scholarly journals Polish Academic Libraries in the Face of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Crisis Management and Communication within the Organisation

2020 ◽  
pp. 94-121
Author(s):  
Anna Wałek

Thesis/Objective – The developing SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic, which was announced in March 2020, has had a significant impact on the activities of universities and their academic libraries. The article aims to present the activities of academic libraries at the time of introducing restrictions on their activities and closing for several months to users and reformulating the services they provide, on the example of the Library of the Gdańsk University of Technology (GUT). First of all, attention was paid to how the principles of crisis and problem management were introduced at universities. It was also essential to examine how the changes and management decisions were perceived by the library employees who worked according to the new rules in the indicated period. Research methods – The article is based on the analysis of available scientific publications in Polish on crisis management, especially in the era of epidemiological threats. Legal acts and regulations dealing with both crisis management in general and issued in connection with the announcement of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic were also taken into account. The method of survey research based on a questionnaire was also used. The questionnaire was anonymous, provided to the employees of the GUT Library via e-mail. The respondents provided a printout of the questionnaire with answers to the GUT Library Office. Since the survey was addressed only to employees of one institution, it had a limited record. It aimed to collect the respondents’ opinions on the work of the GUT Library in the period from March 12 to May 24, 2020, when remote work in special conditions was in force. Results and conclusions – A sudden change in the work mode of the GUT Library itself and its employees, a change in tools and forms of services provided, the need to purchase appropriate equipment and personal protective equipment, the introduction of remote work and other factors became the subject of management decisions made during the emerging crisis. These decisions were in line with the applicable guidelines, both the laws and regulations issued at the national level, as well as the policies and recommendations regarding the functioning of libraries issued by various state institutions and the National Library (book quarantine). However, many of the decisions were individual due to the lack of guidelines and benchmarks on which to base. The reason was also the delayed emergence of procedures. A survey conducted among the employees of the Gdańsk University of Technology Library in May 2020, after the employees returned to stationary work, showed that the adopted solutions were well assessed. The results showed that the adopted solutions had a positive impact on the employees’ sense of safety and the work comfort in the period of changing the mode and rules of the Library’s functioning.

Author(s):  
Ruslan Savenko

UDC 6585:330   Savenko Ruslan, doctor of sciences, professor. Poltava national technical Yuri Kondratyuk university. Dynamic monitoring in anti-crisis management of state economic security. This paper aimed at the problem of improvement the management system of economic security of natural use objects on a regional level using the organized digital dynamic monitoring for informational provision and justifying the options of efficient management decisions of operative and strategic importance by criteria of ecological, economic and social security. Monitoring of the regional (territorial) natural objects provides constant systematic observation of the processes that take place inside of a “region-state” system and at world’s natural resources market. It needed to create the informational database for efficient management of a nature-use system. We suggest plan of making the scientific and research institute in PoltNTU for conducting investigations based on continuous informational monitoring. Keywords: monitoring, management system, ecological-economic-social security, natural use resources, algorithm, scientific and research institute, management decisions.


Author(s):  
Shaden A. M. Khalifa ◽  
Mahmoud M. Swilam ◽  
Aida A. Abd El-Wahed ◽  
Ming Du ◽  
Haged H. R. El-Seedi ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious challenge for societies around the globe as entire populations have fallen victim to the infectious spread and have taken up social distancing. In many countries, people have had to self-isolate and to be confined to their homes for several weeks to months to prevent the spread of the virus. Social distancing measures have had both negative and positive impacts on various aspects of economies, lifestyles, education, transportation, food supply, health, social life, and mental wellbeing. On other hands, due to reduced population movements and the decline in human activities, gas emissions decreased and the ozone layer improved; this had a positive impact on Earth’s weather and environment. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has negative effects on human activities and positive impacts on nature. This study discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on different life aspects including the economy, social life, health, education, and the environment.


