The document discusses challenges and opportunities for conducting social science research during and after pandemics. It notes that direct contact research methods are difficult due to travel restrictions and social distancing norms. Researchers have adapted by removing direct contact objectives, reducing sample sizes, and using online data collection methods like online surveys, email surveys, and telephone interviews. The document also discusses various online survey tools and considerations for using them, like question design, page breaks, and privacy measures. Overall it provides guidance on mitigation strategies and alternative research methods for pandemic situations.

1. June 24, 2020
Conducting Social Science Research
During and After Pandemics -
Challenges and Opportunities
P. Sethuraman Sivakumar
Principal Scientist
ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute
Sreekariyam, Thiruvananthapuram – 965017, Kerala, India

2. Before we get started a few quick points
about this session:
• The focus –Social science research themes emerging out of a
Pandemic situation along with ways of conducting research
during Pandemic and “new normal” situations
• Premise – The Pandemic has transformed the functioning of
Extension Systems (academics and professional service) in
unexpected ways and research needs to respond to it
• The approach– To develop a framework for conducting context
specific extension research (e.g. Pandemics) to address the
challenges by exploiting the opportunities in a sustainable way
April 13, 2020

3. Indian Food Economy
April 13, 2020
Urban driven economy (60% total food consumed by urban people), fed by
long rural–urban supply chains
Dominated by non-food grain perishables (80%)
Mode of access to food – 92% of total consumed food are purchased from
outside (Rural area – 80%)
Mostly manufactured and sold by private sector (95%); Only 5% through
PDS
Dominance of post-farmgate on consumer price – 60%
About 72% - 83% of food consumed in India are handled by Small and
Medium Enterprises.
Majority of rural come from Rural Non-Farm Employment (RNFE) (61%)
with only 39% from agriculture.
Reardon, T., Mishra, A., Nuthalapati, C. S. R., Bellemare, M. F., & Zilberman, D. (2020). Covid-19’s
disruption of India’s transformed food supply chains. Economic and Political Weekly, 55(18), 18-22.

4. Primary Effects of a Pandemic
April 13, 2020
Movement
restrictions
(People and
logistics)
Limited
functioning
/ closure of
Institutions
Reduction in
farmgate price
Slowing down /
closure of farm-
oriented businesses
Reduced
agricultural income
Reduced access to
food
Supply chain
disruption – harvesting/
storage/ marketing
issues
Limited access to
markets – buy and sell
Shortage of
manpower
Limited access to
farm machinery/ other
farm related services
Limited access to
technology
Limited access to
credit
Limited access to
extension & advisory
services

5. June 24, 2020
Understanding Supply Chain Disruption
Shocks and Challenges Affecting Agricultural Livelihoods
Shocks
affecting
agriculture
Protracted crises
Natural hazards
& climate-rel.
disasters
Food chain crises
FAO (2016). Increasing the resilience of
agricultural livelihoods: A summary. Rome,
Food and Agricultural Organisation

6. June 24, 2020
Supply Chain Disruption- Supply Chain Vs Value
Chain
Disruptions are random events that cause a supplier or other element of
the supply chain to stop functioning, either completely or partially, for a
(typically random) amount of time.
Aspect Supply Chain Value chain
Focus Managing costs and efficient
delivery
Reduce cost to the
consumer and increase profits
to the producer
Creating value for consumers
Objective Customer Satisfaction Gaining competitive advantage
Approach Top-Down
(Source to consumer)
Bottom-Up
(Consumer to source)
Sequence Product Request - Supply
Chain - Customer
Customer Request - Value
Chain - Product
Level of analysis
with special
reference to
agriculture
Individual firm – producer
controlled
All actors and process of
various individuals and
organisations involved in
largely trader-controlled chains
Processes involved in designing and producing goods and making them
available to the consumers.

7. June 24, 2020
Researching Supply Chain Disruptions during
Pandemic - Basics
Supply Chain Risks
Operational Risks Disruption Risks
Day-to-day disturbances in the
supply chain operations such as
lead-time and demand fluctuations
Low-frequency-high-
impact events caused by
disasters, pandemics etc

8. June 24, 2020
Supply Chain Disruption
Disruptions
Random events that cause a supplier or other element of the supply chain to
stop functioning - completely or partially, for a period of time (Snyder et al.,
2016).
Snyder, L.V., Atan, Z., Peng, P., Rong, Y., Schmitt, A.J., and Sinsoysal, B. (2016) OR/MS models for supply chain
disruptions: A review. IIE Transactions 48 (2): 89–109.
Manuj, I. and J.T. Mentzer, (2008) “Global supply chain risk management strategies”, International Journal of
Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 38(3): 192-223.
Environmental
1. Natural
disasters
2. Extreme
weather
conditions
Geopolitical
1. Political
instability
2. Trade
restrictions
3. Terrorism
Economic
1. Demand shocks
2. Price volatility
Technological
1. Infrastructure
failures
2. ICT/ Network
issues
(Manuj et al., 2008)

