The main purpose of the meeting was the examination of the failures of Emergent BioSolutions facility in Baltimore to produce AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines simultaneously. The meetings participants included Emergent President and CEO Robert Kramer, the Chair of Subcommittee on Coronavirus James Clyburn, the Ranking Member of Subcommittee on Coronavirus Steve Scalise, of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. founder and Executive Chair Faud El-Hibri, and multiple representatives of districts.
Along with the inability of Emergent BioSolutions to produce developed vaccines that caused the delay of peoples vaccination, other agenda items refer to the companys destruction of millions of the coronavirus vaccines due to its inadequate contamination control strategy, the companys excessive executive compensation and stock sales, the origins of a federal contract, the number of vaccines already delivered to date, and the significance of intellectual property protections ( COVID-19 vaccine production facility failures, 2021). The meeting was presented on May 19, 2021, with the House Coronavirus Crisis Select Subcommittee as a host organization. It began with a speech of Clyburn who highlighted the purpose of the meeting and its agenda. Some speakers were in the room, while others were connected through a video call. All evidence was recorded, and all materials that supported the speakers words were presented as well.
General Background and the Committees Description
It goes without saying that the pandemic has already affected millions of people all over the world. Front-line workers, including doctors, nurses, social workers, volunteers, and scientists, are making all efforts in order to reduce the mortality and morbidity connected with the coronavirus. However, there are people who want to profit from this global issue and put peoples lives at risk violating regulations and laws ( COVID-19 vaccine production facility failures, 2021). That is why, on April 23, 2020, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis was established by the House of Representatives (Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, n.d.). In general, this organization is currently responsible for:
The examination of the effectiveness and transparency of relief programs and the taxpayer funds use aimed to manage the coronavirus crisis;
Reporting of fraud, waste, abuse, profiteering, price gouging, and other abusive practices connected with the crisis;
The protection of witnesses and whistleblowers who provide information concerning improper activities;
The examination of the efficiency of the coronavirus-related laws implementation, preparedness for response, and the impact of the pandemic on society;
The cooperation with executive authorities for efficient response.
Specific Topic
The specific topic under discussion was the failure to produce two vaccines by Emergent BioSolutions simultaneously and the destruction of several million doses due to contamination. According to Emergent President and CEO Robert Kramer, this situation happened due to staff shortages, limited manufacturing capabilities, limited timeframe, and high volumes of production of two vaccines simultaneously that may be regarded as unprecedented. According to the committee, the contamination of vaccines was caused by the companys inadequate contamination control strategies, demand chain facilities, staff training, and protocols. In addition, the destruction of vaccines and delays related to their production put peoples lives at substantial risk. At the same time, the committee aimed to investigate and understand this situation asking how many doses of every vaccine were destroyed and how many doses were released and sent locally and internationally.
Key Stakeholder Positions
In general, the members of the committee were thankful for Emergent BioSolutions representatives who participated at the meeting and clarified the whole situation connected with vaccines production failures and contamination. Nevertheless, it characterized failures as unacceptable it aimed to clarify the incident to find the most appropriate solution. In turn, Emergent BioSolutions stated that it was fully responsible for these failures and understood their dangerous consequences for peoples lives. Moreover, the founder of the company informed that all internal responsive measured had been already taken for the minimization of the incidents outcomes.
Key Interactions
Key interactions may be defined as the following:
Discussion of the importance of intellectual property protection by the committees ranking member;
Discussion of the importance of a medical approach to the coronavirus instead of a political one;
Investigation of Emergent BioSolutions failure to produce vaccines and their cross-contamination, contracts, audits, executive, remuneration, and funding through questions posed mostly by districts representatives to the companys executives.
Meetings Outcomes in Relation to The Failures of Manufacture
In general, the committees Chair stated that the investigation of Emergent BioSolutions situation is not finished, and other meetings would be necessary to understand the scope of the companys error and how it could be eliminated. In addition, the committee would focus on shortcomings to ensure success in the future. At the same time, Emergent BioSolutions was asked to consider doing its job better in staff and facilities and recognizing inspections by FDA, auditors, and partners. Thus, in order to regain the publics trust, the company should return wasted funds including money spent on destroyed vaccines, tests to check their safety, and delays that could affect someones health and life.
The main problem of the study is ambiguous and is hard to identify in the text. Such a situation results from mixing the persuasive argument and the issue of the study. Thus, even though the authors highlight the significance of the problem for nursing and a convincing supporting statement correctly, the problem itself is indistinct (Deatrick et al., 2010). The methods suit the research problem and contribute to gaining qualitative research results.
Research Questions
The questions of the study are stated explicitly, undermining various aspects of the experiment. They are easy to identify and coincide with the psychological theory of the research, addressing the conceptual framework.
Literature Review
The literature review is relevant to the topic and allows the reader to learn practical information and quantitative data concerning obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and adherers and non-adherers to the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (CPAP) (Deatrick et al., 2010). Moreover, the authors provide the literature review highlighting the absence of the issue problem under discussion, thereby providing the basis for their study.
Conceptual Underpinnings
The study is based on the psychological and social-conditioned factors of using the CPAP. The concepts are derived from the social cognitive theory and stated clearly. Moreover, the figure helps the reader to comprehend the conceptual framework more easily. The conceptual framework is relevant for the research questions, methods, and procedure.
Method
Rights Protection
The participants rights were protected through the informed consent documentation, which means that they were aware of the procedures they were going to undertake and had no objections. The protocol for the experiment was approved by the research site and institutional review boards. The patients were prescribed CPAP and had no potential dangers and risks for their health. Moreover, through the discussion and the experiment results, participants increased their awareness about their diagnosis what is beneficial indeed.
Research Design
The researchers spent much time interviewing 15 participants before and after CPAP treatment discussing the OSA and participants experience. The data collection method was designed before the beginning of the procedure. A funnel approach to interviewing allowed the researchers to collect necessary information after the last step of the experiment was over.
Sample and Setting
The variables were appropriately chosen to base on the Veterans Affairs medical centers recommendations. The study provided explicit sampling factors such as purposive sampling, an excellent method to select the participant based on the required criteria. The physiological characteristics of the participants were also appropriately described. Considering the sample size and the experimental character of the experiment, fifteen participants were an average amount.
Data Collection
The interview method was appropriate due to the purpose of the study to find out the patients beliefs regarding CPAP usage. The nested case-control method of design was relevant to the research because it allowed analyzing only the cases under the interest. The procedure of the interview including questions was thoroughly planned. Considering the number of participants, the amount of collected data reflected the patients attitudes to the CPAP and their clinical experience. The interview approach was adequately stated, while the in-laboratory studies lack the information.
Procedures
The description of the procedure, results, and participants was extensive. The researchers even considered the marital status of investigated participants. The research would be more reliable if more laboratory data were provided. The lack of quantitative data lowers the transferability and trustworthiness of the work. However, considering that this research is originally qualitative, this should not be regarded as a sufficient drawback.
Enhancement of Trustworthiness
Bias was minimized due to the appropriate training of the interviewer and the reflexivity notations, which excluded the possibility of behavioral distortions. There is no data on who was responsible for the laboratory examination. According to the text, trained professionals should have been computing the data (Deatrick et al., 2010). However, it would be rational to provide additional information about the laboratory experiment to avoid ambiguity. The researchers used well-presented reflexive notes and audio recording methods to enhance the integrity of the study.
Results
Data Analysis
The sequential and qualitative directed content analyses were conducted on the coded material and suited the collected data type. The researchers designed the data analysis strategy in order to ensure compliance with the tradition of the other empirical studies of CPAP adherence. The procedure and specialists who developed the analysis methodology were adequately described. Even though the results were coded, the possibility of the bias cannot be entirely excluded because the researchers investigated the implicit connotations in the patients experience.
