Seminario 21/6: Hassan Aly (Ohio State University). The positive impact of COVID-19: Economic, social and environmental

Información

While all research and data collections in the past year has been focused on the damaging impact of Covid19 on the national and international level, as an unprecedented phenomenon that is greater in its negative magnitude than the great depression of 1929-33, this project is centered around the other side of the coin.

We will explain how Covid-19 unintended consequences have positively impacted many aspects of our lives. The shutdown of an economy and stoppage of work has negatively impacted livelihood, however, in the meantime, impacted the environment positively due to less pollutions and less waste of valuable resources. Same could be said about the decline of airline trafficking, drop in sea and ocean transportation, fishing, and all maritime and costal tourism that have significantly reduced air and water pollution and the carbon footprint on the surrounding environment.
However, the most significant positive impact of Covid-19 came in the form of what I coined as a “digital transformation revolution” that is taking place in front of our eyes to adapt to the new mode of working, learning, and conducting business from a distance.
If we add the positive change of social habits that is more conducive to health-conscious behavior that exemplifies itself in proper hygiene, working out, healthy dieting, boosting body immune system among other things, we realize that the long run impact of Covid-19 on human welfare could be vastly positive.
Also, this project will pinpoint to many other unintended consequences and lessons learned during the midst of this crises that are very useful and beneficial in many areas of doing business at both the private and public levels. As an example, Australia’s COVID-19 response has been portrayed as effective in terms of its actions, policies, and leadership practices. A deeper look will show a very strong collaboration between the public and private sectors. These partnerships could very well be transferable and repeatable elsewhere in the world.

Suggested readings:

1. McKinsey and Company, How Covid-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point-and transformed business forever, McKinsey Survey, October 5, 2020: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-covid-19-has-pushed-companies-over-the-technology-tipping-point-and-transformed-business-forever
2. McKinsey and Company, The Future of Work after Covid-19, McKinsey report, February 18, 2021: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19?cid=other-eml-alt-mgi-mck&hdpid=ef77708e-97cb-4375-abe3-bc174c2f6edf&hctky=2757283&hlkid=2098c121ea1e4b799a5c83d8ecadf9dd
3. K. Banga, J. Keane, M. Perra, L. Pettinotti, and L. Sommer, Africa Trade and Covid-19: The Supply Chain Dimension, African Trade Policy working Paper 586, August 2020.
4. United Nation, Unpacking the potential socioeconomic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic in Mozambique: A UN Situation Analysis and Policy Recommendations, NU Mozambique Report, March 2020: file:///C:/Users/haly/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/DL1LTD9T/Socio-Economic-Impact-COVID-19-Mozambique-UN-Mozambique-March-2020.pdf
5. Rima Assi, Adapting Tax Collection for Uncertain Times, Sahel Standard Magazine, September 3, 2020: https://sahelstandard.com/2020/09/03/adapting-tax-collection-for-uncertain-times/
6. McKinsey and Company, Collaboration in crisis: Reflecting on Australia’s COVID-19 response, McKinsey report, December 2020: file:///C:/Users/haly/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/DL1LTD9T/Collaboration-in-crisis-Reflecting-on-Australias-COVID-19-response.pdf
7. H. Y. Aly, Can we see the silver lining in the dark Corona cloud? El Masry ElYoum newspaper, 24th September 2020, In Arabic: https://www.almasryalyoum.com/news/details/2044449