Strong dissertation topics on COVID-19 and the economy look back at the pandemic as a historical shock: furlough and job retention, emergency business loans, the inflation surge after reopening, supply chain disruption and debt relief for poorer countries. This page lists over 150 research topics, ten with research aims.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the global economy in ways no one could have predicted, triggering a wide range of complex issues perfect for academic exploration.
From job losses and supply chain disruptions to shifts in digital finance and international trade, the economic ripple effects are vast and ongoing. Choosing the right dissertation topic on COVID-19 and the global economy can help students stand out in fields like economics, business, public policy, and international relations.
Whether you are studying management, finance, development studies, or even sociology, the pandemic’s impact offers countless unique research angles.
In this article, our experts compiled trending, research-worthy dissertation topics to inspire your next project and guide you through today’s most relevant economic and academic conversations.
COVID-19 Dissertation Topics With Research Aims
Topic 1: Supply Chain Innovations Adopted During the Pandemic: Which Changes Did Manufacturers Keep Once Trade Recovered?
Research Aim: This study examines the supply chain changes firms made during the pandemic, such as dual sourcing, larger safety stocks, nearer suppliers and digital tracking, and asks which were kept, scaled back or reversed once trade recovered.
It will combine company annual reports from one sector with interviews or a short survey of supply chain managers.
Topic 2: Jobs Lost and Jobs Created Through the Pandemic: Occupational Change, Skills Demand and Wages in the UK and US
Research Aim: This study examines which occupations shrank and which grew between the first lockdowns and the recovery, whether new vacancies asked for different skills, and how relative wages changed.
It will compare Labour Force Survey and online job advert data for the UK with equivalent official data for the United States.
Topic 3: Green Recovery or Carbon Rebound? Stimulus Spending and Emissions in Emerging Economies After the Pandemic
Research Aim: This research asks whether emerging economies set aside emission goals to restore output after the pandemic, or used recovery spending to support cleaner growth.
Using published trackers of recovery spending and national emissions data for countries such as India, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa, it will compare the share of stimulus going to fossil fuels with emissions trends.
Topic 4: Advance Purchase Agreements and Unequal Vaccine Access: How Early Contracts Shaped Supply to Low-Income Countries
Research Aim: This study examines how advance purchase agreements signed by high-income governments affected the timing and volume of COVID-19 vaccine doses reaching low-income countries, including those delivered through COVAX.
It will analyse published contract information, delivery records and vaccination data, and draw lessons for sharing vaccines in future pandemics.
Topic 5: Market Concentration After the Pandemic: Did the Largest Digital and Pharmaceutical Firms Gain Lasting Advantage?
Research Aim: This study examines whether firms whose products were in high demand during the pandemic, such as online retailers, cloud providers and vaccine makers, kept their gains in market share and profit once demand normalised.
It will use company accounts and published market share data, and consider the implications for competition policy.
Topic 6: Furlough and Reallocation: Did the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Protect Viable Jobs or Delay Change?
Research Aim: This study tests whether the sectors and local areas that relied most on furlough recovered their employment after the scheme closed, or whether furlough mainly postponed job losses.
It will link HMRC statistics on furloughed jobs with payroll employment data by sector and local authority, comparing outcomes before and after the scheme ended.
Topic 7: What Drove Post-Pandemic Inflation? Supply Bottlenecks, Fiscal Support and Energy Prices in the UK, US and Euro Area
Research Aim: This study estimates how much of the rise in inflation after reopening came from supply bottlenecks, from strong demand supported by fiscal and monetary policy, and from energy and food prices.
It will apply a published decomposition method to official price data, using the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Global Supply Chain Pressure Index to measure bottlenecks.
Topic 8: Bounce Back Loans and Small Business Survival: Repayment, Default and Lessons for Designing Emergency Credit
Research Aim: This study examines which kinds of small firms struggled to repay government-guaranteed Bounce Back Loans, and whether borrowing helped viable firms survive or mainly delayed closure.
It will combine published repayment and default statistics with Companies House records or a survey of owners, and weigh the scheme’s light checks against losses to fraud and default.
Topic 9: The G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative: Why Some Eligible Countries Stayed Out and What Participants Gained
Research Aim: This study examines why some eligible countries declined to join the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative, for example over concerns about credit ratings and market access, and whether participants used postponed repayments for pandemic health and social spending.