Findings
The findings representation was expanding and informative, providing a comprehensive picture of CPAP adherence and influencing social and personal factors. There was a significant number of excerpts from the interviews provided to support the conceptualized themes. The analysis of the findings was profound and presented the results respecting the previous research and participants rights.
Theoretical Integration
The conceptual framework was used during the analysis of the collected data. The psychological themes and behaviors were described with regard to the empirical data (Deatrick et al., 2010). Tables and figures supported the research procedure and findings conceptualization amply. The results representation was structured and logically presented with regards to the theoretical basis.
Discussion
Interpretation of The Findings
On the one hand, the researchers touched upon the sociocultural factors, which could possibly influence the subjects adherence or non-adherence. On the other hand, the social influences of the particular communities were not addressed. The researchers mainly discussed the results in terms of family considerations. Social and cultural factors correlated with the working unities and other occupational activities were not explored. The authors addressed the elements of prior studies, such as the self-efficacy concepts, when interpreting the research results. The studys authors discussed the possible limitation and emphasized the necessity to continue research.
Implications/Recommendations
Even though the researchs implications for clinical practice were provided, the collected data was primarily theoretical. The results cannot be used in clinical practice per se. For the datas practical implementation, it requires suitable approach formation. However, gained knowledge will be helpful in additional theoretical research. The findings are reasonable and, considering the given research conditions, complete.
General Issues
Presentation
The study is presented laconically without unnecessary data or figures implications. The theory coincides with practice in all the sections of the work. The subsequent explanation of the concepts and results presentation using the tables, graphics, and examples is a positive aspect of this work. The description of the applied method, participants, and the research procedure is sufficient. The findings and interpretations are presented vividly, considering the studys theoretical and practical implications and limitations.
Researcher Credibility
All the procedures were conducted according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Task Force criteria, which is a reliable research factor. Also, the independent expert coder participation contributed to the confidence in the findings. However, the qualifications and clinical experience of the researcher are unknown. The influence of their experience on the research results can be estimated only in the current research limitations.
Summary Assessment
The study is trustworthy due to such factors as information coding and the presentation of the participants answers excerpts. However, it would be rational to add the whole list with the participants responses and provide the interview questions. By doing so, the research will improve the trustworthiness of the work. Thus, the studys findings contribute to the nursing discipline development.
Due to the current situation with COVID-19, many people stay at home and socially isolate themselves. It is now clear that the lifestyle is changing, and people have to get used to home-based activities. There is an opinion that such a change will cause much harm to peoples well-being. Others insist on the majorly positive effect of the new lifestyle. Although it will only be revealed with time, these changes will most probably have a beneficial influence on humanity.
To start with, people are getting more serious about health issues. Everyone is finally aware of the significance of personal hygiene. For example, the importance of washing hands is now recognized, and this habit will probably become stronger. Moreover, at the moment people are concerned not only about their health but also about others well-being. It is vital to take into consideration the effect which careless traveling across countries or just sneezing without covering the mouth may cause. In other words, people have to understand that their activity can affect others life because there are people at risk, and only the conscious behavior of others can save them. Thus, COVID-19 teaches people how important a simple hygiene routine is.
Furthermore, staying at home makes families get together and aids people in being more attentive to the members of their household. It is usually difficult for parents to spend time with their children, especially during weekdays, but from now on, they can stay with each other and strengthen their bonds. For example, children may learn how to cook their moms best dish. Moreover, when the whole family gets together for such a long time, it becomes friendlier because they eventually know each other better. Even if it can be hard to get along, they admit that they have to spend months together and find an approach to each other.
Another significant consequence of quarantine is that peoples effect on the environment decreases. Factories had to pause their activity, which has decreased air pollution. Moreover, detrimental touristic influence has also been terminated in many attractive holiday spots. For example, the waters in cities and near beaches are not getting polluted by plastics anymore. Consequently, the initial flora and fauna of these places are reappearing in their habitat. It seems possible for humanity to find out the way to maintain this achievement because one can see that bringing back natures beauty is a matter of adjusting lifestyle.
Nevertheless, there is an opinion that social isolation affects peoples mental state. Somebody lives on their own, and the quarantine has made them stay alone for a long time, which causes anxiety because it is unpredictable how long the isolation has to go on. That is why some people may experience psychological problems, such as lack of motivation or depression. However, much effort is aimed to help everybody to feel they are not alone. Thanks to the internet, people may maintain their social lives even if they do not see each other offline. Social media is a familiar concept nowadays, and it is hardly a problem for anyone to learn how to use Skype or other tools for video calls.
To conclude, the quarantine is bringing about sudden and sometimes inconvenient changes to peoples lives. However, it shows the significance of hygiene for health, allows families to spend more time together, and makes people decrease the environmental pollution. Although it may seem that isolation can result in mental problems for people without families, social media and internet tools are here to help people get the support of the community. Therefore, the pandemic is undoubtedly a disaster which is needed to be taken seriously, but it turns out to make positive changes in peoples lives as well.
The coronavirus diseases has been defined by the UK Ministry of Health and the UK Government as the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (The Secretary of State, 2020);
The UK government has requested that the schools should be reopened on June 1, 2020 (The Secretary of State, 2020);
Official ending of the lockdown is scheduled for June 1, 2020, as well (Coronavirus: schools in England reopening on 1 June confirmed, PM says, 2020);
The official definition of a vulnerable person highly subjected to the threat of developing coronavirus was defined by age (people aged 70 and older), elderly people with underlying conditions, and pregnant women (The Secretary of State, 2020);
As of May 26, 2020, the UK officials under the guidance and supervision of the UK government have run 3,681,295 tests (Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals, 2020);
Out of these tests, 265,227 have been defined as positive, with the required treatment options provided (Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals, 2020);
The current risk level has been defined as high in the UK setting;
The PPE supply has been increased stupendously after the analysis of the statistics related to the COVID-19 issue (namely, the cases of death);
Specifically, the products of both companies supplying PPEs and individuals producing PPEs domestically have been used widely;
So far, over 1.48 billion PPE items have been dispersed among the UK population to prevent the further development of COVID-19 (Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals, 2020);
The role of environmental factors on the transmission of COVID-19 has been identified, and an appropriate model of the phenomenon has been designed;
Scientific evidence has been collected and analyzed thoroughly to develop a coherent response toward the changing situation with the coronavirus;
The current death statistics shows significant age variations:
Children and adolescents under 15: 3 people died;
Adolescents (starting from 15) to middle-aged (up to 44): 448 death cases;
Adults and aging adults (45-64): 4,160 fatal outcomes;
Aging people from 65 to 73: 6,340 deaths;
People over 75: 30,135 instances of death from coronavirus (Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals, 2020);
The threat of coronavirus transmission will remain a threat, which is why extra measure will have to be designed;
The governments response to the threat includes the policy for students to attend schools on alternate weeks to reduce the risks of them contracting COVID-19 (Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals, 2020);
In England, a combination of the specified strategies will be used (students form grades 1 and 6 will be placed in primary classrooms, whereas the rest of the students will follow the alternative pattern (Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals, 2020);
New policy based on complete transparency and the promotion of awareness across the state, including its citizens, organizations, and state authorities (Government significantly boosts UK PPE supply with more than 100 new deals, 2020).
