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Key Factors of Adoption of Alternative Business Model: A Study on Handicraft Artisans During COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
This chapter is an attempt to analyse the key factors of adoption of alternative business models by the handicraft artisans during COVID-19 pandemic. This paper is a part of doctoral study and is based on the part of primary research conducted by the scholar. The study primarily analyses the strength of the relationship of the factors. A structured questionnaire was employed to collect data for conducting the study. Descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple linear regressions have been used as statistical tools for analysis. The findings of the study demonstrate the linkage and effect of critical aspects on the performance of alternative business models, resulting in conclusions that leave room for future research. The novelty of this study is that it has made an initial attempt to identify the key factors of adoption of the alternative business model for the artisans. The study is limited to a specific field of the craft sector. The policy-makers will have substantial theoretical consequences for the development of the artisans regarding their alternative business model. It is important to improve artisan’s entrepreneurial skills and capabilities to strengthen them in the global market today.KeywordsAlternative businessHandicraft sectorArtisanCOVID-19Social media
This research tries to investigate the effect of entrepreneurship on the sustainable livelihood of handicraft artisans. The study focuses on to check the relations between sustainable livelihood, entrepreneurship and employment by providing insight into rural crafts activities and evaluating the decision to engage in the craft business. In this study, several literatures have been reviewed which are based on sustainable livelihood and entrepreneurial activities. The uniqueness of the paper is that this study uses the concept of entrepreneurship as a method to find ways to support the livelihood of the artisans, offering an innovative understanding of a phenomenon that has the potential to make a real contribution to the lives of the artisans.
The objective of this study was to analyze how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) cope with environmental changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic by pursuing the business model transformation with the support of digital technologies. To achieve the objective, this study used a multiple case study design with qualitative analysis to examine the data obtained from interviews, observation, and field visits. Seven manufacturing SMEs from Indonesia were selected using a theoretical sampling technique, with the purpose of achieving some degree of variation to allow us to undertake replication logic. Our analysis demonstrates that SMEs adopt a different degree of digital transformations, which can be summarized into three paths, depending on the firms’ contextual factors. First, SMEs with a high level of digital maturity who respond to the challenges by accelerating the transition toward digitalized firms; second, SMEs experiencing liquidity issues but a low level of digital maturity who decide to digitalize the sales function only; and, third, the SMEs that have very limited digital literacy but are supported by a high level of social capital. This last group of firms solves the challenges by finding partners who possess excellent digital capabilities. The qualitative case study method allows us to conduct in-depth and detailed analysis, but has thin generalizability. To address this limitation, future research can use a survey covering various industries to test the proposed theory that has resulted from this study, so that the generalizability can be assured.
Indian online grocery retail industry has emerged as one of the most dynamic and fast-paced industries due to changing consumer preferences. This study focuses review of literature on factors that influence on online-grocery industry in India. The factors that motivate buyers to shop-online and their attitudes towards online-grocery are studied. Insights are provided into various themes with respect to online-grocery. A systematic searched was carried out on specialized database sources: Web of Science and EBSCOhost. Furthermore Google Scholar searches were performed. Search words and phrases included online grocery, e-commerce in India, online grocery stores, online retail, e-grocery, grocery retailing. The integrative approach is used to shape the analysis of literature. Five themes were finally identified based on extensive reviews of research articles. Finally, this study identifies several gaps and provides some orientation for future research.
The purpose of this study was to assess Higher Education student's attitudes toward learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also explores the factors affecting student's attitudes towards learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study population consists of 344 students and 10 lecturers in Kampala. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed in the study. Demographic data were also collected on the lecturers and students involved in the study. Questionnaire of Attitudes toward learning during COVID-19 Pandemic (QATLCP) was used as the principal quantitative data collection instrument. The techniques used for analysis of the quantitative data were: descriptive statistics; analysis of variance (ANOVA); test for differences and regressions. In terms of the focus group data, interviews were audio-recorded; transcribed, and thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts. Although the results of the quantitative data analysis revealed that students had generally favorable attitudes toward learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, focus group data indicated that a number of factors across three contexts (the environment, school system, and society) seemed to be fundamental in shaping students attitude toward learning during COVID-19 pandemic.
