Measuring the Effectiveness of Organizational Development Strategies During Unprecedented Times

Introduction

As years go by, there is an expectation that technology will continue to innovate, that the climate will improve and that lives across the globe will get better. There are times where there are major setbacks, such as in the year 2020 with the arrival of a global pandemic, Covid-19. At the end of 2019, China was the first area hit with this virus (Eroğlu, 2020). Many were unaware of the severity of it or how quickly it would spread. It quickly turned into a truly global pandemic where it is highly contagious and can be contracted by anyone. The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 30 January 2020 when all 34 regions of China had cases of infection, and the total case count surpassed that for the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) of 2003 (BBC News, 2020).

Although there is no concrete evidence but it is believed to have originated from a seafood wholesale market in the city of Wuhan of Hubei Province in late December 2019; the number of cases increased exponentially within and beyond Wuhan, spreading widely across the world (Birol, 2020; Eroğlu, 2020). None of the nations were prepared for this unfortunate event. There is now a major health crisis in which only so much can be done for it to be mitigated. Everywhere one can look there are faces with masks on and people maintaining a six-feet distance from most, which is a requirement in most institutions. Covid-19 brought with it many deaths and many health issues. This has also greatly impacted the economies across the world, regardless of their status of being a developed or underdeveloped nation. The Covid-19 pandemic is a major problem that needs to be addressed and considered in every aspect.

Many would prefer to forget 2020 from their lives but it is a year that everyone around the world will never forget the impact that this virus has had on the world.

Mentally, emotionally, physically, and financially this pandemic has affected everyone throughout the world; it is a virus that does not discriminate on race, ethnicity nor the amount of money anyone has. The U.S economy has taken a massive hit when it comes to the Coronavirus. The Coronavirus has caused an even greater shock to the U.S economy by far the worst since the 2008 financial crisis. The U.S is currently leading both in the number of infections and deaths (Worldometer, 2020). As of the end of December 2020, there have been over 82 million coronavirus cases, 1.8 million deaths throughout the world that has been reported related to the Coronavirus, and approximately 59 million people have recovered from the virus (Worldometer, 2020). In the U.S. alone, the total number of infections is expected to exceed over 20 million and the death toll over 350 thousand (Worldometer, 2020).