Procedures and Policies for Addressing the Pandemic
Lockdown has been the key policy for managing the levels of COVID-19 contraction among UK citizens;
Policies concerning the necessity to wear face masks have been enacted in the UK public setting to protect citizens from the virus;
The focus on clinical countermeasures for preventing the spread of COVID-19 has been prioritized in the UK setting;
Maintaining public safety as it is perceived in democratic society has been represented as the major objective in addressing the pandemic on a statewide level;
Enhancing health literacy among UK citizens has been considered a crucial step toward reducing the level of pandemic development;
The reconsideration of the current immigration policy has been seen as a necessary measure that has to be applied temporarily in order to reduce the extent of the pandemic;
The approach toward childcare has been altered to increase flexibility and ensure that citizens do not leave the environment of their homes unless absolutely necessary;
Statutory sick pay has been provided to all employed citizens that have been forced to stay at home due to the lockdown;
Due to the transfer of employees to their home environment, the policies toward personal data protection and information security have been reinforced.
Government and Parliament Members Diagnosed with Coronavirus
Nadine Dorries (UK Health Minister, 63);
Boris Johnson (UK Prime Minister, 55);
Dominic Cummings (political strategist, 48) (The UK parliament and coronavirus, 2020);
Overall, the current levels of disease spread among the members of the UK government appear to be moderate, yet further precaution measures are to be taken to prevent the aggravation of COVID-19 development.
Conclusion: Recommendations
Key trend to consider: A troubling increase in the number of COVID-19 cases: the primary tendency to be considered in the current UK setting can currently be observed;
Possible recommendation: The active use of social media as the means of spreading important information about COVID-19 prevention, identification of symptoms, and increase in patient literacy.
People will be debating our pandemic response the pros and the cons for years to come. How could we have saved more lives? How could we have helped more kids? Could we have kept more businesses afloat? These are topics of ferocious debate even now, and, in the short term, theyll continue to intensify as Omicron surges. But there are aspects of our response that may shock future generations, even though we might barely take note of them at the moment. For example, the extreme cleanliness that has come to characterize our lives. The article does not have a clearly defined division into paragraphs and highlights of the lead. However, the first sentences instantly start the exposition of the article topic, ask the reader rhetorical questions, and begin the narrative. The general tone of the article indicates that the author encourages readers to reflect and discuss all outcomes by offering her research and opinion.
Nut Graf
How could we have saved more lives? How could we have helped more kids? Could we have kept more businesses afloat? These are topics of ferocious debate even now, and, in the short term, theyll continue to intensify as Omicron surges. The nut graf does not give clear directions in the text. However, it leads the reader to conclusions with the guidance of rhetorical questions, which will be addressed in the text.
But there are aspects of our response that may shock future generations, even though we might barely take note of them at the moment. For example, the extreme cleanliness that has come to characterize our lives. These nut sentences directly refer to the phenomenon of cleanliness during a pandemic, the details of which may shock future generations, even though they are mundane for the current one.
Use of Quotes and Sources
The author of the article resorts to research materials and reports of experts, which increases the investigation value of the article. For example, she frequently quotes ecologist Rob Dunn and Joseph Allen from the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. In addition, the author correctly includes links to all electronic sources confirming the analysis in the article. For example, she mentions an unexpected quirk of history that shifted the Russian-Finnish border, following World War II and supports her evidence with the article The Unintended (and Deadly) Consequences of Living in the Industrialized World by Andrew Carry.
Transitions
The text of the article does not contain a strict division into paragraphs and headings corresponding to them. Transitions occur mainly by repeating keywords and changing the focus of the concern. For example: Dunn, a professor at North Carolina State, said that people have recently been calling for kids to spend at least four hours a day outside, and were so far from that &But that has changed a lot over the last century, with some unexpected consequences (the transitional sentence transmits the focus from the current situation to the past). Much of the most striking research on these consequences resulted from an unexpected quirk of history that shifted the Russian-Finnish border, following World War II.
Backgrounding
The author of the article, Kara Miller, is a global correspondent, which is evident from the professional tone of the article. In addition to experts, the author uses her husbands experiences, who happens to be a former chemist. It is a sound way to show the personal interest and involvement of the family in the research. She states: My husband a former chemist decided to make his own hand sanitizer.
Varied Sentence Structure
The text of the article is written at a dynamic intermittent pace. Sentences with an exploratory component are more extended and fuller; they can maintain the whole paragraphs on their own. The text is fragmented and interrupted by brief dynamic sentences designed to add momentum and separate emphases of the narrative. For example: And that was before 2020, and a novel coronavirus that swept the world. ; But that has changed a lot over the last century, with some unexpected consequences.
It is challenging to deny the claim that the Covid-19 pandemic has become one of the most unpredictable events in the worlds history. The crisis and governments attempts to mitigate its consequences have impacted the whole globe, making lockdown, social distancing, and other preventive measures new normal. This state of affairs refers to the fact that multiple spheres of the world economy experience problems resulting in decreased revenue, higher unemployment rate, and others. However, one should also admit that the pandemic has helped some industries face growth. That is why the given research paper is going to present a detailed overview of how Covid-19 had impacted the economy.
In covering the idea above, the paper will demonstrate that the pandemic has differently affected world countries. Even though the US financial markets were in decent conditions during the pre-crisis period, the nation has suffered one of the most noticeable economic downturns in its history (Patton, 2020). Furthermore, the country is underperforming in equity disbursement compared to other First World countries. Since this financial concept describes the distribution of money from financial institutions, it can be useful in assessing how and why the economy suffers from the crisis. Thus, analyzing this information is significant because it can reveal that some countries undertake more successful approaches in managing such situations. These results can become guidance for other nations to mitigate the coronaviruss negative impact and recover from financial problems.
It is also reasonable to make a point concerning the information above. A thesis statement is that Covid-19 has brought mainly adverse consequences for the world economy, while the inefficiencies in the US are present because the nation failed to offer an adequate response to the pandemic. This idea demonstrates that political decisions and social events have contributed to economic issues in the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic. In an attempt to support this thought, the paper will rely on logical argument and scientific evidence. In particular, the given study will use charts and graphs from credible sources to justify the ideas.
Research Question
A specific research question is necessary to guide the scientific activities of this study. The present paper will focus on the following: To what extent have poor political decisions and social unrest led to the fact that the US economy showed worse results compared to other First World countries? This question demonstrates that there can be a direct and substantial connection between financial markets performance and external conditions. It means that the governments decision to introduce lockdown measures or limit businesses activities can influence a countrys economic indicators. Simultaneously, massive demonstrations and strikes also bring uncertainty to the market, making numerous industries experience losses and other problems. That is why there is evident reasoning behind suggesting that the variables above can explain the United States poor performance regarding equity disbursement. Furthermore, answering this question is expected to reveal that various economic spheres have witnessed different consequences after the pandemic.
The research question above allows for offering the studys hypothesis. This statement implies that poor political decisions and social unrest in the USA have become the leading events that can explain why the US is underperforming in equity disbursement compared to other First World countries. In an attempt to prove or disprove this hypothesis, one should identify economic indicators for the United States and other developed nations, including Norway, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Germany, and Canada. This approach will bring more scientific value to the study. It is so because relying on such indicators will allow for identifying whether there is a statistical correlation between the variables under analysis and equity disbursement in the US. Consequently, the determined and synthesized data will help generate credible conclusions that will demonstrate whether the proposed hypothesis is valid.
Thesis
As has been mentioned above, the current paper focuses on a specific thesis statement. It is that Covid-19 has brought mainly adverse consequences for the world economy, while the inefficiencies in the US are present because the government failed to offer an adequate response to the pandemic. The following paragraphs will present some logical reasoning to justify the claim above. They will mention original thoughts, while scientific evidence will be introduced in the Literature Review section.
When it comes to assessing the Covid-19 pandemics impact on the world economy, many people tend to highlight its adverse consequences, and there is an evident rationale behind such claims. It is so because the disease has reshaped many phenomena and processes that were considered unchangeable and undeniable. For example, the freedom of movement and travel was a characteristic feature of every developed society, and no nation could deprive individuals of this liberty unless it was required to protect public order and health. However, the whole globe now understands that such a measure can be justified under some conditions.