It will use World Bank debt statistics, IMF country reports and budget data.
Topic 10: Voluntary Restrictions or Mandatory Lockdowns? Economic Outcomes in Sweden Compared with Denmark, Norway and Finland
Research Aim: Sweden relied more on voluntary guidance than its Nordic neighbours, which makes the four countries a natural comparison. This study compares output, consumer spending, employment and business closures across the pandemic.
Using Eurostat and national statistics, it will test how far economic differences reflected policy rather than voluntary changes in behaviour.
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New COVID-19 Economy and Business Research Topics by Theme
These topics look back at how the pandemic hit jobs, firms, financial markets, trade and public finances, and at which changes lasted after restrictions ended. Most can be studied with free official data, published evaluations or inquiry evidence, and each asks a question your evidence can answer.
Job Retention and Income Support Topics
- Short-Time Work in Germany and Furlough in the UK: Comparing the Design and Cost of Job Retention
- Gaps in UK Pandemic Income Support: Limited Company Directors and the Newly Self-Employed
- The Universal Credit Uplift and Its Withdrawal: Effects on Food Insecurity Among Low-Income Households
- Kickstart Placements for Young People on Universal Credit: Job Outcomes After Placements Ended
- US Paycheck Protection Loans and Small Business Employment: Who Received Funds and How Many Jobs Were Kept?
- Statutory Sick Pay, Self-Isolation Payments and Compliance: Did Low Sick Pay Discourage Workers From Isolating?
Business Survival, Credit and Insolvency Topics
- India’s Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme: Did Guaranteed Loans Keep Small Firms Afloat?
- Corporate Insolvencies After Pandemic Support Ended: Was There a Catch-Up Wave in England and Wales?
- Temporary Curbs on Winding-Up Petitions and Creditor Recovery: Lessons From the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act
- Zombie Firms After the Pandemic: Did Cheap Credit and Support Keep Unviable Companies Trading?
- Property-Based Business Grants in the First Lockdown: Did Support Reach Firms Without Business Premises?
- Philippine Micro-Enterprises Under Community Quarantine: Online Selling, Informal Credit and Survival
Monetary Policy and Financial Market Topics
- Government Bond Market Dysfunction at the Start of the Pandemic: The Dash for Cash in Gilts and US Treasuries
- Pandemic-Era Quantitative Easing and Household Wealth: Who Gained From Rising House and Share Prices?
- The European Central Bank’s Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme and Bond Spreads in Italy and Spain
- Negative Oil Futures Prices During the First Lockdowns: Storage Limits and Lessons for Commodity Markets
- Commission-Free Trading Apps and Retail Investors During Lockdowns: Lessons From the GameStop Episode
- Central Bank Forecast Errors on Post-Pandemic Inflation: Why Was the Rise Expected to Be Transitory?
Supply Chain and Global Trade Topics
- The Global Semiconductor Shortage and Car Production: How Pandemic Demand Shifts Tested Just-in-Time Sourcing
- Container Freight Rates During the Pandemic: Causes of the Spike and Pass-Through to UK Import Prices
- Export Restrictions on Protective Equipment and Vaccines in the First Year of the Pandemic: A Trade Policy Analysis
- Zero-COVID Lockdowns in Chinese Manufacturing Hubs and Delivery Delays for European Importers
- Air Cargo Capacity Lost With Grounded Passenger Flights: Effects on Time-Sensitive Exports
- Emergency Procurement of Protective Equipment in the First Wave: Prices, Intermediaries and Value for Money
Labour Market and Inequality Topics
- Economic Inactivity Among Over-50s After the Pandemic: Early Retirement, Ill Health or Caring Duties?
- Long COVID and Labour Supply: Reduced Hours and Job Exits Among Working-Age Adults in the UK
- Key Workers’ Pay Before and After the Pandemic: Did Public Recognition Lead to Higher Relative Wages?
- India’s Internal Migrant Workers After the National Lockdown: Return Migration, Rural Employment and Household Debt
- Quits and Job Switching After Reopening: Was There a Great Resignation in the UK Labour Market?
