The COVID-19 epidemic is a significant humanitarian crisis witnessed in contemporary times, necessitating the exploration of techniques and approaches that might augment the capabilities of individuals within society to mitigate the adverse consequences of this pandemic. Domestic workers have always been an important part of societal structure, and it is essential to ensure their awareness about the perils of the pandemic as well as implement preventive measures. This is crucial in order to effectively address the hazards associated with the ongoing epidemic. The primary objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of infographic technology in augmenting the level of knowledge among foreign domestic workers on the COVID-19 epidemic. The present study employed a quasi-experimental design to examine and compare the effects of infographic technology on the experimental group, while the control group received only public awareness messages disseminated to all citizens and residents. The study sample comprised (16) foreign domestic workers, who were assigned to the two research groups through a random allocation process. The development of the COVID-19 pandemic awareness scale was conducted. The measurement scale consisted of three dimensions: the cognitive awareness dimension, including a set of (12) statements; the performative awareness dimension, comprising a set of (8) statements; and the psychological awareness dimension, comprising a set of (10) statements. The findings demonstrated the superiority of the experimental group, which used the infographic approach, over the control group in fostering awareness of the COVID-19 epidemic throughout its three dimensions among the participants of the study. The study suggested the need of expanding the utilization of infographics in an attempt to enhance knowledge and awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside the establishment of varied databases for migrant domestic workers. The objective is also to develop an extensive digital awareness strategy about the impacts of the COVID-19 epidemic, so as to include an increased number of informative infographics.

Background: The background and objectives of the research revolve around bureaucracy as a classic form of the modern division of labor, with Max Weber acknowledging its inevitability. However, the objective implications of the bureaucracy’s iron cage are evident in governance and management experiences. The mayors of Tehran’s districts exemplify how Iranian culture interacts with bureaucracy. This research seeks to establish principles and governance for district governors using an alternative bureaucracy, parallel to conventional bureaucracy. Methods: The methods employed include twenty strategically selected interviews, considering age, municipal area, and work experience for maximum variance. Grounded theory methodology, specifically the approach by Anselm Strauss and Barney Glaser, guides the research, employing open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. MaxQDA 2020 software enhances the qualitative data analysis, facilitating organization, coding, and collaboration within the research team. Results: Findings indicate “inevitable violations” as a common starting point for interviewees, leading to three axes: “preconditions,” “objectives,” and “strategies and mechanisms” of alternative bureaucracy. In conclusion, breaking through bureaucracy becomes necessary for governors to act. Alternative bureaucracy, rooted in experience yet considering the bureaucratic field, requires transcendent goals. Hybridity and ethical principles are crucial when transitioning from conventional bureaucracy to the alternative in urban governance.

This research aims to determine the factors driving the success of four large cities in Indonesia in implementing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) infrastructure policies beyond the eight TOD 3.0 Principles. Only a few studies like this have been conducted. The research uses qualitative methods and is supported by in-depth interviews with stakeholders, community leaders, community groups, and service users. The research findings reveal six themes: policy dialogue, organizational structure and coordination, changes in community habits, resources, dissemination and communication, and transportation and connectivity services. The characteristics of the community in the study area that prioritize deliberation are important determinants in policy dialogue and are involved in determining policy formulation. The city government has established a comprehensive organizational and coordination structure for the village and sub-district levels. The Government controls infrastructure development activities, establishes a chain of command and coordination, and encourages people to change their private car usage habits. The city government combines all this with the principle of deliberation and conveys important information to the public. The research highlights the differences in TOD implementation in Indonesia compared to other countries. Specifically, the existence of policy dialogue and the direct involvement of community members influence the level of program policy formulation and are crucial in controlling urban infrastructure development.

As digital technologies continue to shape the economy, countries are faced with increasing scrutiny in the use of digital transformation to aid productivity and improve performance. In South Africa, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated Small and medium-sized businesses’ (SMEs’) uptake of digital technologies, as many businesses had to shift their operations online and adopt new digital tools and technologies to solve the challenges posed by the pandemic. This has led to an increased focus on digital transformation mechanisms among South African firms. Therefore, the study examines the effect of digital transformation on the productivity of firms using cross-sectional data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) (2020). The survey was based on firms and is a representative sample of the private sector in the South African economy and covers a wide variety of business environment themes, such as infrastructure, competitiveness, access to finance, and performance indicators. We found that digital transformation improved productivity of South African firms. Furthermore, empirical findings are reassuring robust to the IV-2SLS and quantile regression model, size of business, sectoral and provincial analysis. Finally, we recommend that policy makers should develop and implement initiatives to improve digital infrastructure, including high-speed internet access and reliable connectivity, especially in rural and underserved areas.

The significance of remittances to the Vietnamese economy necessitates investigating how they affect the value of the Vietnamese currency and other macroeconomic factors. Macroeconomic articles struggle to discover their impact on economic development, but measured remittances by migrant workers have recently soared. There is no academic study that has examined this phenomenon in Vietnam. This study uses wavelet frameworks to analyze the lead-lag nexus between exchange rates, remittances, and economic growth in Vietnam in time-frequency domains from 1995 to 2020. Overall, we find that: (i) remittances enhance economic growth in the short and medium run; (ii) exchange rates boost remittances in the short and medium run; (iii) exchange rates promote GDP in all frequency and time domains. Moreover, the partial wavelet coherence and multiple wavelet coherence frameworks also offered evidence supporting the wavelet coherence approach. More importantly, the outcomes of wavelet-based Granger causality unveil that there is two-way causality between the selected indicators, which means that all the indicators can predict each other at different frequencies. Our empirical results provide meaningful information for market participants and policymakers.