There is no doubt that the new normal living situation has significantly affected the world economy. Governments preventive measures resulted in the fact that most businesses were temporarily closed because people were only allowed to leave their homes for a limited set of reasons. This decision has brought the most significant problems for those industries that focused on direct contact with customers and promoted gatherings of many people in the same place. For example, it refers to entertainment establishments, tourism, transportation services, and others. Some of these businesses found themselves on the verge of bankruptcy because of the widely-accepted preventive measures.
Even though it can be surprising, some industries have experienced growth during the pandemic. It relates to those organizations that do not need to establish physical contact with customers to run business. For example, multiple online companies and firms have witnessed a much higher demand against the pandemics background. Furthermore, various digital businesses became successful in the Covid-19-era because they have managed to offer timely and practical solutions to the new challenges. Since people were forced to stay at home, they were still required to deal with numerous vital activities. That is why online retailers, remote working solutions, video conferencing services, and others became demanded in such a society. This suggestion demonstrates that even the dangerous virus cannot be assessed unequivocally. No one would neglect the pandemics adverse consequences on peoples health and the worlds economy in general. However, it is also reasonable to consider that the negative event provided some businesses with growth and development opportunities.
When it comes to assessing how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected various countries, it appears that the US has witnessed more adverse consequences. Since the country has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world, it is not a surprise that its economy is also subject to significant adverse effects. This information makes it rational to identify why this state of affairs is found in the United States. The present research overrides the claims that the USs underperformance in equity disbursement is because the countrys economy is weak. It is so because the United States did not experience any significant economic or financial issues before the pandemic. That is why it is reasonable to suppose that some other phenomena have contributed to this negative outcome.
As has been mentioned above, the research paper tries to answer a specific question. It refers to whether poor political decisions and social unrest have led to the fact that the US economy showed worse results compared to other First World countries. The proposed thesis statement implies that these events are the leading causes of the economic issues under analysis. However, in an attempt to answer this question and justify or deny the hypothesis, the current study should rely on a scientific approach. That is why the research paper will look for statistical data and experts commentaries to assess the relationships between the study variables, including political decisions, social unrest, and economic indicators. Thus, the thesis is going to be defended by identifying adverse consequences of the phenomena under analysis on the American economy.
It is reasonable to conceptualize the meaning of social unrest and poor political decisions within the scope of this research. The former term refers to Black Lives Matter demonstrations that took place across the country against the pandemics background. These events included many thousands of people who gathered outdoors to express their dissatisfaction with police brutality and white supremacy. Since Covid-19 is a highly infectious disease, some people believe that these demonstrations contributed to its spread, leading to adverse economic consequences for the nation. The latter concept refers to those government decisions that were made or not made to help the country overcome the crisis. For example, it relates to specific measures to prevent employers from firing their employees, support small businesses, provide local governments with monetary support, and others.
It is expected that the two concepts above contribute to the fact that the American economy loses its position. On the one hand, Black Lives Matter demonstrations are considered to increase the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the nation. It leads to the fact that the economy is left without a significant part of the workforce. On the other hand, the poor governments decisions do not offer effective measures to address unemployment rate increase, provide financial support, and others. The combination of these two factors is considered to result in the fact that the United States economy is underperforming in equity disbursement.
The information above has introduced the topic, answered the research question, and explained how the thesis is going to be defended. That is why the following section will present and synthesize scientific evidence on the topic to confirm or deny these ideas. Attention will be drawn to scholarly papers, newspaper articles, government agencies, and reputable organizations. These sources can provide the research paper with valuable information to assess the American economys state against the pandemics background. Furthermore, other First World countries economic indicators will be analyzed to find whether it is true that they show better performance when compared to the United States. This approach will allow for proving or disproving the research hypothesis.
Literature Review
The present section will introduce and synthesize scientific findings to answer the research question and test the hypothesis. In the beginning, it is reasonable to focus on the Covid-19 pandemics overall impact on the worlds economy. It is impossible to ignore the vast adverse consequences of the event under consideration. Pak et al. (2020) confirm this claim and demonstrate that the crisis has resulted in an essential decline in oil prices. This fact denotes that various world economies faced significant losses because of this fact. Abel and Gietel-Basten (2020) emphasize that adverse consequences occur since international borders were closed, which created substantial issues in the globalized world. Simultaneously, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (2020) demonstrates that the Covid-19 pandemic has differently affected multiple industrial sectors. This organization analyzed the indicators of numerous economic spheres and concluded that most industries witnessed negative consequences, either protracted or lagged, while others witnessed recovery. Computer electronics, machinery, leather, furniture, and apparel industries are among those that saw growth during the pandemic (UNIDO, 2020). This literature demonstrates that the pandemics overall impact is negative, while some positive features are still present.
Since it has been suggested that social unrest in the United States became one of the leading causes of the nations poor economic performance, it is reasonable to identify what reputable and credible sources mention. Even though it is possible to expect a connection between the protests and an increased Covid-19 incidence, scholars and experts deny this claim. For example, Neyman and Dalsey (2020) have conducted a scientific study and identified that the protests resulted in a socially insignificant increase in the Covid-19 rates. The scholars investigated the data from two databases to arrive at such findings. Lazer et al. (2020) conducted another survey to track a connection between the massive protests and the disease spread. The researchers identified that Washington, DC, saw the highest participation percentage of 13.7% (Lazer et al., 2020, p. 10). However, the capital did not witness any significant increase in the coronavirus cases during the period of protests. Thus, no scientific grounding supports the claim that the Black Lives Matter events intensified the pandemics adverse effects on the American economy by reducing the workforce.
The next step is to find a connection between economic consequences and the United States political decisions to address the crisis. Numerous credible sources admit that the pandemic has severely affected the US because its administration failed to take adequate and timely measures. Zamarripa (2020) states that it took 55 days for the country to reach a daily testing rate of one test per 1,000 residents after surpassing the milestones of 1,000 total confirmed cases (para. 8). In comparison, it took one day for Iceland, eight days for Norway, and 45 days for Australia (Zamarripa, 2020). This example demonstrates that President Trump and his administration postponed taking specific efforts. This strategy resulted in the fact that the country has witnessed a significant rise in its unemployment rate. Patton (2020) demonstrates that in late 2020, there were almost seven million unemployed workers more than it was in early 2020 before the pandemic. It denotes that the American economy was losing its position because it has an insufficient labor force.
Furthermore, Trumps administration also failed to provide state and local governments with adequate monetary support. For example, Burns (2020) stipulates that slightly less than 100% of American cities with a population of 50,000-more than 500,000 citizens anticipated a revenue shortfall. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was initiated to address the situation above. This step provided the governments with $150 billion, but this sum only constituted 0.7% of US 2019 GDP (Zamarripa, 2020, para. 19). Other developed nations allocated more resources to assist their economies. In particular, Japan used 21% of its 2019 GDP, while New Zealand spent more than 40% of its 2018 GDP to support their local governments (Zamarripa, 2020, para. 19). This fact highlights that the economic inefficiencies in the USA are present because of insufficient aid to local and state governments.
Finally, it is reasonable to explain that a failure to help small businesses also intensified the pandemics adverse consequences. In April 2020, every fourth small business reported temporarily shutting down (US Chamber of Commerce, 2020). Zamarripa (2020) demonstrates that Trump tried to provide companies with assistance, but the CARES Act offered aid to large firms, while minority-owned, women-owned, and rural businesses were suffering significant losses. In comparison, the German government took certain efforts to allow most offices and factories to work, while South Korea kept its entire economy open (Zamarripa, 2020). The information above presents an evident reason to explain why the US is underperforming in equity disbursement compared to other developed nations.
