Americans' COVID-19 risk perceptions and risk perception predictors changed over time

Identifying and understanding risk perceptions—"how bad are the harms” to humans or to what they value that people see as potentially or actually arising from entities or events—has been critical for risk analysis, both for its own sake, and for expected associations between risk perceptions and subsequent outcomes, such as risky or protective behavior, or support for hazard management policies. Cross-sectional surveys have been the dominant method for identifying and understanding risk perceptions, yielding valuable data. However, cross-sectional surveys are unable to probe the dynamics of risk perceptions over time, which is critical to do while living in a dynamically hazardous world and to build causal understandings. Building upon earlier longitudinal panel studies of Americans' Ebola and Zika risk perceptions using multi-level modeling to assess temporal changes in these views and inter-individual factors affecting them, we examined patterns in Americans' COVID-19 risk perceptions in six waves across 14 months. The findings suggest that, in general, risk perceptions increased from February 2020 to April 2021, but with varying trends across different risk perception measures (personal, collective, affective, affect, severity, and duration). Factors in baseline risk perceptions (Wave 1) and inter-individual differences across waves differed even more: baseline ratings were associated with how immediate the threat is (temporal distance) and how likely the threat would affect people like oneself (social distance), and following the United States news about the pandemic. Inter-individual trend differences were shaped most by temporal distance, whether local coronavirus infections were accelerating their upward trend, and subjective knowledge about viral transmission. Associations of subjective knowledge and risk trend with risk perceptions could change signs (e.g. from positive to negative) over time. These findings hold theoretical implications for risk perception dynamics and taxonomies, and research design implications for studying risk perception dynamics and their comparison across hazards. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Religion vs ethics: hedge and safe haven properties of Sukuk and green bonds for stock markets pre- and during COVID-19

PurposeThis study aims to examine the hedge and safe-haven properties of the Sukuk and green bond for the stock markets pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic period.Design/methodology/approachTo test the hedge and safe-haven characteristics of Sukuk and green bonds for stock markets, the study first uses the methodology proposed by Ratner and Chiu (2013). Next, the authors estimate the hedge ratios and hedge effectiveness of using Sukuk and green bonds in a portfolio with stock markets.FindingsStrong safe-haven features of ethical (green) bonds reveal that adding green bonds into the investment portfolios brings considerable diversification avenues for the investors who tend to take fewer risks in periods of economic stress and turbulence. The hedge ratio and hedge effectiveness estimates reveal that green bonds provide sufficient evidence of the hedge effectiveness for various international stocks.Practical implicationsThe study has significant implications for faith-based investors, ethical investors, policymakers and regulatory bodies. Religious investors can invest in Sukuk to relish low-risk and interest-free investments, whereas green investors can satisfy their socially responsible motives by investing in these investment streams. Policymakers can direct the businesses to include these diversifiers for portfolio and risk management.Originality/valueThe study provides novel insights in the testing hedge and safe-haven attributes of green bonds and Sukuk while using unique methodologies to identify multiple low-risk investors for investors following the uncertain COVID-19 pandemic.

Teacher policy frames, enactment forms and issues

The article deals with teachers and teacher education from the perspective of broad policy frames, of how these frames are enacted in specific policies, including teacher career systems as well as pre-service and continuing teacher education, and how they appear in a diversity of international contexts. New Public Management and Accountability teacher policies are critically discussed in the light of their contemporary prevalence, using recent relevant research. Social justice and inclusion as a broad policy frame is examined in the light of immediate challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, migrant people, as well as by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated Environmental Assessment of Medical Waste Management in the Kingdom of Bahrain

As a global concern, medical waste (MW) links public health, environmental pollution, and resource sustainability. This study aims to assess the two issues related to medical waste in Bahrain: the increasing generation rate of MW and its management. The integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) methodology was adopted, including the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, Responses) framework, analysis of existing policies, and the outlook. Consequently, data were collected from official health statistics in Bahrain, and related policies for the last two decades (2001 to 2021) were also collected, in addition to interviews with Bahrain medical waste (BMW) treatment company. The results show a vast increase in medical waste during COVID-19. Moreover, most of the existing policies address the impact of the BMW issues, but the policies are lacking in tackling the drivers and pressures;there is also a policy gap related to the generation rate. Accordingly, a set of policies was proposed to overcome the two medical waste issues. Moreover, to overcome issues associated with MW, the study recommended reforming regulations aiming to reduce and manage medical waste efficiently in order to focus more on drivers and pressure causing an elevation in MW issues in Bahrain. © 2023 by the authors.

Is the pandemic masking waste management?–A review on fallout of the COVID-19 viral contagion

The global outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has spurred a reassessment of Municipal Solid Waste management strategies and approaches. A significant need for sanitation and hygiene was accentuated for disease prevention and control with the onset of the pandemic. With an alteration of the status quo in waste management system, an unprecedented amount of face masks, protective equipment, and other biological wastes was generated in the form of Municipal Solid Waste. This upsurge of potentially infected wastes originated a risk of transmission amongst frontline workers. Furthermore, the potential contamination of Municipal Solid Waste was rendered as a legitimate threat due to improper collection practices, disposal and handling of solid waste. Several novel waste disposal techniques and waste management policies were also introduced during this period. However, the sanitation-policy making-occupational safety nexus remains inadequately explored under the prevalent COVID-19 scenario. Through the prism of shifting waste composition, this review offers a global assessment of existing solid waste management systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The physiological and psychological hazards faced by the frontline workers were explored and instances of best-case and worst-case policies on solid waste handling were recorded. Modern methods of waste disposal and latest trends of policymaking were evaluated. A model study of unsupervised learning via Partition Around Medoids cluster analysis was undertaken to reveal underlying patterns of waste management policies. Although, the clusters were formed devoid of any socio-economic parameters, this study strives to indicate proof of concept and can serve as a precursor to advanced clustering studies. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Single- and Multi-carrier Systems Affected by Impulsive Noise: Covid-19 View

