Eye-opening report! China directly responsible for Covid-19 pandemic and consequent job losses!

Amid Covid-19 pandemic, the world economy is slowly making the effort to get back to near-normalcy. The new world order is now set in stone with everything and everyone going contactless, inducing newer habits in consumers as we sail through the COVID-19 crisis. The Mavericks India report titled - “COVID-19 and Beyond: An Evolving Perspective”, based on a survey conducted with 720 respondents from across the country found that anti-China and pro-India sentiment on the rise!

As per the report, the anti-China sentiment has steadily gained momentum since April 2020 especially among the older millennial and Gen X cohort. 35% of those employed in the private sector believe that China is directly responsible for the pandemic outbreak and the consequent job losses that have taken place in the last 8 months.

This growing sentiment has forced consumer brands to activate campaigns and alter their communications strategy towards going “Vocal for Local”. From an individual standpoint, 55% of the respondents have become supportive of the #VocalForLocal campaign during the crisis.

Also, as per the report, 75% of the respondents believe that the economy is going to take no less than a year to bounce back to normalcy. With digital dependencies on an upsurge, the face of the Indian education system has transformed by leaps and bounds. Digital learning is seen as the next big business opportunity, while parents are shuttling between work, chores and keeping their children engaged throughout the day. With children not returning to school anytime soon, one in every four parents would prefer to switch back to the traditional classroom setup, citing developmental concerns and delays in their children due to the lack of personal contact.

Survey Methodology

To arrive at these insights, Mavericks Research conducted a survey over the months of September-October, with an aim to gauge temporary and permanent changes in our behaviour since the COVID-19 crisis and end of the lockdown period, as well as understand our expectations and plans under the new normal. We have attempted to analyse our collective behaviour through this COVID-19 crisis, as well as understand our evolving expectations from various aspects of our lives, now that the world paves way to a new normal. Our insights shed light into what has changed for the better, for the worse, and what remains the same under our new day-to-day lives, along with our anticipations for the near future.

Approximately 720 responses were collected through this survey via an online survey tool, and key findings were generated based on consideration of the unfiltered sample dataset, as well as through filtering data by gender, age bracket, and occupation. Additionally, secondary research, combined with some one-on-one discussions with members of the target audience, helped us arrive at comprehensive insights which build on the data points. All the respondents belong to SEC A and to that extent the insights therefrom need to be construed and consumed accordingly. Approximately 180 respondents belong to a community of entrepreneurs, CXOs or senior company executives/ leaders.