ABSTRACT
Maritime security is facing many challenges due to war conflicts, geopolitics, sanctions, and pandemics. The supply chain for maritime containers has faced considerable obstacles as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous factors, such as port closures, travel restrictions, and a decreased workforce, have impacted the supply chain. The risk of cargo theft, piracy, and other security events has increased as a result of these difficulties. Therefore, it is essential to look at the risk variables that may affect the security of the marine container supply chain during the pandemic. This research paper highlights those risks through the following three indexes: the likelihood index (LI), severity index (SI), and average risk index (ARI) by analyzing 64 risk factors that were prepared and designed by incorporating the Delphi expert survey technique to prepare a systematic questionnaire. The article addresses worries over the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on international supply networks. The causes of the most recent global shipping industry disruptions and their impact on supply chains have been thoroughly examined. In order to reduce the number of disruptions in global supply chains and lower the direct and indirect costs for consumers, the authors have also mentioned the necessary actions that must be implemented. The results concluded after the analysis pointed to "management activities,” such as human resources or the working environment as having the highest possibility of going wrong, whereas "operation activities” were judged to likely be the fatal ones if the security of maritime containers was ever compromised. The main objective of the study is to evaluate how the COVID-19 epidemic may affect international shipping, particularly container shipping, which is currently the most important link in the world's multimodal land–sea supply chains.
ABSTRACT
The results of a study conducted in 2021 and devoted to the analysis of the current position of the Russian language in Mongolian society is presented in the article. The relevance of the study is due to the need to analyze the changes taking place in the minds of the Mongols regarding the Russian language, and to search for further prospects for its functioning in Mongolia. The impossibility of conducting a mass questionnaire survey due to the pandemic of a new coronavirus infection led to the choice of an expert survey as the main research method. The factors leading to the weakening of the Russian language positions, which include, first of all, the change in Mongolia's foreign policy priorities, the search for new partners, the decrease in Russia's influence, and the processes of globalization are considered in the article. It was revealed that, despite the narrowing of the spheres of functioning of the Russian in Mongolia, its socio-cultural potential in the Mongolian society has not been exhausted. The factors restraining the growth of negative trends are highlighted, namely the presence of the Russian in the educational sphere, the presence of specialists with Soviet and Russian education, a common historical memory based on friendship and trust. Analysis of the results of the study shows that the further development of cooperation between Russia and Mongolia in all spheres of public life, the strengthening of political union, economic cooperation and cultural interaction can allow the Russian language to become one of the leading foreign languages in modern Mongolian society.
ABSTRACT
The WCTRS (World Conference on Transport Research Society) COVID-19 Task Force implemented a worldwide expert survey between the end of April and late May 2020. Of 357 experts who participated in the survey, more than 100 experts provided their open opinions. Although time has passed since this survey, the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic at the time of writing suggests that these opinions are still relevant for policymakers. This chapter discusses what can be learned from those experts’ open opinions, especially in association with both immediate and long-term policymaking.
ABSTRACT
The issue of universal basic income (UBI) has been gaining importance due to the growth of precarious employment, unemployment and inequality in the context of the development of digital technologies, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences. The article first presents the generalised and systemised reasoned opinions of Russian experts on UBI in order to examine its potential impact on employment. The initial research data resulted from a survey of different groups of Russian experts conducted by the authors. This information was supplemented by the results of various mass surveys. It was revealed that a significant part of Russian experts have concerns that UBI can negatively affect work incentives and labour supply. The systematisation of expert assessments allowed the research to create scenarios of the potential impact of UBI on population employment and work incentives, formal and informal employment, the ratio between paid and unpaid work, working and free time, the quality of leisure time. The study findings can be used as information and analytical support for the state policies aimed at improving the level and quality of life of the population, as well as making decisions on the appropriateness of UBI tools (including in Russia). Future research will examine in detail the impact of universal basic income on the labour market parameters, taking into account socio-demographic factors. © 2022 Institute of Economics, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic seems to have become a familiar backdrop to our existence. Its essential aspects, which have every reason to be attributed to the number of psychological ones, are also prominently identified. The authors conducted the third expert survey of leading Russian psychologists who published in 2014-2020 articles in the journals "Questions of Psychology" and "Psychological Journal" indexed by Web of Science and Scopus. The experts were again asked questions about the socio-psychological context of the epidemic (although not only about it). The respondents were asked questions about the impact of the coronavirus on their relationships with friends, work colleagues, members of their families, about the losses incurred from the pandemic, about whether the work of a research psychologist belongs to distance professions, etc. The survey covered 92 respondents - representatives of various branches of psychology. It was held in March 2020.
ABSTRACT
How will the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic develop in the coming months and years? Based on an expert survey, we examine key aspects that are likely to influence the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. The challenges and developments will strongly depend on the progress of national and global vaccination programs, the emergence and spread of variants of concern (VOCs), and public responses to non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). In the short term, many people remain unvaccinated, VOCs continue to emerge and spread, and mobility and population mixing are expected to increase. Therefore, lifting restrictions too much and too early risk another damaging wave. This challenge remains despite the reduced opportunities for transmission given vaccination progress and reduced indoor mixing in summer 2021. In autumn 2021, increased indoor activity might accelerate the spread again, whilst a necessary reintroduction of NPIs might be too slow. The incidence may strongly rise again, possibly filling intensive care units, if vaccination levels are not high enough. A moderate, adaptive level of NPIs will thus remain necessary. These epidemiological aspects combined with economic, social, and health-related consequences provide a more holistic perspective on the future of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the transport sector and the corresponding policy measures are becoming widely investigated. Considering the various uncertainties and unknowns about this virus and its impacts (especially long-term impacts), it is critical to understand opinions and suggestions from experts within the transport sector and related planning fields. To date, however, there is no study that fills this gap in a comprehensive way. This paper is an executive summary of the findings of the WCTRS COVID-19 Taskforce expert survey conducted worldwide between the end of April and late May 2020, obtaining 284 valid answers. The experts include those in the field of transport and other relevant disciplines, keeping good balances between geographic regions, types of workplaces, and working durations. Based on extensive analyses of the survey results, this paper first reveals the realities of lockdowns, restrictions of out-of-home activities and other physical distancing requirements, as well as modal shifts. Experts' agreements and disagreements to the structural questions about changes in lifestyles and society are then discussed. Analysis results revealed that our human society was not well prepared for the current pandemic, reaffirming the importance of risk communication. Geographical differences of modal shifts are further identified, especially related to active transport and car dependence. Improved sustainability and resilience are expected in the future but should be supported by effective behavioral intervention measures. Finally, policy implications of the findings are discussed, together with important future research issues.