9. June 24, 2020
How does the Supply Chain Disruption of COVID 19
different from others
All disasters Pandemic/ Epidemic
Scope Localized by geography /
sector
Whole world and all
industries absorb impacts
Spill over Similar to a rock thrown
into a lake – a large initial
shock which dissipates
into minor ripples.
A torrent of equivalent
waves spills over across
regions and sectors
Shifts Affects only supply or
demand, not both.
Both supply and demand
fluctuate between extreme
highs/ lows
Resources Damaged Intact
Craighead, ., Ketchen, D., & Darby, J. (2020). Pandemics and Supply Chain Management Research: Toward a
Theoretical Toolbox. Decision Sciences. 10.1111/deci.12468.

10. June 24, 2020
How does the Supply Chain Disruption of COVID 19
different from others
Long-term disruption existence and its unpredictable
scaling
Simultaneous disruption propagation in the supply chain
(ripple effect) and epidemic outbreak propagation in the
population (pandemic propagation)
Simultaneous disruptions in supply, demand, and logistics
infrastructure.
Ivanov D. (2020). Predicting the impacts of epidemic outbreaks on global supply chains: A
simulation-based analysis on the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) case.
Transportation research. Part E, Logistics and transportation review, 136, 101922.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2020.101922

11. Research Works on Supply Chain Disruption by
Pandemic/ Epidemic
June 24, 2020
Paper 1:
Title: Supply Chain Disruption by Avian flu Pandemic for U.S. Companies
Details: Kumar S & Chandra, C.; Transportation Journal (2010) - Vol49(4): pp.
61-73
Problem – Assessing the sequence of factors which reinforces the negative
effects as well as balancing the impact along with projected outputs/
outcomes
Research Design – Case study Research (Two companies)
Samples – Computer Assembly companies
Analytical approach – Closed-loop influence diagram and System Dynamics.

12. Research Works on Supply Chain Disruption by
Pandemic/ Epidemic
April 13, 2020
Paper 2:
Title: Impact of the West African Ebola Epidemic on Agricultural Production
and Rural Welfare: Evidence from Liberia
Details: Fuente et al., 2019. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 8880
Problem – To assess the Ebola crisis’ impacts on labour, agricultural
production, and consumption
Research Design – Survey Research
Samples – Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) collected by
the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS).
Variables – Influence of mortality on labour use in rice farming, changes in
per capita food consumption by households, consumption expenditure
Analytical approach – Descriptive and prediction using regression model.

13. Research Works on Supply Chain Disruption by
Pandemic/ Epidemic
June 24, 2020
Paper 3:
Title: Predicting the impacts of epidemic outbreaks on global supply chains:
A simulation-based analysis on the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19/SARS-
CoV-2) case
Details: Ivanov, D; Transportation Research Part E (2020) – Vol. 136 1019-22
(Impact factor – 4.253)
Problem : Using simulation-based methodology can be used to examine and
predict the impacts of COVID – 19 epidemic on the supply chain performance
using the example of coronavirus COVID-19
Research Design – Case study and Simulation Study (One Global Company)
Aspects – Impact of epidemic on supply chain, recovery, sustaining
disruption, and critical scenarios
Analytical approach – Discrete-event simulation (anyLogistix model - SIM
Global Network Examination)

14. June 24, 2020
Supply Chain Disruption of Epidemic/ Pandemic
Survival Kit
Lockdown
Supply Chain Disruption
Responses
Mitigation Adaptation

15. June 24, 2020
Supply Chain Disruption of Epidemic/ Pandemic
Survival Kit
Mitigation
Reduce the losses by lessening the impact of Epidemic/ Pandemic by
tackling its causes (which cause supply chain disruption)
Examples – Govt measures
Easing the lockdown to facilitate agricultural operations and
marketing
Issuing agro-advisories to reduce infection through agricultural
produce
Transport of agricultural produce by rail
Facilitating marketing through Grassroots Agencies - FPO

16. June 24, 2020
Supply Chain Disruption of Epidemic/ Pandemic
Survival Kit
Adaptation
Crucial actions or plans that a community or household or individual
will employ against a current or anticipated impact of Pandemic or
epidemic
Examples
Enrolment in Central Sector Schemes – Crop Insurance, PM Kisan
help in getting relief during future adversaries
Farmers Producers Organisations - Help in aggregating produce and
enable marketing during Pandemic
Custom-Hiring Centre – Availability of farm machinery services at
reasonable price during Pandemic

