearthattheywillnotmaketimelyadjustments. Contrerasetal. explainthatcompanieshadtoswitchfrom physicalpresencetoteleworkfromonemomenttothenext. Theexistingknowledgeofteleworkingande-leadershipplayed acrucialroleinthereorganizationprocess.Asaresult,the leadingcompaniesinthisfieldhaveenjoyedaconsiderable advantageinbuildingnewproductionstructuresandreaching advantagesinthemarket. Kumar,Kodidelaetal. writethatthe combinationofdecreasedproductivityandstayingathomeis likelytocompromisewellbeingbycausingstressandanxiety.

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However,organizingvirtualsessionstolearnaboutworkers’ motivationandlistentotheirexperimentshelpeddecrease perceivedandCOVID-19-relatedstressscores.Also,thestudy by Suomietal. showedthatthedifferenceinperceptionsofthe employedandunemployedwasattenuatedduringCOVID-19, withbenefittingrecipientsperceivedasmoreemployableand conscientiousthaninthepre-pandemicperiod.Theseresults addtoknowledgeaboutthedeterminantsofwelfarestigma, highlightingtheimpactoftheglobaleconomicandhealth crisisontheperceptionofothers.Finally, BenoandHvorecky surveyedcompaniesshortlybeforetheepidemic.Giventhe situation,theydecidedtorepeatthesurveyduringadifferent phaseofapandemictofindouttheeffectivenessofe-working andthecausesofdecreasedworkproductivity.

ThemeVI:Education-related challenges

TheCOVID-19pandemichasalsoimpactedrisk managementineducationalinstitutions,forexample,mental healthmaintenance,staffmobilitycontrol,andonlineeducation schemes(TadesseandMuluye,2020). VlachaandFeketea underlinethatthespreadofCOVID-19andotherwinterrelatedcommonviralinfectionsmayco-existwhileprevalent amongchildren.Resultantly,theremaybeconsequencesfrom children’slackofschoolattendancerangingfromfamily’s financialsecuritytosupportthechildren’seducationalneeds andemotionalwellbeingwithimplicationsforchildcarefor affectedparents.Inessence,thereisaneedforthechildrento attendschoolregularlyandyetfacilitatestudents’protection fromCOVID-19. Bjurselletal. showthatthepandemichas alsoimpactedparticipationinlifelonglearning,withdifferences betweenagegroups,nations,sectors,andprofessions.While astudyby Chenetal. analyzesshiftsinacademicactivities fromofflinetoonlineand/orvirtualoperations.Theresearch focusesonsustainableknowledge-sharingwillingnessinvirtual academiccommunities.

Conclusion

ThestudiespresentedinthisResearchTopicallow identifyingatleasteightdirectionsforfurtherinvestigations. Theseare:(1)digitalinnovations,includingartificialintelligence androboticsolutionsaswellasinnovationpolicyinthe publichealthandhealthsector;(2)tensionsbetweennational

andinternationalhealthpoliciesandregulations;(3)redesign andresilienceinthetradepolicies,transportsystems,and supplychains;(4)emergingtransformationsandinequalities atthelabormarkets;(5)planning,management,governance, andevaluationofgovernmentalinterventionsrelatedtothe pandemic(seealso Dunlopetal.,2020);(6)comparativepublic policystudiesfocusingondifferencesacrossnationsandpolicy transfer(seealso LiuandGeva-May,2021);(7)impactofthe pandemicontrustandriskmanagementandcommunication; and(8)theadvancementsintheusageofdesignthinking, co-production,co-design,socialinnovation,andcitizenscience.

Authorcontributions

AlleditorsofthisResearchTopichavecontributedtothis Editorialaswellastotheselectionandreviewofthepapers acceptedinthisResearchTopic.Allauthorslistedhavemadea substantial,direct,andintellectualcontributiontotheworkand approveditforpublication.

Acknowledgments

Wewanttothankalltheauthorsandthereviewerswho contributedtothepresentedarticleResearchTopicfortheir dedicationtoourtopicsandtotheirreadinesstosharetheir knowledgeandtime.Wealsogivethankstothealwayshelpful Frontiersteam,whoseorganizationalskillsandunderstanding madethisResearchTopicpossible.

Conflictofinterest

Theauthorsdeclarethattheresearchwasconductedinthe absenceofanycommercialorfinancialrelationshipsthatcould beconstruedasapotentialconflictofinterest.

Publisher’snote

Allclaimsexpressedinthisarticlearesolelythoseofthe authorsanddonotnecessarilyrepresentthoseoftheiraffiliated organizations,orthoseofthepublisher,theeditorsandthe reviewers.Anyproductthatmaybeevaluatedinthisarticle,or claimthatmaybemadebyitsmanufacturer,isnotguaranteed orendorsedbythepublisher.

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References

Barreiro-Gen,M.,Lozano,R.,andZafar,A.(2020).Changesinsustainability prioritiesinorganisationsduetotheCOVID-19outbreak:avertingenvironmental reboundeffectsonsociety. Sustainability 12,125031.doi:10.3390/su1212 5031

Benton,D.,Alexander,M.,Fotsch,R.,andLivanos,N.(2020).Lessonslearned andinsightsgained:aregulatoryanalysisoftheimpacts,challenges,andresponses toCOVID-19. Onl.J.Iss.Nurs. 25,No03PPT51.doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol25No03P PT51

Dunlop,C.A.,Ongaro,E.,andBaker,K.(2020).Researching COVID-19:aresearchagendaforpublicpolicyandadministration scholars. Publ.Pol.Admin. 35,365–383.doi:10.1177/095207672093 9631

InternationalLabourOrganization(2020). ILOMonitor:COVID-19andthe WorldofWork.7thEdn.Geneva:InternationalLabourOrganization.Available onlineat: https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/coronavirus/impacts-and-responses/ WCMS_767028/lang--en/index.htm (accessedSeptember20,2021).

Liu,Z.,andGeva-May,I.(2021).ComparativepublicpolicyanalysisofCOVID19asanaturallyoccurringexperiment. J.Comparat.Pol.Anal.Res.Practice 23, 131–142.doi:10.1080/13876988.2021.1894074

McKibbin,W.,andFernando,R.(2021).Theglobalmacroeconomicimpactsof COVID-19:sevenscenarios. AsianEcon.Pap. 20,1–30.doi:10.1162/asep_a_00796

Tadesse,S.,andMuluye,W.(2020).TheimpactofCOVID-19pandemic oneducationsystemindevelopingcountries:areview. JSS 8,159–170. doi:10.4236/jss.2020.810011

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