Methodology
This section will explain the details of how the research has been conducted. The Literature Review has presented the findings from multiple credible sources, including government agencies, newspaper articles, and scholarly journals. In addition to theoretical details, these sources offered percentages, statistics, and other numerical data to demonstrate what is happening to the American economy during the Covid-19 pandemic. That is why it is reasonable to present these economic indicators in a detailed manner and explain how they were acquired. A suitable approach is to deliver appropriate visuals from the sources used to compare the United States economy with that of other First World countries.
Firstly, it has been mentioned that the Covid-19 pandemic has brought various consequences to different industries. It is so because some economic spheres were more prepared to run their operations against the background of preventive measures. Thus, Figure 1 by the UNIDO (2020) demonstrates how the crisis affected various industries worldwide. In particular, the organization focuses on the adjusted Index of Industrial Production (IIP) that reflects production volumes (UNIDO, 2020). Thus, the visual below allows for stating that the majority of industries experienced adverse effects because their IIPs became significantly lower in 2020 compared to the indicators of late 2019. However, fewer economic spheres faced recovery during the pandemic because they managed to provide their services to customers. Furthermore, the preventive measures increased the demand for products from such industries. For example, the lockdown made it necessary to work remotely, which explains the computer electronics spheres recovery.
Figure 1. Effect of Covid-19 on Industries
Secondly, it is reasonable to present evidence to justify that the American economy is suffering losses because of a high unemployment rate. Figure 2 by Zamarripa (2020) demonstrates that the United States has a much higher portion of unemployed individuals than other developed nations, including South Korea, Germany, Australia, and Canada. The given graph can be considered reasonable and credible because it relies on the data offered by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (Zamarripa, 2020). There is no doubt that this state of affairs adversely affects the whole American economy. Since Figure 1 has demonstrated that the severity of the pandemics consequences depends on a specific industry, it is impossible to suppose that this United States inefficiency occurred because of American economy properties. That is why one can suggest that the American government failed to find an adequate response as distinct from other developed nations.
Figure 2. Unemployment Rate
Thirdly, it is essential to consider what actions the United States has taken to mitigate the pandemics economic consequences. Figure 3 has specifically been created for this research to exemplify this issue. This graph relies on the data by Zamarripa (2020), who comments on the amount of assistance that various countries around the world offered to their local and state governments. Thus, Figure 3 demonstrates that the American government provided monetary support that was significantly lower when compared to other First World countries. The graph reflects the amount of assistance in connection to the countrys GDP. The United States CARES Act provided local governments with $150 billion, but this sum was insufficient considering the proportion of this assistance to the nations 2019 GDP. The data from Japan and New Zealand reflect that these countries allocated a higher part of their resources to cope with the crisis.
Figure 3. Monetary Support to Local Governments
Analysis
This section will present the analysis of the information that has been mentioned above. Attention will be drawn to whether the data from the Literature Review support the thoughts from the Thesis section. The following paragraphs will rely on scientific evidence and logical reasoning to arrive at conclusions. This analysis will help answer the research question and identify whether the hypothesis has been proved or denied.
The thesis statement mentioned that the Covid-19 pandemic had mainly adverse impact on the world, and the research paper has proved this claim. Sufficient scientific evidence has demonstrated that lower oil prices and decreased production volumes provided numerous industries with losses. However, one should admit that the crisis has changed the world, meaning that the demand has also shifted. That is why some businesses were experiencing growth during the pandemic. Since people were forced to stay at home and perform their work duties, the computer electronics sphere was enhanced to meet these new requirements. Furthermore, individuals became more involved in online shopping activities, which explains the reasons for the recovery of leather, furniture, and apparel spheres worldwide. Consequently, it is challenging to offer a unanimous appraisal of the Covid-19 pandemic when it comes to its economic effects throughout the world.
The present research has not managed to find credible evidence to state that the Black Lives Matter protests intensified adverse impacts on the American economy by increasing the number of Covid-19 cases. Neyman and Dalsey (2020) identified that the median coronavirus rate was 0.0049 in protests counties and 0.0041 in control ones. Even though the difference was considered statistically significant, the researchers assure that it should not be overestimated because protest counties were more populous. In other words, a higher Covid-19 rate among protesters was found because more people attended these events. This information denies the effect of the Black Lives Matter demonstrations on the US economic inefficiencies because the social unrest did not reduce the nations workforce by increasing coronavirus incidence. Since these events did not contribute to the fact that the American economy fell short of workers, it is not reasonable to blame the demonstrations for economic issues.
The situation is the opposite when it comes to assessing the role of the governments decisions. The crisis is unprecedented, meaning that an immediate and adequate response is needed. However, the identified data have demonstrated that the United States failed to cope with this task. On the one hand, Trumps administration was not hasty in implementing measures because it took much more days for the US to increase testing volumes compared to other countries. Since there were no actions to respond to medical issues, it is not a surprise that the economic sphere did not face any essential interventions. On the other hand, when some monetary support was finally offered, it was significantly smaller compared to that in other developed nations. That is why one can claim that the US administration provided its local and state governments with insufficient monetary aid. Thus, this fact can be considered one of the leading prerequisites of a high unemployment rate in the United States.
At this point, it is reasonable to comment on how the data above relate to the research question. Its first part received a positive answer because a significant correlation between poor political decisions and the American economys inefficiencies has been identified. A failure to take timely measures and the provision of insufficient support has led to the fact that the United States economy suffers from many issues, and a high unemployment rate is among them. Since many industries are deprived of their workforce, they have difficulties meeting the customers demand. However, the second part of the research question did not receive sufficient evidence to be considered correct. It is so because no direct connection has been found between Black Lives Matter demonstrations and increased coronavirus incidence. Since the protests did not lead to more Covid-19 cases, it is impossible to tie these events to economic issues.
The findings above also allow for commenting on the research hypothesis. The situation is the same as with the research question. In particular, the first part of the hypothesis has been proved, while the second one has been denied. This claim refers to the fact there was no statistical dependence between Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the increase in Covid-19 cases, while a connection between poor political decisions and economic inefficiencies could be found.
However, some people can oppose the argument above by stating that Trumps administration could not cope with the crisis and its challenges because the American economy was weak when the pandemic arrived. Specific economic indicators are suitable to deny this statement and avoid disclaiming the governments responsibility. It relates to the fact that the unemployment rate was at a 50-year low, while inflation was below 2% before the pandemic (Patton, 2020, para. 7). That is why it is not reasonable to refute the argument of this research and claim that Trumps administration could not find any effective solutions because of previous problems.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is rational to comment on the significance of the findings. Firstly, they demonstrate that even though the pandemic has brought mainly adverse consequences, it is still possible to grow in this environment. Such a result is possible if industries offer products and services that are more required during the pandemic. Various businesses can use this information to identify how they can overcome new challenges and stimulate their development. Secondly, the research paper has demonstrated that political decisions can have a significant impact on economies. Thus, a failure to take timely and sufficient actions can result in the fact that the country witnesses adverse consequences because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though this information relates to the American context, representatives of other nations will also find it helpful. It is so because the conclusions reveal that poor decisions can subject one of the strongest economies to adverse effects.
The findings allow for concluding regarding whether the research question has been answered. Its first part was confirmed, while identified scientific evidence was located to state that the second part of the question about the effect of the Black Lives Matter demonstration has been denied. This information implies a significant meaning for the bigger picture. Since the Covid-19 pandemic is not over, it can create fundamental problems for many economies worldwide. Thus, the given research paper has demonstrated that governments should bear leading responsibility in finding practical solutions to mitigate the pandemics effects. When it comes to identifying proper responses, governments should avoid repeating the mistakes of Trumps administration. It refers to taking late actions and offering insufficient monetary support because such a strategy can lead to adverse economic indicators, and the increased unemployment rate is a suitable example.