- Workers Who Could Not Work From Home: Occupational Exposure, Income Loss and Inequality in the First Wave
Public Finance and Recovery Plan Topics
- The Cost of UK Pandemic Support: How Official Estimates Changed Between Announcement and Final Outturn
- How Did UK Governments Pay for the Pandemic? Tax Rises, Spending Restraint and Fiscal Rules
- NextGenerationEU and the Recovery and Resilience Facility: Absorption of Funds Across Member States
- Economic Impact Payments in the United States: How Households Spent Stimulus Cheques
- The Stamp Duty Holiday in England: House Prices, Transactions and Bunching Before Deadlines
- Witness Evidence on Economic Support Schemes at the UK COVID-19 Inquiry: A Documentary Analysis
Developing Economies and Global Cooperation Topics
- How Low-Income Countries Used the Special Drawing Rights Allocated by the IMF During the Pandemic
- World Bank Pandemic Bonds: Were the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility’s Payout Triggers Fit for Purpose?
- The Pandemic Fund’s First Grant Rounds: Which Countries Received Preparedness Funding and Why?
- Cancelled Garment Orders in the First Wave: Effects on Bangladeshi Suppliers and Factory Workers’ Wages
- Togo’s Novissi Mobile Cash Transfers: Targeting the Poorest Using Phone and Satellite Data
- IMF Emergency Financing in the First Months of the Pandemic: Speed, Conditions and Transparency Commitments
Consumer Behaviour and Business Strategy Topics
- Panic Buying in the First Wave: Supermarket Rationing, Stockpiling and How Supply Recovered
- Reassurance Advertising During Lockdowns: A Content Analysis of UK Television Adverts
- Lockdown Hobby Booms in DIY, Baking and Home Fitness: Which Markets Kept Their Gains?
- Raised Contactless Limits and the Decline of Cash Payments in the UK After the Pandemic
- Price Gouging Complaints in the First Wave: The Competition and Markets Authority and Hand Sanitiser Pricing
- Neighbourhood Shops After Lockdowns: Did Local Retailers Keep the Customers They Gained in the Pandemic?
List Of Free COVID-19 And Global Economy Dissertation Topics
- Systematic Review of the Impact of COVID-19 on International Trade Dynamics
- The Role of Government Stimulus in Mitigating Pandemic-Induced Economic Recession
- Qualitative Research on Small Business Resilience During the COVID-19 Crisis
- Research Study on the Relationship Between COVID-19 Restrictions and Consumer Spending
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Supply Chain Strategies of Multinational Corporations
- The Role of Digital Transformation in Economic Recovery Post-COVID-19
- A Mixed-Methods Study on Tourism Decline and Economic Growth During the Pandemic
- The Influence of COVID-19 on Global Oil Price Volatility and Economic Stability
- An Analysis of COVID-19-Driven Inflation in Emerging Market Economies
- Quantitative Research on COVID-19 and Income Inequality Across OECD Countries
- A Qualitative Exploration of Remote Work’s Effect on Global Economic Productivity
- Research Study on the Correlation Between Pandemic Response Policies and GDP Performance
- The Role of Central Banks in Post-Pandemic Economic Stabilisation
- Systematic Review of COVID-19’s Impact on Foreign Direct Investment Trends
- The Effects of COVID-19 on Informal Economies in Sub-Saharan Africa
- A Comparative Study on COVID-19’s Influence on Export Performance in BRICS Nations
- The Impact of Lockdown Measures on Consumer Behaviour and Global Retail Markets
- An Econometric Analysis of COVID-19 and Economic Growth in Low-Income Countries
- The Role of Digital Finance in Economic Recovery From the Pandemic
- Quantitative Study on COVID-19 and Global Poverty Levels
- Research Study on Global Economic Disparities Widened by the COVID-19 Crisis
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Labour Migration and Economic Development
- Qualitative Research on the Economic Consequences of School Closures Worldwide
- The Role of Health Infrastructure in Economic Resilience During COVID-19
- Systematic Review of COVID-19-Induced Recession in Developing Economies
- A Study on the Relationship Between Vaccine Rollout and Economic Recovery
- The Impact of Pandemic-Driven E-Commerce Growth on Traditional Retail Employment
- The Role of International Monetary Policy During the Global COVID-19 Crisis
- A Cross-Country Analysis of COVID-19 and Manufacturing Sector Decline
- Quantitative Study on COVID-19 and Cryptocurrency Adoption Globally
- An Exploratory Study on COVID-19 and the Global Real Estate Market
- The Influence of COVID-19 on Agricultural Trade and Food Security
- The Role of Public Health Spending in Economic Stabilisation Post-COVID-19
