Study topic: HPCOS81_2023

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.,
2029), 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; Ågerfalk 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 (Ågerfalk et al., 2020) and International Journal of
Information Management (Dwivedi, et al., 2020).

Ågerfalk 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 Ågerfalk et al. (2020), this year’s HPCOS81 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 corporate
IS strategies (Papadopoulos et al., 2020). Studies may examine ‘behavioural, temporal, societal, and
organisational aspects of the pandemic’ (Ågerfalk et al. 2020, p. 204).

References
1. Ågerfalk, P.J., Conboy, K., & Myers, M.D. (2020). Information systems in the age of pandemics:
COVID-19 and beyond. European Journal of Information Systems, 29(3), 203-207.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2020.1771968
2. Bunker, D. (2020). Who do you trust? The digital destruction of shared situational awareness and
the COVID-19 infodemic. International Journal of Information Management, 55.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102201
3. Carroll, N., & Conboy, K. (2020). Normalising the “new normal”: Changing tech-driven work
practices under pandemic time pressure. International Journal of Information Management, 55.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102186
4. Davison, R.M. (2020). The transformative potential of disruptions: A viewpoint. International
Journal of Information Management, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102149
5. Dwivedi, Y.K., Hughes, D.L., Coombs, C., Constantiou, I., Duan, Y., Edwards, J.S., Gupta, B., Lal, B.,
Misra, S., Prashant, P. and Raman, R. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on information
management research and practice: Transforming education, work and life. International Journal
of Information Management, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102211
6. Fahey, R.A. and Hino, A. (2020). COVID-19, digital privacy, and the social limits on data-focused
public health responses. International Journal of Information Management, 55.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102181
7. Haider, A., & Rasay, S. J. (2020, June, 4). Zoom's massive growth amid COVID-19 set to continue
after pandemic, analysts say. S&P Global Market Intelligence. Available online at
https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/zoom-s-
massive-growth-amid-covid-19-set-to-continue-after-pandemic-analysts-say-58907516.
8. Luciano, E.M. (2020). Information management hits and misses in the COVID19 emergency in
Brazil. International Journal of Information Management, 55.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102194
9. Pan, S.L., & Zhang, S. (2020). From fighting COVID-19 pandemic to tackling sustainable
development goals: An opportunity for responsible information systems research. International
Journal of Information Management, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102196
10. Papadopoulos, T., Baltas, K.N. and Balta, M.E. (2020). The use of digital technologies by small
and medium enterprises during COVID-19: Implications for theory and practice. International
Journal of Information Management, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102192
11. Naidoo, R. (2020). A multi-level influence model of COVID-19 themed cybercrime. European
Journal of Information Systems, 29(3), 306-321,
https://doi.org/10.1080/0960085X.2020.1771222
12. Van der Walt, W., Willems, K.A., Friedrich, W., Hatsu, S., and Krauss, K.E.M. (2020). Retracted
Covid-19 papers and the levels of ‘citation pollution’: A preliminary analysis and directions for
further research. Cahiers de la Documentation/Bladen voor Documentatie, 74(3-4).
https://www.abd-bvd.be/fr/cahiers-de-la-documentation/2020-3-4/
13. Venkatesh, V. (2020). Impacts of COVID-19: A research agenda to support people in their fight.
International journal of information management, 55.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102197
14. Wang, B., Schlagwein, D., Cecez-Kecmanovic, D. and Cahalane, M.C. (2020). Beyond the factory
paradigm: Digital nomadism and the digital future (s) of knowledge work post-COVID-19. Journal
of the Association for Information Systems, 21(6), 1379-1401.