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 444
Author(s):  
Charles Stoecker

In the past two decades, most states in the United States have added authorization for pharmacists to administer some vaccinations. Expansions of this authority have also come with prescription requirements or other regulatory burdens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of these expansions on influenza immunization rates in adults age 65 and over. A panel data, differences-in-differences regression framework to control for state-level unobserved confounders and shocks at the national level was used on a combination of a dataset of state-level statute and regulatory changes and influenza immunization data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Giving pharmacists permission to vaccinate had a positive impact on adult influenza immunization rates of 1.4 percentage points for adults age 65 and over. This effect was diminished by the presence of laws requiring pharmacists to obtain patient-specific prescriptions. There was no evidence that allowing pharmacists to administer vaccinations led patients to have fewer annual check-ups with physicians or not have a usual source of health care. Expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice laws to include administering the influenza vaccine had a positive impact on influenza shot uptake. This may have implications for relaxing restrictions on other forms of care that could be provided by pharmacists.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Osnat Luxenburg ◽  
Mor Saban ◽  
Vicki Myers ◽  
Sharona Vaknin ◽  
Noga Boldor ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and purpose Marked reductions in imaging exams have been documented during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to examine the effect of the two waves of COVID-19 on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilization at the national and regional level. Materials and methods A retrospective-archive study was conducted in Israel, comparing March–December 2020 with March–December 2018 and 2019. Data on MRI utilization were obtained from the national MRI registry, while data on confirmed COVID-19 cases, by place of residence, were obtained from the Israeli Ministry of Health open COVID-19 database. Results The number and rate of MRI examinations decreased during the first COVID-19 wave, with the steepest drop in April 2020: 47.5% relative decrease compared to April 2019, and 42.2% compared to 2018. This was followed by a compensatory increase between the waves and a return to almost pre-pandemic levels of use, with just a modest decrease, during the second, more intense COVID wave, compared with the previous year. Existing differences between regions increased during the pandemic. The rate ratio of MRI exams between Tel-Aviv and the Northern periphery increased from 2.89 in April 2019 to 3.94 in April 2020. Jerusalem metropolitan region, with the largest burden of COVID disease, demonstrated only a modest decrease (1%) in MRI utilization during the first 10 months of the pandemic. Conclusions At the national level, time trends in reduced MRI utilization followed the first wave of COVID-19, and were accompanied by increased regional disparities. These changes were not explained by differences in the burden of COVID-19 disease but might be explained by unequal distribution of MRI scanners among regions. Reduced utilization was not evident during the second wave, nor at the beginning of the third wave, despite higher COVID-19 case load, demonstrating adaptation to the new normal. Patterns of MRI utilization might help policy-makers and healthcare managers predict the behavior of imaging as well as other sectors, such as elective surgical procedures, during an ongoing pandemic. This forecast might help to manage the lasting effects of the pandemic, including extended waiting times, in the months and years following its remission. In preparation for future national emergencies, timely and detailed data on MRI utilization can serve as a “sensor” for a wide array of diagnostic and interventional medical activities, providing policy-makers with an updated snapshot to guide their response at the regional and national levels.


2021 ◽  
pp. 21-31
Author(s):  
Francisco Talmaci ◽  
◽  
◽  

This article sets out the objectives of developing analytical work in investigating criminal offenses, with particular reference to preventing and combating corruption offenses in the Republic of Moldova. Also, were analyzed the changes in legislation, which had a positive impact on the analytical activity carried out by the National Anticorruption Center, and it proposes new measures for the development of this activity in terms of science, education and institutions. The results of the research outline the need to develop guidelines for the training of future intelligence analysts, the approval of a model of criminal analysis at the national level and the introduction of a new discipline of study in police faculties - criminal analysis.


2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Papazoglou ◽  
Eva Semertzaki

Greek libraries have experienced a tremendous evolution towards modernization during the last few years. The lack of tradition in libraries and the existence of an educational system based on the single textbook did not favor until recently the development of libraries in Greece. However, the European Community action aimed at enabling European libraries to play an important role in the information market, and the Community Support Framework, through which libraries could be funded at the national level, allowed for a dynamic set of actions for Greek libraries. All types of libraries, academic, public and school are moving ahead – 500 school libraries were established in secondary schools alone. In the academic libraries, the horizontal action can be proud of the creation of a consortium called HEAL LINK that shares journal subscriptions and will also operate a Union Catalog of bibliographic records. Library‐related organizations such as the National Documentation Center and the National Book Center, offer additional support in this movement of progress. This paper describes these initiatives and others.