This study aims to analyze an entrepreneurial behavior model based on entrepreneur competencies of moslem clothing in fashion creative industries, Soreang (West Java, Indonesia) with the intention to map entrepreneurial behavior that can identify the patterns and problems in order to be given the right solution. As we know, Soreang is the largest industry of moslem clothing in west Java, Indonesia. The method used in this study is qualitative method. The data gathered through non-participatory observation and in depth-interviews. Data analysis done by data reduction, data display and then made conclusions. The results showed that the work pattern created by moslem clothing entrepreneurs in Soreang are vary according to the conditions and policies that exist in the SMEs. Most moslem clothing entrepreneurs in Soreang do not plan the future strategy in a structured and systematic way. Although they admit that they have limited capability in business management, but they have a passion to learn countinously to be able to eliminate these limitations. In addition, moslem clothing entrepreneurs in Soreang realize that human resources are the company's assets, and to mantain them, the entrepreneurs conduct persuasive techniques and personal ties. In the end, this paper contributes to the concepts development of entrepreneurial behavior, entrepreneurship competencies, and creative industries.
Purpose
First, this study aims to focus on the promotional part of the Indian handicraft products through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Second, the study measures the effectiveness of social media marketing activities (SMMA) relating to handicraft products on brand awareness, brand image and brand equity. Third, this study also measures the impact of brand awareness and brand image on brand equity and consumers’ purchase intention and further brand equity on consumers’ purchase intention of handicraft products.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an offline questionnaire to conduct empirical research and collected and analyzed data of 609 samples by using the structural equation modeling approach.
Findings
The findings of this study showed that SMMA relating to handicraft products had a very strong impact on creating both brand awareness and brand image in the social media environment. Additionally, this study also exhibited a positive and significant impact of brand awareness and brand image on brand equity and consumers’ purchase intention and further brand equity on consumers’ purchase intention of handicraft products in the social media environment.
Practical implications
The outcome of this research will definitely motivate the handicraft industry to have a strong social media presence on various platforms for promoting their products across India and outside. Further, the promotional activities in various social media platforms will help in creating awareness about the handicraft products and give brand recognition among other industrial competitive brands which will consequently lead to an increase in the demand for these products.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study is that it has made an initial attempt to study the marketability of handicraft products using various social media platforms and also has measured the probable impact of SMMA relating to handicraft products on brand awareness and brand image and their impact on brand equity and purchase intention.
In this study, the fear created by the Covid-19 global epidemic on consumers (general fear of viruses and fear of activity), spending (cleaning products, preventive health products, fresh and organic food and vitamin/mineral support, clothing, education, home purchasing, vehicle, loan. The relationship between buying, rental, fashion, vacation, travel, entertainment, electronics, home decor/furniture, mobile phone, activity and general) and savings have been tested. For this purpose, in order to test the relationship between fear, saving, and spending during the Covid-19 pandemic process, a Likert-scale online survey link was shared on social networks (Twitter, LinkedIn). The total of 385 surveys was analyzed using Google Form and SPSS program (Anova, Regression). As a result of the analysis, fear (general fear and fear of activity), spending (education, vehicles/cars, monopoly products, and tobacco products, games of chance, home buying and renting, loans, luxury/fashion, games, and toys, vitamins, minerals, and food support, public services, home, and furniture décor, electronic products (including mobile phones) expenditures remained the same, protective healthcare products, cleaning products, fresh and organic food expenditures increased, travel, public transportation expenditures decreased, holiday and entertainment expenditures decreased significantly). In the research, it was determined that 42% of the participants increased their savings by 30.5% slightly, and the amount of savings did not change at all for 27% of the participants. According to the results, as consumers' fear of Covid-19 increases, some spending categories (health products, cleaning products, fresh and organic food spending) and savings rate increase. In addition, it was observed that 90% of the participants canceled their expenses due to Covid-19. As a result of the research, significant relationships were found between the variables of fear, saving, and spending during the Covid-19 pandemic process.
