Innovation in the times of Pandemic

History of global pandemics has evidence to prove that this contagion, will spark a worldwide wave of innovation. Pandemics create an environment that’s perfect for testing and implementing new ideas. As destructive as they are, each one of these diseases has forced society to evolve through the years, altering how we live and function.

While the black death way back in late 1340-s, broke down the feudal socio-political system and gave impetus to education and larger skilled workforce generation, the SARS pandemic as recent as early this century, gave a much needed thrust to the e-com proposition.

COVID-19 pandemic has already changed the cultural and business landscape of the world.

In terms of business, global supply chains have been disrupted and it could well be the end of China as the world’s leading manufacturing hub. Working from home (WFH) has become the new normal, leading to fresh challenges relating to teamwork, technology, productivity, collaboration and communication.

Although, tele-medicine has been around for years, but the corona virus has seen it explode worldwide. The platform now plays a critical role in keeping low-risk patients out of overburdened hospitals and delivering remote care without putting doctors and others at risk.

As the world shuts down in an effort to choke off the virus, but it is certain that the crisis will end, the corona virus' economic effects won’t be over in 2021. Even if commerce bounces back strongly in the next six months and we find a vaccine by early 2021, this outbreak will reshape economic behaviour lasting years or even decades to come.