Introduction
Coronavirus pandemic is one of the major challenges the world faces today. The scope of the problem is evidenced by the fact that all regions are affected by the disease and accept severe measures to regulate the functioning of society and stop the further spread of the virus. It also affects the sphere of business as it critically depends on communities, cooperation between individuals and partners from various areas. For this reason, the current coronavirus outbreak critically affects the majority of companies and their business operations by offering new conditions under which firms should operate and generate revenues.
In this regard, the given paper is devoted to the investigation of the current state of business, the main challenges it faces, and changes that emerge under the impact of the pandemics. The main research question is:
What effect does the coronavirus outbreak cause on business operations in Europe?
To answer this research question, it is vital to analyze the current situation in the selected area, regulatory measures that are introduced by states, and companies’ responses to the changes in policies and cooperation patterns between individuals. The acquired information will help to conclude about the impact of the virus on business in Europe at the moment.
In such a way, the research question formulated above contributes to the introduction of specific aims that should be followed. The first one is to critically evaluate the current business environment in Europe and outline how the coronavirus affects it, including all changes. The observation of the given aim will help to create the framework for the discussion and attain an improved understanding of the current situation. The second aim is to evaluate all changes in business operations that emerge under the impact of the coronavirus and conclude about their impact on business in general.
The research question of the proposed study also impacts the formulation of the following objectives:
- To analyze changes in the business environment of Europe that occurred during the last two months
- To measure the effectiveness of altered business operations regarding the new conditions under which companies function during the pandemics
- To conclude about the possible outcomes regarding these changes and debate about the future changes in the next several months
- The given objectives are vital for the project as they establish the framework for the investigation and drive the collection of data needed to conclude the changes in business operations that can be observed today.
The choice of the topic for the research is justified by the relevance of the discussed issue and its significance for the selected region. Today, Europe, and especially some of its regions such as Spain and Italy, suffer from the coronavirus and have to introduce new regulations to stop pandemics. New rules presuppose a limited number of contacts and self-isolation to avoid contagion. It means that the majority of enterprises also experience hardships as the majority of objects are put in quarantine. To survive, various forms of business have to alter their business operations and start to generate revenue in other ways.
Literature Review
The current outbreak of the coronavirus can be considered a serious challenge to humanity. Scope of the problem is evidenced by the fact that the majority of sociologists and business researchers agree in the opinion that the current coronavirus pandemics will precondition the emergence of serious changes in the functioning of society and its major institutions in the future (The biggest business impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020). The virus firstly emerged in China, however, because of its extremely virulent character and globalization of the world, it entered other regions and caused multiple new cases and deaths. Statistics show that today there are 1016186 patients in Europe, and about 679 cases emerge every day (Harris, 2020). The total number of deaths estimates 92258 people (Harris, 2020). The given numbers prove that the problem remains a serious challenge for all countries of the European Union (EU), and there is a need for effective policies to stop the further spread of the pandemics.
Governments respond to the emerging threat by introducing strict measures that might have a positive impact on the current situation. Thus, from the past experience of pandemics, isolation and limited contacts with the outer world and between citizens are taken as useful methods that might contribute to the decrease in the number of new cases (Gilchrist, 2020). For this reason, in countries with the worst numbers of new cases, such as Italy and Spain, quarantine and isolation regimes are established. For other countries, such as Germany or France, similar measures are employed. It means that the transport, objects of infrastructure, entertainment centers, or other places where people might interact are closed to avoid infecting (Robbins et al., 2020). A set of these regulations affects all aspects of people’s lives and establishes a new environment.
As for business, the emergence of new regulations and limits means the need for new ways to cooperate with clients and perform business operations. About 99% of all businesses can be determined as small ones, which means that they lack cash reserves to cover a month-long pause and might fail (Gilchrist, 2020). Additionally, this type of company employs about half of the whole workforce in Europe, which means that their collapse will cause serious harm to the economic stability of various states and their perspectives. The given situation will be analyzed applying the concept of effective management, including such areas as human resources management (HRM), client service management, and cooperation with partners. Management belongs to the sociologic academic field as it depends on the work of society and cooperation between individuals. For this reason, the given framework will be applied to the project to evaluate the work of companies and conclude about their ability to survive or meet difficulties.
In terms of the world pandemic that affects multiple communities, patterns that provide specialists with an opportunity to work remotely acquire the top priority as they provide companies with a chance to remain in touch with clients and partners, and preserve the competitive advantage. The current policies accepted in the majority of European countries prohibit direct contact except for emergency consequences (Cain, A. et al., 2020). It means that such business operations as direct sales, service, human resource management, and marketing become endangered. Craven et al. (2020) admit that due to the pandemic that strikes the world today, the bigger part of firms cannot see their clients and engage in direct cooperation with them. For this reason, the remote models become the possible solution to align business operations regarding the new conditions.
The use of Internet resources, social media, and other similar sites become the major trend of the contemporary business environment. Statistics show that with the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of companies offering their services online doubled (Robbins et al., 2020). One of the basic factors that promoted this growth is the current situation in the area and the ban on movement or cooperation (Robbins et al., 2020). However, Craven et al. (2020) state that this change in operation modes became possible due to the high level of overall preparedness of the technological base and the existence of technologies that provide firms with an opportunity to shift their priorities to remote and mediated means of cooperation with clients (Kotler and Keller, 2015). For this reason, during the pause made by the world to survive and stop the spread of COVID-19, the small and medium business passes through the period of radical change and aligns business operations by using the Internet and other means of remote cooperation.
