Study topic: HPCOS$81\_2024$

The Design, Use and Impact of Computing

during the Covid$-19$ crises.

Introduction & Background

Covid$-19$ has had a phenomenal impact on society at different levels, both locally and internationally.

For computing disciplines, it has offered both opportunities and major challenges. The so$-$called $$new

normal$$ has necessitated radical transformation of the workplace, predominantly influenced by the

need for $$social distancing$($Dwivedi et al$.,2020).$ Companies had to rethink their business models and

business processes $($Carroll & Conboy, $2020$; Bunker, $2020$; Papadopoulos et al$.,2020).$ Knowledge

workers seem to have simply shifted to digital conducted work $($Wang et al$.,2020),$ but the future of

knowledge work may still seem unclear.

Education institutions worldwide had to innovate with new technologies, business processes, policies,

and ways$-$of$-$working to work remotely $($Davison$,2020).$ Universities have saved on electricity costs

and venue hire, but at the same time had to assist its employees with technologies to work from home.

Online teaching seems to be more efficient and beneficial to students $($Dwivedi$,$ et al$.,2020$; Davison

$2020).$ Researchers are challenged to reconsider the way they do research and collect data $($Davison$,$

$2020).$ New software products had to be developed, for example Covid$-19$ tracking software $($Dwivedi$,$

et al$.,2020$; Fahey & Hino, $2020)$ and software to facilitate the doing of online exams and assessment.

Companies like BetterExaminations $($www$.$betterexaminations.com$)$ and Zoom have seen a

phenomenal growth over the last year $($Haider & Rasay, $2020).$ Social issues of the pandemic include

the role of social media in assisting families and communities to remain in contact $($Fahey & Hino,

$2020).$

Recent trends in Cybercrime seem to be closely linked to Covid$-19($Naidoo$,2020).$ Much fake research

has also emerged, leading to an $$infodemic$$ and misguided science, which has impact on decisions

related to public health and businesses, and even affecting data$-$analytics and forecasting exercises

$($Bunker$,2020$; Van Der Walt et al$.,2020$; $$gerfalk et al$.,2020$; Fahey & Hino, $2020).$ Combatting these

trends may offer even further business opportunities for the IT Industry.

Issues related emerging and developing regions are also highlighted. For example, Luciano $(2020)$

reflects on problems related to delivering government services and emergency aid, Venkatesh $(2020)$

reflects on issues related to the most vulnerable in society and economic concerns $($see also

Papadopoulos et al$.2020),$ and Pan and Zhang $(2020)$ ask how we can be more responsible as

researchers in our quest to help inform society on reaching sustainable development goals.

These are all interesting trends and directions for research, but also opportunities to critique, reflect,

ask questions about. We have also seen special issues in prominent computing journals, for example

the European Journal of Information Systems $($gerfalk et al$.,2020)$ and International Journal of

Information Management $($Dwivedi$,$ et al$.,2020).$

$$gerfalk et al$.(2020)$ ask; $$Who would be better suited to critically appraising the extent to which

current technologies and use of those technologies can help overcome this crisis in the short term,

and also examine how best we can utilise technology to recover in the long term?$($p$.203).$ Following

this call by $$gerfalk et al$.(2020),$ this year$$s HPCOS$81$ topic looks at issues related to the design, use

and impact of computing during the Covid$-19$ crisis, but also to propose directions to overcome,

recover, and innovate. Contexts in which the topic may be studied include local emerging

communities, education, small business success and failure, IT startups, government and corporateIS strategies $($Papadopoulos et al$.,2020).$ Studies may examine $$behavioural$,$ temporal, societal, and

organisational aspects of the pandemic$($gerfalk et al$.2020,$ p$.204).$