Abstract
This article examines the use of big data in the decision-making process on measures to support small and medium-sized businesses in St. Petersburg during the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical novelty of this study lies in the demonstration of the use of big data to combat the pandemic and its consequences at the regional level. The research issue is considered in the context of introducing QR codes for entrepreneurs in St. Petersburg in order to control the requirements of safe activities during the pandemic. St. Petersburg was chosen as the region under study, since Moscow is closely connected with the federal government and does not fully reflect the regional peculiarities of the fight against the pandemic, at least because of the redundancy of resources in the capital. In turn, other regions of Russia are not as technologically advanced as St. Petersburg to demonstrate the use of big data during the COVID-19 pandemic. To determine the role of COVID-19 in accelerating the introduction of big data into the political process, I use the multiple streams framework in conjunction with the model of the political cycle. To study the very process of using big data, I focus on the actors in this process, their interests and values, namely, “data analysts” and “decision makers”. Thus, my model combines a case study from the point of view of a dynamic process with causal relationships and from the point of view of the actors involved in this process. To analyse the case, I used the method of included observation, which implies participation in several meetings on the development of measures to support enterprises, as well as the study of documents - resolutions of the Government of St. Petersburg, internal accounting documents and official websites. As a result, the case under review appears to be a clear illustration of a regional initiative in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and how big data has been used to overcome the economic impact of the pandemic at the regional level. The pandemic has not only become a “window of opportunity” for regional authorities to pursue their own policies in the fight against COVID-19, but also made it possible for middle-level actors to take the initiative and promote their own decision on the regional agenda. The case of St. Petersburg demonstrates that the process of digitalization using big data occurs not only from the top down through the implementation of the national strategy and not only from the bottom up through the integration of private digital services. Mid-level structures also influence the digitalization process through the promotion of their products and services, using “windows of opportunity”, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.