Coronavirus disease 2019 and related lockdown policies in 2020 shocked food industry firms’ supply chains in developing regions. Firms “pivoted” to e‐commerce to reach consumers and e‐procurement to reach processors and farmers. “Delivery intermediaries” copivoted with food firms to help them deliver and procure. This was crucial to the ability of the food firms to pivot. The pandemic was a “crucible” that induced this set of fast‐tracking innovations, accelerating the diffusion of e‐commerce and delivery intermediaries, and enabling food industry firms to redesign, at least temporarily, and perhaps for the long term, their supply chains to be more resilient, and to weather the pandemic, supply consumers, and contribute to food security. We present a theoretical model to explain these firm strategies, and then apply the framework to classify firms’ practical strategies. We focus on cases in Asia and Latin America. Enabling policy and infrastructural conditions allowed firms to pivot and copivot fluidly.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, on-demand grocery delivery service that combines mobile technology and city logistics has gained tremendous popularity among grocery shoppers as a substitute to self-service grocery shopping in the store. This paper proposes an intelligent comparative approach where fuzzy logic and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method are combined to determine the importance weights of the criteria for marketing mix elements (7Ps) of the on-demand grocery delivery service for the period before COVID-19 and during COVID-19. In addition to its comprehensive theoretical insight, this paper provides a practical contribution to decision makers who create a marketing mix for the on-demand grocery delivery service and other similar online grocery businesses in terms of efficient allocation of resources to the development of marketing mix elements. The study’s findings can also provide clues for the decision makers in times of similar pandemics and crises that are likely to be seen in the future.
The novel coronavirus disease COVID-19 that first emerged in Wuhan, China, in Nov-Dec 2019 has already impacted a significant proportion of the world population. Governments of many countries imposed quarantines and social distancing measures in 2020, many of which remain in place, to mitigate the spread of the SARS-Cov-2 virus causing the COVID-19 disease. The direct impact of COVID-19 on people infected with the virus, their families and the health care workers, as well as the impact of the mitigation measures such as quarantine, social distancing, and self-isolation on the rest of the population have contributed to a global mental health pandemic, including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, posttraumatic stress symptoms, psychosis, addiction, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and suicidality. These effects are present acutely (for example, due to fear of contamination or losing loved ones, effects of quarantine/isolation, withdrawal of community and social services, etc.) and may continue long after the pandemic is over (for example, due to bereavement, unemployment, financial losses, etc). The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered mental health problems in people without previous history of mental illness, as well as worsened the symptoms in those with pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis. Therefore, the global effort is called for to deal with this mental health pandemic secondary to COVID-19 itself to address the emergence of new as well as the exacerbation of the existing mental health issues. Conversely, this global context provides an extraordinary opportunity for studying individual differences in response to and resilience in the face of physical and psychological threat, challenge to “normal” way of life, and long-term uncertainty. In this viewpoint article we outline the particular suitability of mindfulness, its skills and mechanisms, as an approach to the prevention and management of mental health issues, as well as to the promotion of well-being and building the foundations of adaptability and flexibility in dealing with the long-term uncertainty and profound changes to the social, economic, and possibly political systems as this pandemic continues to unfold.