References
Abel, G. J., & Gietel-Basten, S. (2020). International remittance flows and the economic and social consequences of Covid-19. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 52(8), 1480-1482.
Every significant moment in humanitys civilization has had physical, mental, and psychological consequences. COVID-19 is an epidemic, with effects felt all around the world. Even in the best of circumstances, firms must consider how to retain personnel; nevertheless, during the COVID-19 epidemic, employee retention became a critical issue. Nowadays, it is even more crucial for both women and men who make up a business to have complete trust that their work is there for them and has their support. Women often leave organizations because competition is growing, and they are forced to leave the company, but men face this less constantly than women. There may also be a downsizing moment that an employee of either gender can expect. Many channels for engaging and including workers in crucial decisions and soliciting their input can help pave the path for a higher employee retention rate in agencies.
Rationale and Business Issue
Communication transparency should be at the heart of any company. Building a network of like-minded individuals becomes far more difficult when the workforce is working online. As time goes on, agencies must continue to innovate and evolve their best practices following their corporate culture to provide a diverse, highly competent, non-political, and pleasant environment for their staff. Retaining personnel, especially in a post-pandemic period, is one of the most challenging difficulties the advertising profession faces. Every firm has its own set of goals and unique tactics for administration and marketing. Overall, the public relations sector is going through a difficult time. The most significant feature of obstacles is that after people overcome them, they are more robust and more stable in facing whatever the world may offer.
Contribution of the Literature
Continuance commitment is regarded as the most crucial component of organizational engagement due to its effects on minimizing staff turnover, and absence and improving organizational performance. Because of the aspects of the work, empathy is an essential attribute for personnel (Nadeem, 2019). If an epidemic strategy attempted to manufacture a socioeconomic slumber, one significant danger was zombie infection, which occurs when job retention initiatives postpone the reorganization of medium enterprises that would otherwise be reduced or abandoned. Although evidence on this subject is scarce, it appears to corroborate the notion that redistribution increased production and that zombie companies did not excessively tap disaster help during the epidemic.
Aim and Objectives
Organizations need to think about forming a specialized cross-functional staff. The right cross-functional team may organize the operations of various business divisions, as well as analyze and deliver the essential information to the supervisory board for further interaction with workers, consumers, and collaborators. It is past time to assess important responsibilities and top positions, as well as form a team of temporary replacements in the event of a force majeure. Senior management is frequently gone on business travels, and there is a greater possibility that some workers may be unable to work due to quarantine or sickness. Senior management to improve appropriate management decision-making procedures for a range of scenarios.
Businesses must guarantee that staff communicates well with one another. How leaders act in critical circumstances has a long-term impact on their organizations and individuals. As a result, frequent and effective interaction and contact with workers may help to develop and improve the companys culture. If there is a disturbance, it will be restored. They should also consider offering financial and psychological support to their staff, such as immediate assistance, supplementary medical insurance, and monthly salary contributions. Some multinational corporations have already sick-leavened their sick leave arrangements. They specifically allow for a brief leave from work due to sickness without the necessity for supporting documents.
Research Approach
Companies should guarantee the health of their employees by adequately sanitizing and disinfecting them. If a worker is believed of being contaminated with COVID-19, a precise mechanism for evacuating that individual from the institution and treating the premises must be in place. Organizations need to ensure that their social networking policies are well-stated for this crisis. It should provide specific instructions for how workers can communicate about their company and the effect of COVID-19 on processes as well as safety regulations. They should hire individuals with an internal communication system via which they may communicate what they are genuinely feeling and experiencing within the business as an alternative to digital networking. Simultaneously, an efficient social media monitoring process may assist you in identifying new concerns impacting consumers, markets, and operational zones.
Barriers and Challenges
Inaccurate information in the press has posed unique obstacles for groups attempting to respond to a viral epidemic. Employers should become their workers go-to source for reliable, timely, and relevant information. The organization might consider launching a workplace news channel based on trustworthy sources of information. They should plan ahead of time for the most challenging events and create suitable messaging for personnel. Their job is to deliver a positive answer rather than a chaotic or non-existent contact with workers.
Research Plan
Businesses should think about potential circumstances for temporary personnel reduction. Nonetheless, be extremely cautious about making tough, controversial personnel-cutting choices. The crisis will pass, but corporate executives bad decisions or destructive behavior during a catastrophe will have a long-term detrimental influence on business. Despite the dangers and stress, it is necessary to keep in mind that humans have faced similar crises in the past. First and foremost, it is a test of the companys culture and management procedures. If they think that their employees are the most precious asset to the company, they must communicate, prepare, and be continuous.
Conclusion
To summarize, it is now more critical than ever for the individuals that make up a firm to have total faith that their job is there for them and has their commitment. Many routes for involving and incorporating workers in critical decisions, as well as requesting their advice, can help organizations pave the way for excellent employee retention rates. Organizations should consider developing a specialist bend workforce. The correct cross-functional team can structure the activities of many business divisions while also analyzing and delivering critical information to the supervisory board for further engagement with employees, customers, and partners. Businesses must ensure that their employees interact well with one another. The actions of leaders in crucial situations have a long-term influence on their companies and individuals. As a consequence, regular and adequate engagement and contact with employees may contribute to the development and improvement of the companys culture. Inaccurate information in the media has created particular challenges for organizations seeking to respond to a viral pandemic. Employers should become their employees go-to source for accurate, up-to-date, and necessary information.
Interventions aimed at maintaining linkages between employees and enterprises during a crisis can shield workers from scarring while materially affecting the economys company dynamics. While this shows that fears about employment retention plans causing zombie infection were exaggerated, our findings also show that there is a narrow line between helpful and distortive policies. It emphasizes the need for crisis programs to be transitory and that their design must develop as economic conditions evolve.
Reference
Nadeem, K. (2019). The relationship between work values, affective commitment, emotional intelligence, and employee engagement: A moderated mediation model. European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 8(3), 469482.
In the twenty-first century, digital marketing has emerged as the most important medium for marketing and building a companys brand. This has created a slew of opportunities for both small businesses and large corporations. In the United Arab Emirates, the digital industry is a rapidly expanding industry. According to IWS, internet users in the United Arab Emirates account for 98.4 percent of the population (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). In the United Arab Emirates, internet users have increased significantly in the last ten years. Dubai is a renowned business hub and has recently been rated among the top destinations for medical tourism.
As the COVID-19 pandemic hit many sectors globally, digital marketing in Dubai also experienced a dynamic shift. With the unrestricted trade between countries facilitated by WTO policies, Dubai has become a center of trade, health care, exhibitions, and conferences. According to Aburumman (2020), at the end of 2019, the tourist industry in Dubai contributed 11.5 percent to the countrys gross domestic product (GDP). Modern-day meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) promote economic development by encouraging the judicious use of historical and heritage leisure resources. During the first quarter of 2019, well over 2.3 million people listed business as their primary reason for visiting Dubai, representing a 2% rise over the same period in 2018 (Aburumman, 2020). The Dubai MICE industry was, therefore, among the worlds top performers before the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease. This essay examines digital marketing trends in Dubai during the pandemic by reviewing two peer-reviewed articles.
Theories and the impact of Technology on Digital Marketing in Dubai
Technology has played a key role in facilitating digital marketing strategies across the globe. With the exponential growth in E-commerce, many countries have sought ways of combining technological solutions, culture, and innovation in various forums. The seven Ps of marketing theory is one of the major theories that have influenced Dubais markets. This theory outlines the seven factors: product, place, process, price, people, physical evidence, and promotion. Aburumman (2020) reports that the pandemic was a test of the resilience of Dubais fast-expanding digital markets. The pandemic affected the products physical evidence and inhibited personal contact in addition to limiting promotion mechanisms. On the same note, Maslows hierarchy of needs theory became evident, whereby people limited their spending to only basic needs and those that ensured their safety (Duygun and ^en, 2020). With these changes, technology played a central role in sustaining Dubais markets.
