College of Administrative and Financial Sciences

Assignment 1
Deadline: 30/06/2021 @ 23:59

Academic Year: 1441/1442 H

Course Name: Public Management Student’s Name:
Course Code: MGT 324 Student’s ID Number:
Semester: Summer 2020-2021 CRN:

For Instructor’s Use only

Instructor’s Name:

Students’ Grade: Marks Level of Marks: High/Middle/Low

Obtained/Out of

Instructions – PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY

 The Assignment must be submitted on Blackboard (WORD format only) via allocated
folder.
 Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.
 Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented, marks may be reduced
for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.
 Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.
 Late submission will NOT be accepted.
 Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other
resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks.
 All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font.
 Submissions without cover page will NOT be accepted.

Assignment 1
Submission Date by students: 30/06/2021 @ 23:59
Place of Submission: Students Grade Centre via blackboard.
Weight: 10 Marks
CLO: Describe the simple and complex issues pertaining to public management.
We expect you to answer each question as per instructions in the assignment. You will find it
useful to keep the following points in mind. The assignment with be evaluated in terms of your
planning, organization and the way you present your assignment. All the three section will carry
equal weightage
Kindly read the instruction carefully and prepare your assignment accordingly.
1) Planning: Read the assignments carefully, go through the Units on which they are based.
Make some points regarding each question and then rearrange them in a logical order. (3.5
Marks)
2) Organization: Be a little selective and analytical before drawing up a rough outline of your
answer. Give adequate attention to question’s introduction and conclusion. (3.5 Marks)
Make sure that:
a) The answer is logical and coherent
b) It has clear connections between sentences and paragraphs
c) The presentation is correct in your own expression and style.
3) Presentation: Once you are satisfied with your answer, you can write down the final version
for submission. If you so desire, you may underline the points you wish to emphasize. Make sure
that the answer is within the stipulated word limit. (3 Marks)
******
Write an essay on the following topic in about 1000-1200 words.
“The COVID-19 pandemic reveals that the public sector is not only facing simple and complex
problem, but also turbulent problems characterized by the surprising emergence of
inconsistent, unpredictable, and uncertain events. Turbulent problems call for robust
governance solutions that are sufficiently adaptable, agile and pragmatic to upheld a
particular goal or function in the face of continuous disruption”.
In the light of this statement, discuss the challenges faced by local governments during
COVID-19 era. With the help of examples, explain how local governments can raise their
awareness about such emerging pandemic, meet future challenges and be able to convert
their challenges into opportunities.
(You are required to include at least three scholarly references in your answer).
ANSWER:

COVID-19 Pandemic Challenges, Awareness and Opportunities

The emergence of the global pandemic brings alarming health, public safety, and the affected

countries' economies. The complexity of COVID-19 shows additional adaptability of the

government to respond and continuously provide robust solutions to their people. With the

rampant emergence of COVID variants across the globe, there is a high need to take complete

control and awareness to people. In narrowing the point of authority taking charges in maintaining

public safety, the local government is responsible for securing solutions. The local government is

responsible for raising practical actions and consistent goals in raising awareness and meeting

future challenges into opportunities. Therefore, understanding the challenges that the local

government faces define the action they are considering.

The challenges faced by local governments during the COVID-19 era

A global pandemic causes a dramatic impact on local government, taking over with providing

rules, mandatory surges, social distancing rules, travel bans, quarantine facilities, community

announcements, and the like. One of the most pressing issues that local government faces is its

financial stability in continuing its business. The coronavirus pandemic has interrupted tax

collections and has led to higher medical expenditures with significant financial repercussions on

governments and local governments (Felix, 2020). As taxes are known to be the bloodline of the

government, without them, the government will not function. It is one of the challenges that the

local government faces in the COVID-19 era. The threat of pandemic results in postponement of

filing income taxes, and the liquidity of the resources is a challenge. As people hold their payment

of taxes, it tends to lower the budget in the local government. As cited in the research of Felix,

one instance that taxes pose a severe implication in the GDP growth of the economy is in the case

of the US economy.
Furthermore, as Clemens & Veuger (2020) cited, the prediction that the reduction in economic

performance suggested by current Congressional Budget Office projections would result in the

state sales and income tax collections in 2021 being about US $106 billion. It is 0.5% of GDP and

11.5% of our forecast income tax and pre-Covid sales. The second quarter of 2020 will have

further tax deficiencies of almost $42 billion. With the priority to medical attention, the finances

to local government are running out of budget, resulting in serious repercussions, including

borrowing money from other countries and other imputable changes.