The aim of this paper is to highlight the economic impact of
Covid-19 pandemic. The study gives a broad overview of the way the
global economy is affected and depicts how such pandemic has
disrupted the supply & demand side of the Indian economy. Further,
the study analyses the impact of Covid-19 on different sectors of the
Indian economy such as Apparel & Textiles, Auto & Auto
Components, Aviation & Tourism, Building & Construction,
Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Education & Skilling, Retail & Internet
Business, Financial Services, Food & Agriculture, Healthcare,
MSMEs and Pharmaceuticals. The study concludes that the pandemic
has affected all the major contributors to GDP such as investment,
consumption and external trade. It further finds that the effect of
disruption in demand is more prominent than supply.
Keywords: Covid-19; Pandemic; Global Economy; Indian
Economy: Sectoral Impact
E‐commerce is rapidly diffusing in developing regions of the world. Its share is still small even in modern retail, except in the frontrunner China, but it is developing quickly in Asia and Latin America and emerging in Africa. Patterns of diffusion over regions mirror the supermarket revolution but are lagged by several decades. E‐commerce firms employ strategies to “fast‐track” their spread, responding to challenges of high transaction costs, heterogeneous consumers, and persisting importance of retail small and medium enterprises. Over the past 10–15 years, e‐commerce firms in developing regions have fast‐tracked their adaptation to these challenges by bundling services as well as partnering with retail SMEs and delivery intermediaries.
The prevailing conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted a variety of everyday activities onto platforms on the Internet. This has led to an increase in the number of people present on these platforms and also led to jump in the time spent by existing participants online. This increase in the presence of people on the Internet is almost never preceded by education about cyber-security and the various types of attacks that an everyday User of the Internet may be subjected to. This makes the prevailing situation a ripe one for cyber-criminals to exploit and the most common type of attacks made are Social Engineering Attacks. Social Engineering Attacks are a group of sophisticated cyber-security attacks that exploit the innate human nature to breach secure systems and thus have some of the highest rate of success. This paper delves into the particulars of how the COVID-19 pandemic has set the stage for an increase in Social Engineering Attacks, the consequences of this and some techniques to thwart such attacks.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of bank mergers on systemic and systematic risks on the relative merits of product and market diversification strategies. It also observes determinants of M&A deals criteria, product and market diversification positioning, crisis threshold and other regulatory and market factors.
Design/methodology/approach
This research examines the impact and association between merger announcements and regulatory reforms at bank and system levels by investigating the impact of various bank consolidation strategies on firms’ risks. We estimate beta(s) as an index of financial institutions’ systematic risk. We then develop an index of the estimated equity value loss as the long-rum marginal expected shortfall (LRMES). LRMES contributes to compute systemic risk (SRISK) contribution of these firms, which is the capital that a firm is expected to need if we have another financial crisis.
Findings
Large acquiring banks decrease systemic risk contribution in cross-border M&As with a non-bank financial institution, and witness profitability (ROA) gains, supporting geographic diversification stability. Capital requirements, activity restrictions and bank concentration increase systemic risk contribution in national mergers. Bank mergers with investment FIs targets enhance productivity but impair technical efficiency, contrary to bank-real estate deals where technical efficiency change accompanied lower systemic risk contribution.
Practical implications
Financial institutions are recommended to avoid trapped capital and liquidity by efficiently using local balance sheet and strengthening them via implementing models that clearly set diversification and netting benefits to determine capital reserves and to drive capital efficiency through the clarity on product–activity–geography diversification and focus. This contributes to successful ringfencing, decreases compliance costs and maximises returns and minimises several risks including systemic risk.
Social implications
Policy implications: the adversative properties of bank mergers in respect of systemic risk require strict and innovative monitoring of bank mergers from the bidding level by both acquirers and targets and regulators and competition supervisory bodies. Moreover, emphasis on regulators/governments intervention and role, as it provides a stabilising factor of the markets and consecutively lower systemic risk even if the systematic idiosyncratic risk contribution was significant. However, such roles have to be well planned and scaled to avoid providing motives for banks to seek too-big-too-fail or too-big-to-discipline status.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the renewing regulatory debate on banks sustainable structures by examining the risk effect of bank diversification versus focus. The authors aim to address the multidimensional impacts and risks inherent to M&A deals, by examining the extent of the interconnectedness of M&A and its implications within and beyond the banking sector.