Dubai Expo is one of the renowned avenues that reveal how technology impacts digital marketing. Research conducted by Haneef and Ansari (2019) on Dubai Expo 2020 unraveled the various digital marketing strategies employed in Dubai and the impacts of COVID-19 on marketing trends in the country. While the pandemic crippled business interactions in many ways, the Dubai Expo provides a clear picture of the on-the-ground effects and a benchmark for future interventions. Although physical gatherings were limited by the pandemic, Dubai Expo 2020 marked a crucial event that not only reignited the spirit of technology and innovation but also served as a motivation for businesses to capitalize on digitization.
Media and Marketing Frameworks in Dubai
Although Dubai has been one of the most famous business hubs, the pandemic altered digital marketing strategies and introduced new media and marketing frameworks trends in the country. According to Aburummans (2020) research, Dubai has perfected the art of online marketing, employing a variety of techniques. Given that almost every individual in Dubai has a smartphone, they access many social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. UAE has enhanced SEO among its most intelligent initiatives, skillfully matching a term to a firm and drawing the target market to the business, resulting in increased sales for your organization (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). In todays world, social media marketing is more than just publishing a photo with a caption and thinking youre done with it. Among the many forms of the social media marketing that Dubai employed during the pandemic were videos and data, email campaigns, and infographics (Aburumman, 2020). Dubai has continued to expand its digital marketing strategies to date.
Since social media is the major platform for digital marketing, Dubais culture has been instrumental in shaping industry trends. Owing to their rich cultural diversity, they develop creative ideas daily. The breadth of their digital marketing activities is expanding daily as they develop new methods of doing so. Their video material, for instance, is about more than just the brand and product, but also a video lacking audio explaining the idea of the brand that attracts one to discover more about it. In addition, Dubai is one of the few countries that specializes in PPC or pay-per-click advertising (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). A large number of advertisements and sponsorships appear when users visit a website. Advertisers obtain the desired customer base by obtaining the necessary information, such as the audiences age, language preferences, and interests. Experts in this industry can be found in Dubai who monitor keywords, divide ad groups, report, reach tallies, and visuals.
Digital Revenue Models and their Impacts
As with physical transactions, digital business operations entail revenue models for income generation. The main business models in Dubai are business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C). The choice of either model is guided by a companys marketing strategies, resources, and intended audience. In Dubais digital market, B2B and B2C business models are governed by five main revenue models; sales revenue model, subscription revenue model, advertising revenue model, affiliate revenue model, and transaction fee revenue model.
Although companies may apply B2C and B2B models simultaneously, the benefits and challenges associated with each vary depending on the situations at hand. Haneef and Ansari (2019) note that many companies operate on a B2C basis and leverage on sales and subscription revenue models. Affiliate and transaction fee revenue models are the main channels through which B2C business models operate. Although B2C digital operations have dominated Dubais markets, there has been significant growth in affiliate companies. With such rapid growth, newer companies can take advantage of the already-established digital market and increase their digital presence.
Key Research Questions Addressed
The two research articles reviewed in this paper focus on different aspects of digital marketing and are based on different research questions. Aburummans (2020) article focuses on Dubais MICE industry and seeks to address three main research points. First, it majors on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Dubai and UAE digital markets. Second, the author evaluates the pointers of economic efficiency applicable to the assessment of UAE MICE companies. Lastly, Aburumman (2020) offers recommendations on the best strategies through which companies can survive and excel in the global environment. Through the above three questions, the author comprehensively handles the past, present, and future of MICE industries in the UAE with a view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Expos have been used as avenues for information sharing and technological and economic development. Haneef and Ansari (2019) dedicated their research to investigating marketing strategies in expos during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on Dubai. The authors sought to answer the question of the types and phases of digital marketing strategies in Dubai. They also looked into the main digital communication channels used by Dubais tour operators. These research queries were aimed at showing how mega-events have been affected by the global pandemic and the digital marketing trends that emerged in response to the disruption witnessed.
The Methodologies Applied
The choice of a research methodology depends on the type of data required and the subsequent volume of information expected. Aburumman (2020) needed both numerical and descriptive data in the study on Dubais MICE industry. For the objective of determining the implications of COVID-19 on both the global and the Dubai MICE markets, quantitative and descriptive-analytic methodologies were utilized to examine the information collected (Aburumman, 2020). It was proposed in this study to combine the DuPont analytical framework with the gross margin from sales indicator to assess the viability of MICE enterprises.
The net income from the transaction can be used to measure the effectiveness of the transportation service charges on the firms profitability, thereby strengthening the outcome of the economic investigation. The study used a quantitative method to collect information on the attractiveness of the MICE sector and the perception of customers (Aburumman, 2020). According to the authors, the use of this strategy would allow managers to plan on business recuperation and productivity initiatives in a more timely and efficient manner. Production function models were used to express the relationship between the number of service offerings and the variables that impact the MICE business.
Expos are global tourism avenues that need to be improved for the long-term sustainability of digital marketing and worldwide tourism and hospitality. In their research on Dubai Expo 2020, Haneef and Ansari (2019) sought to obtain first-hand information from the expos attendees and facilitators. To collect data, a series of short and unstructured questionnaires with open-ended queries were administered over a two-week period as a step in the research methodology (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). The interviews entailed a strong team of Dubai Expo 2020 executives from the sales management and technology departments. The information was recorded to be retrieved and analyzed later. An additional poll was done over a five-week span with 150 tourism enterprises (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). This resulted in a complete sample of data on the most effective marketing tactics for the promotion of tourism products and services.
A Reflection on the Results
The research provided sufficient data for making valid conclusions on Dubais digital marketing strategies and trends witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As would be expected, Aburumman (2020) found that the pandemic significantly reduced global tourism participation. His results showed that flights and tourism declined by a total of 69 percent by May 2020 (Aburumman, 2020). Reflecting on these values, it is apparent that as COVID-19 restrictions were enforced, many people found it challenging to visit new locations, adding to the fact that their hierarchy of needs changed considerably. Pre-pandemic data-driven computational results revealed that the long-term viability of the MICE sector is possibly stable and is not affected by investments made after the outbreak (Aburumman, 2020). From these results, it can be deduced that with the introduction of a new tourism services, the rate of interest will decline. A queuing model in collaboration with Kotlers marketing mix would provide the framework and strategy needed to optimize performance in the MICE sector.
The marketing methods employed for Dubai Expo 2020 have proved to be visually appealing, diverse, efficient, and fast. In Haneef and Ansaris (2019) study, social media communication was cited as a leader in digital marketing strategies. Investors and business agencies in Dubai, as well as officials from Expo 2020, have all indicated that online marketing tops the list of effective means of communication for commercial purposes (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). When it comes to travel agencies and tour operators, social media marketing channels, particularly Facebook, have the highest level of recognition in terms of utilization (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). Reflecting on these results, there is a requirement for the development of an online marketing approach that will allow for the creation of more personalized marketing strategies. To increase participation in Dubais Expos, it would be important to tailor the marketing strategies to reach each potential participant individually. Although Dubai Expo 2020 was largely successful, the trends change daily, and so should the strategies employed.
Implications of the Findings
The MICE industry is becoming more popular as business operations resume. Aburummans (2020) article provides valuable information on which hoteliers and organizers in the MICE sector can leverage for optimum returns. To tackle the COVID-related problem and boost the competitiveness of the MICE business, travel agencies, MICE-related enterprises, and researchers can apply unique firm and market information to build solutions to counter the issue. The pre-pandemic information included in this study was limited due to a scarcity of valid post-pandemic data (Aburumman, 2020). With the availability of real-world data, more precise calculations can be done, and theoretical studies may be validated. Accordingly, there are sufficient chances for additional research to apply the current studys findings to specific post-pandemic MICE market situations.