- Systematic Review of COVID-19’s Disruption to Global Investment Markets
- Research Study on the Pandemic’s Long-Term Impact on Employment Sectors
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Economic Viability of Higher Education Institutions
- The Role of Innovation and R&D Spending in Post-COVID Economic Growth
- Comparative Analysis of COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plans in G7 Nations
- The Effects of COVID-19 on Global Supply Chain Resilience and Economic Efficiency
- Qualitative Study on the Informal Labour Market’s Adaptation to COVID-19
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Financial Stability of Low-Income Households
- Research Study on the Link Between Pandemic Health Outcomes and Economic Output
- The Role of International Organisations in Post-COVID-19 Economic Reconstruction
- An Analysis of COVID-19-Induced Debt Accumulation in Global South Economies
- Quantitative Research on Consumer Confidence and Spending Habits During the Pandemic
- The Economic Implications of COVID-19 on Global Airline Industries
- Mixed-Methods Study on Pandemic Impact on Urban Versus Rural Economies
- The Role of Trade Policies in Global Economic Recovery Post-COVID-19
- Research Study on Global Taxation Policies Implemented Due to the Pandemic
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Female Labour Force Participation Worldwide
- Systematic Review of COVID-19’s Influence on Corporate Social Responsibility Trends
- The Effects of Remote Education on Future Workforce Productivity
- A Quantitative Analysis of COVID-19 and Stock Market Fluctuations
- The Role of Government Transparency in Economic Recovery During Health Crises
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Gig Economy Sustainability
- Research Study on the Relationship Between Health Inequality and Economic Output
- The Role of International Trade Agreements in Post-Pandemic Economic Recovery
- The Effects of Pandemic-Induced Travel Bans on Developing Economies
- Systematic Review of Economic Models Predicting COVID-19 Recovery
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Public Sector Employment in Developed Nations
- A Study on the Economic Costs of Vaccine Hesitancy
- Research on Economic Implications of COVID-19-Induced Mental Health Declines
- The Role of Multilateral Aid in Supporting Global Economic Stability During COVID-19
- Quantitative Study on COVID-19’s Impact on Global Luxury Markets
- The Influence of Global Shipping Disruptions on Economic Growth During the Pandemic
- A Comparative Analysis of COVID-19’s Economic Impact on Coastal Versus Inland Regions
- The Role of Corporate Governance in Business Recovery Post-COVID-19
- Qualitative Study on How the Pandemic Changed Public Views of Which Work Is Economically Valuable
- Research Study on COVID-19 and Economic Nationalism
- Systematic Review of the Pandemic’s Impact on the Circular Economy Model
- Quantitative Research on the Effects of COVID-19 on Public Infrastructure Investments
- The Role of Fintech in Sustaining SMEs During Economic Disruption
- The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on International Student Migration
- Research Study on the Pandemic’s Effect on Gendered Economic Outcomes
- The Impact of Digital Labour Platforms on Post-COVID Economic Structures
- The Role of Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions in Economic Recovery
- Systematic Review of COVID-19’s Effects on Global Youth Employment
- The Influence of Pandemic-Era Economic Uncertainty on Household Saving Behaviour
- Quantitative Study on COVID-19 and Global Carbon Emissions Trends
- The Economic Consequences of Vaccine Inequity Across Global Markets
- A Qualitative Analysis of Entrepreneurial Strategies During COVID-19
- The Role of Infrastructure Spending in Global Economic Recovery Plans
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Economic Resilience of Island Nations
- Research Study on the Effect of Public Health Messaging on Economic Behaviour
- Systematic Review of the Pandemic’s Impact on Global Financial Regulations
- Quantitative Study on COVID-19 and Youth Economic Mobility
- The Role of Trade Digitalisation in Reshaping Global Economics Post-COVID
- The Economic Effects of COVID-19 on the Creative and Cultural Industries
- Qualitative Research on Urban Economic Adaptation to Public Health Crises
- A Study of COVID-19’s Impact on Cross-Border Investment Flows
- The Role of Data Analytics in Economic Forecasting During Pandemics
- Systematic Review of the Global Response to COVID-19 and Its Economic Ramifications
- Research Study on the Effects of Pandemic Policy Uncertainty on Business Innovation
- The Influence of COVID-19 on Global Environmental Economics