Background
Globally, community health workers (CHWs) are integral contributors to many health systems. In India, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) have been deployed since 2005. Engaged in multiple health care activities, they are a key link between the health system and population. ASHAs are expected to participate in new health programmes prompting interest in their current workload from the perspective of the health system, community and their family.
Methods
This mixed-methods design study was conducted in rural and tribal Primary Health Centers (PHCs), in Pune district, Western Maharashtra, India. All ASHAs affiliated with these PHCs were invited to participate in the quantitative study, those agreeing to contribute in-depth interviews (IDI) were enrolled in an additional qualitative study. Key informants’ interviews were conducted with the Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Block Facilitators (BFF) and Medical Officers (MO) of the same PHCs. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analysed thematically.
Results
We recruited 67 ASHAs from the two PHCs. ASHAs worked up to 20 h/week in their village of residence, serving populations of approximately 800–1200, embracing an increasing range of activities, despite a workload that contributed to feelings of being rushed and tiredness. They juggled household work, other paid jobs and their ASHA activities. Practical problems with travel added to time involved, especially in tribal areas where transport is lacking. Their sense of benefiting the community coupled with respect and recognition gained in village brought happiness and job satisfaction. They were willing to take on new tasks. ASHAs perceived themselves as ‘voluntary community health workers’ rather than as ‘health activists”.
Conclusions
ASHAs were struggling to balance their significant ASHA work and domestic tasks. They were proud of their role as CHWs and willing to take on new activities. Strategies to recruit, train, skills enhancement, incentivise, and retain ASHAs, need to be prioritised. Evolving attitudes to the advantages/disadvantages of current voluntary status and role of ASHAs need to be understood and addressed if ASHAs are to be remain a key component in achieving universal health coverage in India.
The outbreak of COVID-19 affected the lives of all sections of society as people were asked to self-quarantine in their homes to prevent the spread of the virus. The lockdown had serious implications on mental health, resulting in psychological problems including frustration, stress, and depression. In order to explore the impacts of this pandemic on the lifestyle of students, we conducted a survey of a total of 1182 individuals of different age groups from various educational institutes in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), India. The article identified the following as the impact of COVID-19 on the students of different age groups: time spent on online classes and self-study, medium used for learning, sleeping habits, daily fitness routine, and the subsequent effects on weight, social life, and mental health. Moreover, our research found that in order to deal with stress and anxiety, participants adopted different coping mechanisms and also sought help from their near ones. Further, the research examined the student's engagement on social media platforms among different age categories. This study suggests that public authorities should take all the necessary measures to enhance the learning experience by mitigating the negative impacts caused due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Digital technologies have been increasingly argued to enable circular economy business models. However, the extant research is based on conceptual and review studies, leading to a lack of understanding of how digital technologies enable individual firms in real-life settings to improve their resource flows and value creation and capture and thereby enable business model innovation to emerge. In this study, we conducted a multiple case study with interviews and document data from four Northern Europe-based forerunner firms with circular economy business models enabled by digital technologies, providing two key contributions to the extant literature. First, we generate an empirical evidence -based synthesis of improvements of resource flows and value creation and capture in firms’ businesses across industries, highlighting the critical role of knowledge generation. Second, we develop a model of four key types of business model innovation for circular economy catalyzed by digital technologies, varying on incremental and radical improvement to both the resource flows and value creation and capture, providing theoretical insights to both business model innovation and digital technologies in circular economy. For managers, we suggest suitable digital technologies for the key types, highlighting the importance of radical business model innovation catalyzed by data integration and analysis technologies.