The research done on Dubai Expo 202 has implications both locally and globally. From the data presented by Haneef and Ansari (2019), it can be concluded that Dubai is being prepared to become a world-class location for sizable conferences and conventions. The country is endowed with the potential to compete with Las Vegas as a meeting, incentive, convention, and exposition destination. Furthermore, Dubai will be able to establish itself as a preferred venue for a diverse range of events that will attract participants from around the world (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). Based on the findings of this study, it is logical to argue that there is a requirement to reconsider and reinvent marketing methods. This can be accomplished by tailoring marketing strategies to the economic structure and customer behavior without forsaking any specific marketing channels.
As other countries see the value of hosting mega business and technology events, they can benefit from Dubai Expo 2020s extensive research and recommendations set forth. This research on the advertising strategies for the Dubai Expo 2020 is of importance to the business community, government agencies, and other interested parties (Haneef and Ansari, 2019). Other countries staging big events in similar territories may be able to use the studys findings on marketing tactics as a basis for designing or redesigning their own tourism and marketing plans. Although the research is mainly based on business, innovation, culture, and technology, trends in global medical tourism can be connected to this research.
Conclusion
In the United Arab Emirates, the digital industry is a rapidly expanding industry. As the Covid-19 pandemic hit many sectors globally, digital marketing in Dubai also experienced a dynamic shift. With the unrestricted trade between countries facilitated by WTO policies, Dubai has become a center of trade, health care, exhibitions, and conferences. Modern-day meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) promote economic development by encouraging the judicious use of historical and heritage leisure resources. Kotlers 7Ps and Maslows hierarchy of needs are some of the theories evident in Dubais digital market in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research on MICE has shown that as nations industrialize and focus on expanding their global interactions, social media plays a central part in digital communication. Expos are an essential way through which countries can learn from current digital marketing strategies and make provisions for improvements in the future. Focusing on Dubai Expo 2020, it is evident that such mega-events are crucial for a nations industrialization goals. As tourism in business and medical fields continues expanding, the research on Dubais digital marketing strategies proves invaluable to established and upcoming economic hubs.
Reference List
Aburumman, A. (2020). COVID-19 impact and survival strategy in business tourism market: The example of the UAE MICE industry, Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7(1), pp. 1-9.
Duygun, A. and ^en, E. (2020). Evaluation of Consumer Purchasing Behaviors in the COVID-19 Pandemic Period in the Context of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, PazarlamaTeorisi ve Uygulamalar1 Dergisi, 6(1), pp.45-68.
Haneef, S. and Ansari, Z. (2019). Marketing strategies of Expo 2020 Dubai: A comprehensive study, Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 11(3), pp.287-297.
The selected theory of interaction aims to investigate the relationships formed between individuals, groups, and subunits of society. It focuses on the process of interaction and communication that affects the formation of personality and the behavior of each individual participating in it. All social phenomena, such as conflicts, cooperation, or personality formation, derive from and are defined by human interaction to a great extent.
This example concerns the case of the 71-year-old English Prince Charles, who was tested for the virus on March 23. A day later, the result was confirmed, but the royal press office said that the disease is in a mild form. The Prince, in old age, is in a vulnerable position, but his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, is even more at risk. In addition, Charles, as a socially active person, regularly interacted with the aristocracy, politicians, and family. As a British citizen, he has health insurance that covers treatment.
The theory of social interaction applies to Charles from several perspectives. First, the Prince has a large number of social ties and presumably could have contracted from Prince Albert II of Monaco. Second, the Prince is a member of the royal family and has a significant influence on the Britons. For this reason, the doctors approached his case with particular importance, conducting tests in 1 day, while ordinary citizens can wait a week. This was also important from Charles, therefore it was necessary to trace the possible spread of the virus. Finally, as soon as the results were found, the Prince, as an example to many people, went to the Scottish House to isolate himself, where he continued to work remotely. Close kinship and active contact with the Queen concerned the public to see the health of Elizabeth II. However, the fact that the Queen had reduced her social contacts had a good effect, and she was not infected.
In addition, immediately after recovery, the Prince, taking advantage of his social influence, appealed to millions of Britons and citizens around the world to share his story and draw peoples attention to the problem. As an opinion leader, he spoke about the importance of sanitary regulations, expressed gratitude to medics, pharmacists, and all those who continue to work despite the danger. At the end of the address, Charles addressed the audience with the hope that it would soon be over and that better times would come.
There is no doubt that the recent coronavirus pandemic poses a serious threat to the national security of the United States. In order to combat the spread of the virus, the Americans have implemented strict quarantine measures, including self-isolation, and the military help to control the situation. There are many reasons why Covid-19 is dangerous not only for the economy and healthcare but for the army as well. Nevertheless, the use of the military is necessary to recover from the pandemic.
First of all, the sudden spread of Covid-19 is a trial for the health care system, which includes testing the countrys defense against biological weapons. In addition, the U.S. intelligence community made a report, according to which, the worldwide vulnerability to a large-scale outbreak of contagious disease among the top threats facing the country 1. As for direct military threat, Military Times Poll discovered that half of the active-duty troops believe that the coronavirus pandemic represents a significant threat to military readiness and operations 2. In such circumstances, the country has to impose strict rules for the military, especially for those who work in small spaces. Most of the measures are related to the establishment of the necessary social distance.
It should be noted, however, that even though the spread of the disease in the army threatens the security of the state, the military continues to help in the fight against the epidemic. The troops were among the first establishments that responded to the pandemic. For instance, they have been exchanging firearms for food supplies and medicine. Nevertheless, coronavirus is still forcing the United States to scale back military operations and impose restrictive measures. It is not an easy task since the army has to ensure that there is enough supply of personal protective equipment while continuing to provide medical personnel to support the civilian healthcare system 3. The pandemic has also forced the military troops to reduce the scale and activity of military training.
At the first glance, it can be seen as a good way to slow down the spread of infection; however, it makes untrained units weaker. Therefore, as researchers state, commanders will still have to think about decreasing the influence of coronavirus on training and overall readiness of troops 4. There is no doubt that national security is not measured by the size of the countrys armed forces. Nevertheless, the U.S. military budget is also reduced in order to invest in healthcare, which means that the army cannot afford to do as much as it could before.
Another military problem that comes from the pandemic is that the situation in conflict zones becomes extremely dangerous due to unsanitary conditions, short supplies, and a lack of proper healthcare. It would be more difficult to support troops because of restrictions on crossing borders5. The lack of testing also poses a risk not only to the armed forces themselves but also to citizens. The reason for this is that while the military is helping local authorities, soldiers inevitably contact citizens. In the case where they are unknowingly infected, they become a threat to the population. A full check of the military personnel will probably help to understand the scale of the problem; however, this initiative requires high expenditures.
In conclusion, it would appear that the described above facts confirm that Covid-19 is a serious threat to the U.S. army and overall national security. It demonstrates that the wars changed significantly and it became difficult to be prepared. For this reason, this issue requires further attention in order to provide a strategy that could resolve it. Researchers agree on the fact that the government should identify a clear aim, priorities, measurable benchmarks, and available tools 6. It is expected that the United States begin to build up strategic reserves and mobilization reserves. This is a convenient time to undermine stability, that is why spreading panic and mistrust will substantially disrupt security.
References
Clarke, Colin P., Klarevas, Louis. 2020. COVID-19 Is a Threat to National Security. Lets Start Treating It as Such. Just Security. Web.
Monaco, Lisa. 2020. Pandemic Disease Is a threat to National Security. Foreign Affairs.
