ABSTRACT
PurposeThis study models the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of the private health-care sector in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. This paper aims to address the economic, societal and sustainability of the health-care sector.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from Bloomberg and the sample consists of 534 firm-year observations from 55 firms listed over 2010–2020. The authors apply panel data and control for the country and governance effects.FindingsThe authors found heterogeneous results regarding the three sub-sectors. The pandemic has a negative effect on the accounting and market performances of the "Pharmaceutical companies” and an insignificant impact on "Healthcare Management and Facilities Services.” Moreover, the impact of COVID-19 on health-care firms' performance depends on the country's economic classification and the degree of regulatory and governance frameworks.Research limitations/implicationsFurther studies may consider a larger sample and other regions. It is recommended to address the health-care sector's challenges to invest in new technologies such as "digital twin” and predictive and personalized medicine. It is worth testing model development theory and its effects on speeding up and designing models to ensure the proper functioning and developing mathematics to determine uncertainties in patient data and model predictions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is novel as it is unique in modeling the impact of COVID-19 on the health-care public companies in the MENA region. The findings pinpoint firms' and countries' heterogeneous impacts on financial and market performances.
ABSTRACT
[...]by incorporating Industry 5.0 and AI into the curriculum, providing students with hands-on experience, and rethinking the borders of work-based learning, we can ensure that students are well-equipped to navigate the digital age. The paper provides a systematic and quality approach to convert employees from passive to active learners within advanced technological environments and discussing assessment methods to evaluate the effectiveness of learning. Emphasizing the importance of collaboration, communication, and hands-on experience, the papers also provide valuable recommendations for educators, students, and industry leaders on how to leverage these technologies to enhance teaching and learning, overcome the challenges that arise from Industry 5.0, and ensure that students are equipped with the necessary skills for success.