COVID-19 and Technological Maturity of HEIs in Poland

Technology has become a crucial service medium also for higher education institutions (HEIs). Moreover, the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly underscored the relevance of studies on e-services. This article analyzes the technological maturity of HEIs in Poland with the obtained results analyzed against the backdrop of the current pandemic. The study considers the overall level of universities' virtualization, condition of their ICT infrastructure, IT services offered by public universities, and their use of advanced technologies. The results are analyzed in terms of two aspects: (1) the current technological maturity of HEIs in Poland and their ability to offer virtualized public services during the pandemic and (2) the dimensions of technological maturity that universities ought to focus on with a view to preventing the deterioration of e-services and their quality. Based on the above, recommendations are formulated in terms of improving flexibility to cope with the challenges of this difficult period.

Analysis and Evaluation of Business Continuity Measures Employed in Critical Infrastructure during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of the presented research was to determine the effectiveness and sufficiency of measures put in place to protect the business continuity of critical infrastructure (CI) and key services (KSs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The wide variety of research conducted in the area of business continuity maintenance during the COVID-19 pandemic does not change the fact that there is still a research gap in this area, particularly in terms of issues related to CI and KS protection. A systematic review of scientific publications revealed the need for continued research into this topic given the fact that only 19 papers related to CI continuity and 8 directly to KS operators could be identified. Holistic and interdisciplinary research is particularly needed to organize and systematize the existing scientific knowledge on the subject, and in practical terms, help organizations and institutions to better prepare for future continuity disruptions. A survey conducted between March and May 2021 among entities operating in Poland and classified as critical infrastructure operators as well as key service operators, subcontractors, and suppliers crucial to maintaining the continuity of critical infrastructure operations revealed that entrepreneurs, surprised by the speed and aggressive nature of the pandemic, mainly resorted to protective measures that were immediately available, standard solutions that did not require excessive financial and organizational effort. But in the face of long-term pandemic threat, such measures may no longer be sufficient, so it is important to intensify research into those precautions that require readaptation of work organization and organizational processes to protect key workers, increase supply chain resilience, and protect the work process.

The Impact of the SARS-CoV-19 Pandemic on the Global Gross Domestic Product.

The rapid, unexpected, and large-scale expansion of the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic has led to a global health and economy crisis. However, although the crisis itself is a worldwide phenomenon, there have been considerable differences between respective countries in terms of SARS-CoV-19 morbidities and fatalities as well as the GDP impact. The object of this paper was to study the influence of the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic on global gross domestic product. We analyzed data relating to 176 countries in the 11-month period from February 2020 to December 2020. We employed SARS-CoV-19 morbidity and fatality rates reported by different countries as proxies for the development of the pandemic. The analysis employed in our study was based on moving median and quartiles, Kendall tau-b coefficients, and multi-segment piecewise-linear approximation with Theil-Sen trend lines. In the study, we empirically confirmed and measured the negative impact of the SARS-CoV-19 pandemic on the respective national economies. The relationship between the pandemic and the economy is not uniform and depends on the extent of the pandemic's development. The more intense the pandemic, the more adaptive the economies of specific countries become.

COVID-19 and Technological Maturity of HEIs in Poland

Technology has become a crucial service medium also for higher education institutions (HEIs). Moreover, the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly underscored the relevance of studies on e-services. This article analyzes the technological maturity of HEIs in Poland with the obtained results analyzed against the backdrop of the current pandemic. The study considers the overall level of universities’ virtualization, condition of their ICT infrastructure, IT services offered by public universities, and their use of advanced technologies. The results are analyzed in terms of two aspects: (1) the current technological maturity of HEIs in Poland and their ability to offer virtualized public services during the pandemic and (2) the dimensions of technological maturity that universities ought to focus on with a view to preventing the deterioration of e-services and their quality. Based on the above, recommendations are formulated in terms of improving flexibility to cope with the challenges of this difficult period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Social Science Computer Review is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)