Today, companies that still function, prefer to communicate with clients by using social media, messengers, and websites as primary tools. The given pattern is not new, as previously, multiple firms already recognized multiple advantages associated with this model and introduced the given service (Wang, 2020). However, because of the existence of serious limits and the need to avoid the deterioration of the situation, the majority of business operations are today organized in accordance with the new paradigm (Wang, 2020). For instance, delivery services that offer individuals an opportunity to get food, not leaving home benefit from extra income (Wang, 2020). This example is followed by other businesses as it remains the only advantageous mode today. The given changes will be analyzed in the paper by applying the basic concepts of management and that is used to create a competitive advantage and align the improved cooperation with clients.
Methodology
The nature of the research question and formulated objectives impact the employment of a specific research methodology that will help to acquire data needed for the discussion of the current change in the business environment. The analysis of cases studies based on organizations that reconsider their functioning under new conditions along with the survey and analysis of relevant literature might contribute to the collection of appropriate data and its analysis to conclude about the current state of business and changes that happened to it under the impact of the coronavirus outbreak (Saunders, Lewis and Thronhill, 2015). The use of this paradigm can also help to avoid gaps in knowledge and investigate the problem from different angles.
Regarding the selected research strategy, a mixed research design is chosen. The use of qualitative methods, such as analysis of literature and selected case studies, will contribute to the creation of the framework for the investigation and improved understanding of the current situation in the selected area. At the same time, the employment of quantitative methods will contribute to the collection of numerical data needed to demonstrate the relevant shifts in the given sector and advantages or disadvantages that might be associated with the shift to a new approach to organizing business operations in terms of the pandemic.
Because of the focus of the paper, there is a need for a specific sampling strategy that will help to select actors relevant to the research. The change in business operations can be traced by using the functioning of companies that accepted new conditions and adapted to them. For this reason, a non-probability, purposive sampling method should be employed. It will help to guarantee that only appropriate companies and their information are used, which is vital for the absence of bias or gaps in final data (Saunders, Lewis, and Thronhill, 2015). The given approach to sampling is also justified by the research design and method mentioned above.
The research will benefit from the use of relevant data that is needed to prove some assumptions and demonstrate how companies work under new conditions. For this reason, a specific data collection strategy is employed. First of all, information about the current situation in the sphere of business and all changes peculiar to it can be acquired by using the Internet and credible sources such as academic journals, or reliable research databases. It will help to form the theoretical framework of the research. Moreover, the reports and websites of companies can also be viewed to collect facts about new modes they use to align their business operations (Saunders, Lewis, and Thronhill, 2015). Finally, surveys can function as an additional tool if they are distributed among companies, employees, or managers.
The collected data will be processed to formulate the conclusion and create the basis for future discussions. First of all, it will be structured and grouped regarding the most significant changes in business operations that can be observed in companies today. It will help to demonstrate the scope of change and the significance of the pandemic’s impact on the business world. Second, the effectiveness of new methods can be illustrated by comparing data at different periods of time and creating a table representing these numbers. It will contribute to the improved understanding of the leading causes of the observed change and how companies cope with challenges that emerge today.
Ethical Issues
As any research presupposes working with people and organizations, the project should follow a specific ethical code to avoid the emergence of issues or critical misunderstandings. First, all participants should provide their informed consent to take part in the study. As for the organizations that will be involved, it is vital to ensure that their privacy or copyrights are not violated. For this reason, only available and open information such as annual reports should be used. Observation of these aspects will ensure the absence of problems regarding the ethics code and simplify access to information related to selected organizations or their work.
Timeline
The proposed timeline for the research is about two weeks. The given term will be enough to collect data related to the functioning of companies, their approaches to organizing business operations in Europe, and the ability to function under new conditions. Additionally, the dynamics can also be traced, which is vital for the project and conclusions.
Reference List
The biggest business impacts of the coronavirus pandemic(2020). Web.
Cain, A. et al. (2020) ‘Walmart, McDonald’s, Home Depot, and 16 other retailers share how the coronavirus outbreak could affect business’,Business Insider. Web.
Craven, M. et al. (2020) COVID-19: implications for business. Web.
Gilchrist, K. (2020) ‘Majority of business leaders expect a hit from coronavirus, survey finds. Here’s how they’re fighting it’,CNBC,18 March. Web.
Harris, C. (2020) Coronavirus in Europe: latest numbers on COVID-19 cases and deaths. Web.
Kotler, P. and Keller, L. (2015) Marketing management. 15th edn. New York, NY: Pearson.
Robbins, T. et al. (2020) ‘COVID-19: A new digital dawn?’, Digital Health, 6, pp. 1-3. Web.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., and Thronhill, A. (2015) Research methods for business students. 7th edn. New York, NY: Pearson.
Wang, L. (2020) ‘The Impact of coronavirus on workers, business operations, and supply chains in China’,BSR, 6 March. Web.