17. June 24, 2020
Supply Chain Disruption of Epidemic/ Pandemic
Survival Kit
Resilience
Ability to recover - bounce back to the original state before the
exposure to shock, from the effect of climate change.
Examples
Building farmers collectives – FPO, FIG, SHG, Farmers clubs
Use of digital networked technologies – Market intelligence, direct
sales
Farm Diversification – On-farm value addition

18. Pandemic Effect on Food Security of Agricultural
Livelihoods
1. Physical AVAILABILITY of Food
• Reduction in food available at the locality
2. Economic and physical ACCESS to food
• Reduction in RNFE income has major impact on the food
access
3. Food UTILISATION
• Only essentials were distributed
• Less physical activity
4. STABILITY of the other three dimensions over time
• Disruption of supply chains have both immediate and long
term effects on food availability, access and utilisation
June 24, 2020

19. Resilience Assessment Framework (FAO, 2016)
Resilience
pillars
Pathway of actions happen to an household well-being when a shock occurs and
resilience mechanisms (recover quickly) are activated.
Approach - Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis – II (RIMA II)
June 24, 2020

20. April 13, 2020
Multiple Indicator Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model (FAO, 2016)
MIMIC
•A latent variables models estimates resilience
•Estimated through Structural Equation Modeling
•Two models
1. Measurement model – To assess the measures have good reliability and validity
(Confirmatory factor analysis)
2. Structural or path model – Test hypotheses about causal relations among variables
• Permits simultaneous estimation of the measurement model and model for the
latent variable
Observed
endogenous
variables
Both independent
and dependent
variables
Food security
indicators
Simpson index –
Dietary diversity
Food exp - household
per capita food
expenditure
Reflective model
(Determinants of resilience) Formative model
(Effects of resilience)

21. Activities and Research on Resilience building
June 24, 2020
Farmer-oriented entrepreneurship development
Entrepreneurial personality - Individual traits
Entrepreneurship orientation – For organisations including FPOs
Group processes – Factors which determine success or failure of a
group
Developing ICT applications to manage supply chains
Aggregation of inputs, produce and other materials (Uber-type)
Market intelligence
Developing models for predicting supply chain disruption and
provide solutions to various actors

22. Conducting Social Science Research during and
After Epidemic or Pandemic

23. Social Science Research During and After Epidemic or Pandemic
June 24, 2020
Social Research during and after
Epidemic or Pandemic
Restricted or No
Travel
Social Distancing
Problems in collecting data through DIRECT CONTACT METHODS -
personal interviews, Focus Groups, Participatory Rural Appraisal and
other methods
In limited travel situation, SOCIAL DISTANCING NORMS affect
handling research instruments, examining field samples or
respondents documents.

24. Social Science Research During and After Epidemic or Pandemic
Mitigation Measures taken by Researchers in Data Collection Stage
June 24, 2020
Removing few research objectives which require direct contact
Reducing the sample size
Using Online data collection methods – Online surveys
Changing research locale or dropping few areas
Converting personal interviews as mailed questionnaire

25. Online Data Collection Methods
June 24, 2020
1. Web surveys - Questionnaire accessed via an internet browser
2. Email surveys - Researcher mailing his/her survey instruments to a large
number of people through email with a request to download and fill it
up and send back to them.
3. Telephonic Interview - interviewers contact survey respondents by
phone and ask a specific set of questions for each survey.

26. Online Data Collection methods – A Comparative Assessment
June 24, 2020
Saravanan Raj and Bhattacharjee (2017)

27. Social Science Research During and After Epidemic or Pandemic
Popular Online Survey Tools
June 24, 2020

28. Social Science Research During and After Epidemic or Pandemic
Few Aspects to be considered while using Online Survey Tools
June 24, 2020
a. Decide on the type of output required before preparation of the
schedule
b. Precise, clear and concise questions
c. Choice of online data collection tools should be based on the type of
questions to be posed – Open ended, multiple choice etc
d. Page breaks should be incorporated instead of long scrolling surveys
(branching logic) (e.g. Survey Monkey)
e. Sequence of questions should be logical (e.g. Move feature)
f. Mention tentative time required to take the survey at the beginning
g. Leading questions should be avoided
h. If options are non-exhaustive, ‘other’ option should be incorporated
i. Long questions need to be avoided
j. Privacy protection measures need special attention (At the beginning)
k. Communication of survey results to respondents is necessary.

29. Social Science Research During and After Epidemic or Pandemic
Few Issues/ aspects to be considered while using Online Data Collection
June 24, 2020
1. Online data collection platform – Free Vs Paid service
Facilities/ tools provided
Data security
2. Ethical considerations
Prior Informed Consent
Recording audio/ video during data collection
3. Response rate – Need for over sampling
4. Accuracy of data