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Can Xiao ◽  
Xiaoya Wang

The study aims to explore the entrepreneurship education of overseas Chinese returnees with the swindler syndrome through psychological resilience. First, a questionnaire survey is conducted to analyze the current situations of entrepreneurship education of overseas Chinses returnees and college students, and it is found that the entrepreneurship education received by overseas Chinese returnees is more advanced and perfect than that by domestic students, which makes overseas Chinese returnees have the ability to solve the problems in the process of entrepreneurship, realizing their entrepreneurial dream. However, the emergence of swindler syndrome changes the self-awareness and psychology of these returnees, which is improved through appropriate entrepreneurship education under resilience analysis. The results show that entrepreneurial resilience and entrepreneurial optimism covered by psychological resilience have a significant positive impact on entrepreneurial intention, indicating that entrepreneurial resilience and entrepreneurial optimism can enhance individual’s entrepreneurial intention. The scores of the subjects with the experience of studying abroad are higher than those without such experience, indicating that overseas Chinese returnees have stronger resilience and more optimistic attitudes in the face of difficulties and setbacks, which provides a new perspective for in-depth analysis of Chinese returnees’ entrepreneurship education and promotes the development of entrepreneurship education in colleges and universities in China.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-42
Author(s):  
Nataliia Riabets

The paper presents the results of the study of the manifestations, trends of business social responsibility during the pandemic and gives the dominant directions of its practical implementation. The paper provides the results of the analysis of the evolutionary development of views and approaches to theoretical and conceptual understanding of corporate social responsibility. The impact of business social responsibility on the results of its activities and the quality of relationships with stakeholders is revealed. A study was also conducted on the transformation of directions and tools for the practical implementation of CSR initiatives before and during the spread of the pandemic. Potential directions for establishing a constructive conversation business structure with society, which will have a positive impact on the success and stability of the business, as well as on social development in the current environment have been identified. A study was carried out to evaluate the perception of the social responsibility by domestic business organizations and awareness of its trends, and the need for its implementation and advantages. A comparative analysis of the development of corporate social responsibility in the world and in Ukraine has been conducted. Trends and mechanisms that have a transformational impact on the formation and implementation of CSR in modern conditions of development are identified. The priority vectors of CSR programs of international business entities in the face of a pandemic are outlined. The necessity of developing a business process management model based on corporate and social responsibility tools has been formulated, taking into account the desire of business to conduct successful activities in a highly dynamic global environment.


Author(s):  
YUliya Polozhyentsyeva ◽  
A. Stepanova

The decline in the growth rate of the country's economy leads to an increase in the interest of various sectors of society in the search for effective ways of organizing work in the face of increasing universal digitalization. In the post-pandemic world, the able-bodied population needs new ways of earning money, the opportunity to work in their spare time, the presence of a flexible schedule, as employers are increasingly striving to optimize the costs of business processes, including personnel. Therefore, domestic employers are waiting for the development and growth of the institution of freelance, which requires an active restructuring of labor relations. The application of the gig economy as a new socio-economic model of entrepreneurial organization has influenced the emergence of modern forms of labor organization, such as outsourcing, subcontracting, freelance, remote work, outstaffing, which represent the possibility of partial employment. Such forms of labor relations are mainly in demand in the service sector and IT organizations. The aim of the study is to study the directions of transformation of forms of organization of labor activity in domestic and foreign business in conditions of transition to gig-economy. The study analyzed the development prospects of gig-economy as one of the directions of digital transformation of the economy. Also, on the basis of a synthesis of expert assessments and surveys of the population, features and prospects for the development of freelance in Russia were formed. Based on the study, the following main results were obtained: the main trends in the development of the gig economy were identified; analyzed the theoretical and practical aspects of the development of gig-economy as one of the developing areas of the digital economy; statistical assessment of the studied direction is given; the problems of organization of freelance in conditions of gig-economy are covered.


Author(s):  
Bich Huy Hai Bui ◽  
Minh Tien Pham

The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of entrepreneurial motivations and barriers and to assess their influence on the entrepreneurial intention of engineering students. Using data of 350 respondents who are students at HCMC University of Technology, VNU-HCM, the study identifies the key motives and barriers towards entrepreneurship. The data are then subjected to statistical regression in order to identify causal relationships between the motivations, barriers, and entrepreneurial intention. The results indicate that creativity, independence, and economic motivation have a positive impact on entrepreneurial intention and that the most important motivator for the entrepreneurial intention of engineering students is creativity. On the contrary, lack of knowledge is the only barrier (an internal barrier) that impedes the students' intention of entrepreneurship. These results imply that the students' entrepreneurial intention is more affected by internal factors (for both motivations and barriers) than external factors. In terms of the relative power of the effects of motives and barriers on students' entrepreneurial intention, the results suggest that the impact of motivations is generally more powerful than that of barriers. The findings have important implications for educators and policymakers.


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