Rebuilding a post-COVID world: Identifying and addressing major challenges

1. The Project:

In early 2020, a global pandemic, referred to as COVID 19 (Covid), spread across the globe and impacted nearly every aspect of life. As of the end of 2021 the pandemic has yet to be contained. The global death toll stands at over five million people (WHO, 2022). Although nearly half of the global population have been fully vaccinated (WHO, 2022), there remains uncertainty, misinformation, and a lack of a coordinated global effort to reconnect people and economies. The death toll, new variants and the daily avalanche of confusing information about this pandemic has hyper-charged the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment that we live in. This pandemic has not only disrupted the social fabric, but also the economic and political stability of most countries.

Each of us has been impacted in some way and as we move to the rebuilding and reconnecting part of this global issue, each of us has a part to play. The pandemic can be seen to be a problem in itself, while it can also be seen as the cause of many problems. As we examine the post-covid or “next-normal” landscape, we have an opportunity to re-examine our social and economic processes. This opportunity could yield new, creative, innovative, and life changing solutions to issues that we had not previously considered or imagined.

This project asks that you first find an issue or problem that has surfaced or been magnified as a result of this pandemic. This will be your Part One. Here you will need to providea situational analysis: in other words, what is the problem, based upon an analysis of the current situation. Be clear and specific, use a variety of credible and reliable sources. Next, in Part Two, you will write about a possible solution(s), a way forward and/or around the issue(s) you identified in Part One: this will be a strategic analysis. Be creative but ensure that you support your ideas with concrete examples and evidence from reliable secondary sources. Can we rebuild a post-COVID world that begins to address climate change, economic disparity, social divides, and creatively reimagine our communities where we work and live together for a common good? To make a compelling Part Two, you must go beyond traditional strategic concepts consider how the course prereading articles from Week 2 could be used to impact change. Finally, for Part Three, you will synthesize your Part One and Part Two papers into a presentation that you will share with the class at the end of the course. This brief presentation can use whatever media you are comfortable with.

Project Process

In short, find and analyze a problem. Once you have come to understand the problem and built an analysis of the current state (Part One): propose or create some form of solution or steps that might lead to the development of something new or different, (Part Two). Be creative and use the information outlined in Part One to develop a detailed strategic plan to solve, change, or mitigate the challenges you previously outlined.

2. Project Process:

This is a three-part project.

Part 1: A written project situational/problem analysis document

o Due via D2L before 11:59pm on Feb. 14, 2022.

Part 2: Your written strategic analysis paper

o Due via D2L before 11:59pm on March 14, 2022.

Part 3: Synopsis of your project to be presented to the class

o Due via D2L before 11:59pm on April 4, 2022.

This is an iterative, connected project – each part is meant to stand on its own, yet each part is to be connected to the subsequent parts of the project. Part One is expected to be the foundation for Part Two. Part Three is a presentation summary of Parts One and Two to be shared with the class. For each part, ensure there is a clear and succinct introduction with an outline as to what each portion of the project is about and an equally clear and succinct summary or conclusion wrapping up each portion of the project showing.

After the first part of this project is marked, you are expected to work with comments and any critique provided via feedback; address any issues and use the various suggestions to (re)structure or rethink the direction of your subsequent parts. Use what has been learned as the basis from which to launch and complete the second and third part of this project. Use the table (section 6 below) as a guide for your project framework -- also pay attention to the grading rubric (section 7 below).

3- Requirements for Part One (800 – 1000 words)

Problem Identification is the key deliverable for this part of the project. Identify a problem and provide a situational analysis of your chosen case in terms of the identified project as noted above – Tell me what you want to examine and why.

Part One is about problem identification, a situational analysis, what exists, and what are the current challenges/issues: i.e., what you wish to study. The pandemic has turned our worlds upside down. So many aspects of our lives are different today from what they were two years ago. Identify one issue, something that speaks to you, and use this as the basis for your project. Recognize that when we find ourselves on the other side of this pandemic, many will want us to return to the way we were before. Will this be possible, will we want to return to our pre-COVID world, or will we be forced to re-examine and rebuild new processes to create or “next-normal”? Start by identifying one issue and spend your writing time in Part One discussing the problem. In our communities today we are generally able to recognize that problems exist.

Requirements for Part One

Unfortunately, identifying the true nature and source of these problem becomes a challenge. Without fully coming to appreciate and understand the nature of these various problems, their causes, and the broader connected elements of many of these issues, we jump in with a variety of fun and dazzling ideas and/or sales pitches that are quickly sold as solutions. These purported problem solutions look and sound good. Just look around your community and you will stumble across a myriad of social, civic, and related projects that purport to offer solutions to problems that never seem to go away. Our shallow understanding of the depth of these issues creates longer term social problems and we never appear to resolve what we saw as the problem in the first place. In many cases we do not understand to root of the problems and as such we head off with flawed assumptions.

The breadth and depth of many of the problems we are faced with today have developed and have been with us over many years. Most of these issues are long-term systemic problems that have evolved and morphed over time. In both the public and private sectors, problems are ignored or misunderstood and incorrectly identified. In many cases, this is as a result of financial or intra-organizational pressures. The downstream effect of not clearly identifying problems has a far-reaching impacting on our social and corporate communities. The pandemic has quite glaringly brought many of these problems and issues to our attention. In Part One, describe concerns from an internal and/or an external perspective as well as the impact any of these may have on the issue(s), various stakeholders and/or future directions. Be clear as to your role in this analysis. Please review the framework table of this document for suggestions as to what might be included in this part of your paper as well as the resources listed on the final page of this document.

This project allows you an opportunity to see your community or parts of the larger global community through this project lens. Use parts of the textbook and other applicable resources to build a picture of your problem/case. (You need to be creative and push the limits of your research, resources, and your creativity to support your work).

This is Part One: analyze and describe the current situation and clearly identify the problem you wish to discuss. Remember that you only have 1000 words so be precise and concise. Pick one topic and have a clear and narrow scope. Format, citations and referencing matters and will be part of the assessment. Use correct APA style and format for your document and references. DO NOT discuss your solution in Part One – you are setting the stage; you are  identifying the problem; in Part Two you will explain how the challenges presented in Part One  can be addresses using strategic ideas and thinking. 

How to build your paper: Begin with no more than two paragraphs to provide an introduction, the context, and the intent of your project study. Be succinct but clearly identify what you want to talk about (your thesis statement) then talk about it (the body of the document) and then summarize (conclusion) what you have talked about. Make sure you have included credible sources and references demonstrating your breadth of research and thinking. Make sure that any ideas or thinking obtained from elsewhere are properly cited (using in-text citations) and referenced (in a reference list using APA format). Remember that your references are only those sources that you have cited throughout your document.