The restrictions put in place to contain the COVID-19 virus have led to widespread social isolation, impacting mental health worldwide. These restrictions may be particularly difficult for adolescents, who rely heavily on their peer connections for emotional support. However, there has been no longitudinal research examining the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among adolescents. This study addresses this gap by investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents’ mental health, and moderators of change, as well as assessing the factors perceived as causing the most distress. Two hundred and forty eight adolescents (Mage = 14.4; 51% girls; 81.8% Caucasian) were surveyed over two time points; in the 12 months leading up to the COVID-19 outbreak (T1), and again two months following the implementation of government restrictions and online learning (T2). Online surveys assessed depressive symptoms, anxiety, and life satisfaction at T1 and T2, and participants’ schooling, peer and family relationships, social connection, media exposure, COVID-19 related stress, and adherence to government stay-at-home directives at T2 only. In line with predictions, adolescents experienced significant increases in depressive symptoms and anxiety, and a significant decrease in life satisfaction from T1 to T2, which was particularly pronounced among girls. Moderation analyses revealed that COVID-19 related worries, online learning difficulties, and increased conflict with parents predicted increases in mental health problems from T1 to T2, whereas adherence to stay-at-home orders and feeling socially connected during the COVID-19 lockdown protected against poor mental health. This study provides initial longitudinal evidence for the decline of adolescent’s mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that adolescents are more concerned about the government restrictions designed to contain the spread of the virus, than the virus itself, and that those concerns are associated with increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, and decreased life satisfaction.
Aim/Purpose
The objective of the research was to study the relationship of seven independent factors: administrative support, course content, course design, instructor characteristics, learner characteristics, social support, and technical support on quality of e-learning in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, the study analyzes the moderating effect(s) of gender and level of the course on the quality of e-learning in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic. objective of the research was to study the relationship of seven independent factors: administrative support, course content, course design, instructor characteristics, learner characteristics, social support, and technical support on quality of e-learning in higher education during COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic situation has impacted the entire education system, especially universities, and brought a new phase in education “e-learning.” The learning supported with electronic technology like online classes and portals to access the courses outside the classroom is known as e-learning. This study aimed to point out the variables influencing the quality of e-learning, such as administrative support, course content, course design, instructor characteristics, learner characteristics, social support, and technological support.
Methodology
An inferential statistics cross-sectional study was conducted of the students of higher education institutions in India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a self-administered questionnaire to learn the students’ perception of e-learning. All levels of undergraduate and postgraduate students took part in the study with a sample size of 784. Ultimately, this study used a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach to find the positive relationship between the quality of e-learning and the seven independent variables and two moderating variables in the higher education sector.
Contribution
The study aims to explore the quality of e-learning in higher education from the students’ perspective. The study was analyzed based on the student’s data collected from the higher educational institutions of India and Saudi Arabia. The study will support the top management and administrators of higher educational institutions in decision making.
Findings
The findings revealed that there is a positive relationship between the set of variables and the quality of e-learning in the higher education sector. Also, there is a significant difference in the perception of the students between gender, level of the course, and quality of e-learning in the higher education sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recommendations for Practitioners
The results of the study can help top management and administrators of higher educational institutions to improve their actions. Higher educational institutions need to concentrate on the study outcomes related to administrative support, course content, course design, instructor characteristics, learner characteristics, social support, and technological support to enhance the quality of e-learning. The study revealed that there should be a difference in the procedure of providing e-learning based on the level of the course and gender of the students.
Recommendation for Researchers
The results were examined and interpreted in detail, based on the perspective of the students, and concluded with a view for future research. The study will be beneficial for academic researchers from different countries with a different set of students and framework.
Impact on Society
The study revealed that the positive results of the students’ perspective on the quality of e-learning would help the policy-makers of the country in providing the learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the result explored the importance of the quality aspects of e-learning for improvement.