Furthermore, as the taxes become one of the local government's challenges, the budget

distribution has been held for two more reasons. While the current crisis is expected to damage

government and local budgets comparable to earlier downsizes, many distinctive elements put

pressure on governments and local authorities immediately. In the report of Felix, first, the

government expenditure has increased considerably with states purchasing medical equipment

and setting up temporary health facilities to fight COVID-19 spread. Secondly, in many States,

shelter orders are likely to cut consumer expenditure considerably and promptly and diminish

sales tax collection. While home buying food has grown, several countries exclude food from

sales taxes. Lastly, as there are travel bans and quarantine, many workers lost their jobs. The

government is obliged to provide for the family needs of its community and help them provide

health and safety, including amelioration programs. Also, the government is obliged to provide

leeway to every transaction as well as for its citizens. With this, the local government must

maximize its resources and provide an effective and preventive measure. The challenges present a

turbulent threat to the community, which is needed to provide solutions.

How can local governments raise their awareness about such emerging pandemics and meet

future challenges?

In the past year, since the pandemic strike to different countries, the local government provides

plans and strategies in different ways. One of the significant responsibilities of the government is

to raise awareness and maintain peace and order in the community. The proposition of lockdown,

quarantine, and social distancing does reduce the case, but it is still constantly growing with

different variants. Some of the proposition is not strictly followed due to the dense population and

limited knowledge regarding the situation. With this, it is vital to consider the local government's

plans in meeting goals and managing awareness to its citizens.

The local government is the one that takes the plan into action in which as the coronavirus

pandemic spreads globally. Several nations, including Bangladesh, are implementing non-

therapeutic preventative measures such as travel restrictions, remote office operations, national

lockdown, and, most significantly, social distance. Mobile sanitization units, temporary

quarantine sites, and healthcare facilities might help reduce the pandemic's impact on a local

level. With timely, supportive, and empathetic engagement from the government, people, health

professionals, and foreign aid, the country can reduce the epidemic's effect (Anwar, Nasrullah, &

Jakir Hosen, 2020). With this ethical proposition, it might consider as the future action of the

government in the future pandemic. Bangladesh is one of the countries that easily cope up and

adapt to the change of the pandemic. With the proper measure of its local government and the

active participation of its public administration, it mitigated the impact of the virus in the country.

Since the first case of the pandemic hit the country, Bangladesh already mandates travel

restrictions and national lockdowns, including the postponement of school classes. With the

active engagement and seriousness of the public administration, it fulfills its operation in

mitigating the emergence of the global pandemic. This particular action of the government can

give assurance to future actions in case a global pandemic might occur. With the future challenges
of the global pandemic, such as the existence of new variants, consistent GDP loss of the

country's economy, specific precautionary measures can provide a wiser action.

Convert global pandemic challenges into opportunities

As the global pandemic poses a threat to the economy, public health, and safety, it can also

provide an opportunity to cope appropriately. In the loss in the economy, it can be turned into an

opportunity to cultivate a new strategy and benefit the economy. In Rowan & Galanakis (2020)

article, opportunities that the government can raise during the pandemic are International financial

recovery stimulus measures for businesses during and after COVID-19, the Agri-food industry,

and transitioning COVID-19 crisis by utilizing green peatland innovations (Paludiculture). The

consideration in the agri-food industry can provide a solution to escalating the production of the

country. Providing global recovery research, the agricultural sector, and technology innovation

can lead to success. As the pandemic damages many workers and losing their jobs, the shift to

agriculture production and the access to technology such as Facebook live streaming, content

creation, and work from home jobs. It can utilize the internet and become part of the global

market.

The COVID-19 pandemic has high social, health, societal, and scientific pressure. Understanding

the pandemic evolution and present effect is essential if future public impacts are planned,

managed, and minimized. The integration of the changes and active participation of the public and

government are intertwined to end this pandemic. It is expected that the local government and the

public will help each other to promote public health and safety against the virus.
REFERENCES:

Anwar, S., Nasrullah, M., & Jakir Hosen, M. (2020, April 30). COVID-19 and Bangladesh:

Challenges and How to Address Them. Retrieved June 28, 2021, from

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7203732/

Clemens, J., & Veuger, S. (2020, June 29). Implications of the Covid-19 Pandemic for State

Government Tax Revenues. Retrieved June 28, 2021, from

https://www.nber.org/papers/w27426

Felix, A. (2020, May 13). COVID-19 Challenges State and Local Government Finances.

Retrieved June 28, 2021, from

http://WWW.KANSASCITYFED.ORG/ECONOMICBULLETIN/

Rowan, N. J., & Galanakis, C. M. (2020). Unlocking challenges and opportunities presented by

COVID-19 pandemic for cross-cutting disruption in agri-food and green deal innovations:

Quo Vadis? Science of The Total Environment, 748(15).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141362