A cross-institutional exploratory investigation of COVID-19 spread: formal vs. informal institutions

We investigate the effect of culture on COVID-19 spread using a sample of 67 countries over the first 10 months of the pandemic. We find that individualistic countries have higher number of COVID-19 cases, an effect that is independent from formal institutions. A two-ways interaction effects, however, between formal institutions and individualism, shows that effective political institutions, sound governance, and better economic conditions reduce the effect on individualism on CVODI-19 spread. Our findings provide evidence that are useful not only for explaining differences in COVID-19 spread between countries but can also enable policymakers and organizations to understand what generally determines individuals' compliance with formal rules and regulations.

Automated summary

The study finds that individualistic countries have a higher number of COVID-19 cases, but effective political institutions, sound governance, and better economic conditions can reduce the impact of individualism on COVID-19 spread. These findings are important for explaining the differences in COVID-19 spread between countries and understanding the factors that drive individuals' compliance with formal rules and regulations.