- Quantitative Study on the Pandemic’s Impact on Housing Markets
- The Role of Mobile Technology in Supporting Economic Activity During Lockdowns
- The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Energy Sector Investments
- Research Study on COVID-19’s Influence on International Currency Exchange Rates
- The Effects of COVID-19 on Sustainable Development Funding Globally
- A Qualitative Study on Informal Finance Networks in Pandemic Response
- The Role of Social Protection Programmes in Economic Recovery
- A Systematic Review of Cross-Cultural Economic Resilience Strategies During COVID-19
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Corporate Insolvency Rates Worldwide
- Quantitative Research on COVID-19 and the Rise of Universal Basic Income Trials
- The Role of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) in Economic Recovery
- The Effects of COVID-19 on Rural Economic Systems in Asia
- Research Study on Post-Pandemic Shifts in Labour Market Preferences
- The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Public Transport Systems
- Qualitative Study on the Informal Economy’s Role During Pandemic Disruptions
- A Study of COVID-19’s Effect on International Remittance Flows
- The Role of Political Stability in Economic Recovery During Health Crises
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Urban Versus Suburban Economic Activity
- Systematic Review of Lessons From Past Pandemics on Economic Recovery
- The Economic Effects of COVID-19 on Healthcare Industry Profitability
- Quantitative Study on the Correlation Between Vaccination Rates and GDP Growth
- The Role of Global Economic Governance in Coordinating Pandemic Responses
- The Influence of COVID-19 on Global Commodity Price Indices
- Research Study on the Relationship Between Financial Inclusion and Economic Resilience
- The Impact of COVID-19 on the Sharing Economy
- Systematic Review of Global Economic Inequality Exacerbated by COVID-19
- Quantitative Research on Consumer Credit Behaviour During the Pandemic
- The Role of E-Governance in Promoting Economic Stability During COVID-19
- The Economic Consequences of Post-Pandemic Labour Shortages
- Research Study on the Influence of Pandemic Uncertainty on Investment Decisions
- The Impact of COVID-19 on Sustainable Urban Economic Planning
- Qualitative Research on Localised Economic Innovations During the Pandemic
Related Dissertation Topics
This list focuses on COVID-19. You can also explore these related topic lists:
Frequently Asked Questions
Start from one policy, market or group that the pandemic affected, such as furlough, emergency business loans, container shipping or debt relief, and ask what happened, why and with what lasting effect.
Reviews in economics journals and reports from the OBR, the IMF and the World Bank show which questions remain open. Then check that data cover your chosen country and period.
Popular economic themes include job retention schemes, emergency credit and business survival, the inflation surge after reopening, supply chain disruption, public debt and recovery plans, and unequal access to vaccines and finance in poorer countries.
Outside economics, students often study health services, schooling, tourism and mental health, and the lessons each holds for preparing for future pandemics.
Yes, if you treat the pandemic as a historical shock with lasting effects rather than as current news. It is one of the most thoroughly documented economic shocks, with official data covering the whole period, published evaluations of support schemes and evidence gathered by public inquiries.
Strong topics ask what happened, why, and what lessons apply to future crises.
A good title names the type of business, the place and the outcome, for example: Online Selling and the Survival of Micro-Enterprises in Metro Manila Under Community Quarantine. Frame it around what happened rather than as current news.
Your thesis statement then sets out the argument your evidence will test, for example that guaranteed loans delayed closures rather than prevented them.
For the UK, use HMRC statistics on the furlough and self-employment schemes, ONS business and labour market surveys, Insolvency Service statistics and OBR reports.
For other countries, use IMF, World Bank and OECD data, and the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, which scores how strict each country’s restrictions were day by day.
Yes. Complete the free topic form at the end of this page, or on our free dissertation topics page, and a subject specialist will send you a custom topic with an aim and justification.
If you also need a plan, our dissertation topics and outline service starts from £45.