In this work we present a fully stochastic model of performance analysis of single- and multi-carrier modulations (SCM and MCM) in communication systems affected by impulsive noise. The key performance parameter of the model is the symbol error rate (SER), which is fully determined as a function of the system parameters, including the frame length, symbol power, white noise power, impulsive noise power, and the probability of the impulse events. We derive closed-form analytical expressions for the systems and compare them with simulation results, showing very good agreement for all the impulsive noise scenarios. Specifically, we show under which conditions a MCM system performs better than a SCM system, and vice versa, which can be used to apply an optimal control policy that minimizes SER. The developed model for SCM and MCM systems is conceptually applied to the Covid-19 phenomenology, and consequently the results obtained for SCM and MCM scenarios, are interpreted as decision and management of social distancing (lock/roam) policies. Specifically, we also show under which conditions the "roam" strategy performs better than the "lock" strategy, and vice versa, which can be used to develop an optimal control policy that minimizes the mortality rate (MR). However, the proposed analytical model for the Covid-19 scenario, obtained assuming the similarity with the SCM/MCM systems, could not be tested in full due to the lack of relevant data. Therefore, any management decision cannot be based (only) on the presented model adapted to Covid-19, and necessarily requests the integration of experts opinions. Author

Systemometric approach to management: development of the mathematical model of the personnel structure

Business recovery after COVID-19 and its future activities depend on the implementation of the personnel management policy. To achieve the best results in this direction, automated personnel management systems (HRM systems) have been developed that support the HR processes of selection, adaptation, assessment, training and certification of personnel, payroll accounting, personnel records, labor protection, updating KPI systems, talent pool and conduct HR analytics. It is shown that HRM systems are focused on solving two classes of tasks: the implementation of accounting and settlement functions and HR record keeping (supporting the execution of routine HR processes), as well as improving the efficiency of HR processes (should provide intelligent HR processes of a strategic nature). Working with these systems allows specialists to acquire the practice of HR data management and qualitatively improve HR processes. At the same time, they need to be provided with high-quality feedback (especially in terms of employee engagement and motivation) in the talent management process. The absence of this information reduces the accuracy of HR analytics, the results of which are the basis for making long-term management decisions. Advances in systems research can improve the solution of HR problems. Quantitative (metric) results allow you to give answers to important questions that have not previously had a solution. The aim of the study is to develop a mathematical model for differentiating employee remuneration based on the Pareto distribution power-law: a systemic metric of enterprise integrity. To achieve this goal, a mathematical model of the personnel structure was developed on the basis of the Pareto distribution, which made it possible to introduce an objective characteristic of the quality of management: the integral coefficient of the use of the personnel potential of the enterprise. Its application allows you to support the processes of transition to modern salary systems, develop professional and digital competencies of personnel management services and ensure long-term successful operation of the enterprise based on the implementation of an effective personnel management policy.Alternate : Восстановление бизнеса после COVID-19 и его дальнейшая деятельность во многом зависит от реализации политики управления персоналом. Для достижения наилучших результатов в этом направлении разработаны автоматизированные системы управления персоналом (HRM-системы), которые поддерживают HR-процессы подбора, адаптации, оценки, обучения и аттестации персонала, расчета заработной платы, кадрового учета, охраны труда, актуализации систем KPI, позволяют формировать кадровый резерв и вести HR-аналитику. В работе показано, что HRM-системы ориентированы на решение двух классов задач: реализацию учетно-расчетных функций и ведение кадрового делопроизводства (поддерживают выполнение рутинизированных HR-процессов), а также повышение эффективности HR-процессов (должны обеспечивать интеллектуальные HR-процессы стратегического характера). Работа с этими системами позволяет специалистам соответствующих служб приобрести практику управления HR-данными и качественно улучшить HR-процессы. При этом HRM-системы не всегда обеспечивают качественную обратную связь в процессе управления талантами (особенно в части вовлечения и мотивации сотрудников) и слабо снабжены системными метриками работы с персоналом. Отсутствие данной информации снижает точность HR-аналитики, результаты которой являются основой для принятия долгосрочных управленческих решений. Принимая за аксиому, что коллектив предприятия – главный системообразующий фактор, который обеспечивает устойчивость работы и развития социально-экономической системы в целом, мониторинг системных параметров должен быть одной из функций HRM-систем. Проведенными исследованиями обосновывается, что системометрический подход может улучшить решение задач управления персоналом. Количественные (метрические) результаты позволяют дать ответы на важные вопросы, которые ранее не имели решение. Целью исследования является разработка математической модели дифференциации вознаграждения работников на основе степенного распределения Парето – системной метрики целостности предприятия. Для достижения данной цели разработана математическая модель кадровой структуры персонала на основе степенного распределения Парето, которая позволила ввести объективную характеристику качества управления – интегральный коэффициент использования кадрового потенциала предприятия. Его применение позволяет поддержать процессы перехода на современные системы оплаты труда, развить профессиональные и цифровые компетенции сотрудников служб управления персоналом и обеспечить успешную деятельность предприятия в долгосрочном периоде на основе реализации эффективной политики управления персоналом.