Future Research
There is a need for future studies to expose the quality of e-learning in higher education in the post-COVID-19 pandemic. Further researchers will bring the performance level of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background:
The new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) shows several similarities with previous outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide evidence of the psychopathologic burden on health care workers (HCWs) of the first two deadly coronavirus outbreaks to get lessons for managing the current burden of COVID-19 outbreak.
Method:
According to Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and the PRISMA Statement, the study quantified the effects of frontline work on mental health of HCWs. Major databases - Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, Medline, and Web of Science - were searched for observational and case-control studies evaluating mental health indexes reported by front-line work. This study computed the percentage of sample that reported clinically significant levels of psychiatric symptoms. Cohen's d was used for comparing mental health outcomes of health care workers directly involved in addressing pandemic emergency with a control group that was not directly exposed to such conditions. Pooled effect sizes (dw ) were estimated whenever at least three independent studies yielded data. Heterogeneity of findings and bias of publication were estimated as well.
Findings:
Fifteen studies have been selected for a total of 7,393 HCWs. From 9.6% to 51% of HCWs reported symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and from 20% to 75% reported psychiatric symptoms, with a prevalence of anxiety and depression. From one to the three years after outbreak, from 2% to 19% reported PTSD symptoms and from 5% to 90% psychiatric symptoms. Interestingly, HWCs who were directly involved in pandemic emergency showed significantly higher depressive and anxious symptoms (dw = .66 (.46-.85); p <.001) than ones who were not directly exposed. Similarly, the direct involvement significantly affected the severity of PTSD symptoms (dw = .30 (.21-.39); p <.001).
Conclusion:
Health care professionals in general and most of all frontline workers showed an association with a likely risk of developing psychiatric disorders following outbreaks and for at least three years later. Mental health interventions for professionals exposed to COVID-19 need to be immediately implemented. Further studies are warranted to investigate long-term consequences carefully, and to look for mediating and buffering factors as well. The role of clinical psychologists and psychiatrists in delivering adequate interventions is critically important.
There is an inadequate understanding of how social media can shape fear and consumer responses in the manner of consumer panic buying while Covid-19 is spreading across the world. Through taking a social constructionism position this research focused on what people think and feel at an individual and collective level on the role of social media to create panic behaviour. Data have been collected from thirty-four consumers who have minimum one active social media account. These participants are contacted through telephonic interview due to maintaining the social distancing. Findings reveal that uncertainties and insecurities proof, buying as persuasion, product unavailability proof, authorities' communication, global logic, and expert opinion are some of the causes on social media platforms that developed the situation of consumer panic buying during Covid-19 crises. Furthermore, the unprecedented level of real-time information on Covid-19 at users' fingertips can give them the tools they need to make smart decisions, but also make them more anxious about what is to come; experts say that may lead to panic buying or stockpiling of products. The study has tried to develop an understanding about how social media generates social proof and offers a window into people's collective response to the coronavirus outbreak and shapes panic buying reaction. The study has provided a consumer panic buying theory based on the results of this study and on existing theories, such as global capitalism/information society risk society, social influence, and social proof. These theories help to understand how global logic is built due to the use of social media and how different social proofs are generated which developed the behaviour of consumer panic buying due to Covid-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, distress, and insomnia and related factors in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey. We applied the study survey online to HCWs during the pandemic in Turkey between 23 April and 23 May 2020. We used the sociodemographic data form, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7, Insomnia Severity Index, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised. Six hundred twenty (66.0%) of the 939 HCWs taking part in the study were female, 580 (61.8%) were physicians, 569 (60.6%) were working on the front line. Seven hundred twenty-nine (77.6%) participants exhibited depression, 565 (60.2%) anxiety, 473 (50.4%) insomnia, and 717 (76.4%) distress symptoms. Depression, anxiety, insomnia, and distress symptoms were significantly greater among females, individuals with a history of psychiatric illness, and individuals receiving psychiatric support during the COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs serving in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced high levels of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and distress symptoms. Female gender, being a nurse, working on the front line, history of psychiatric illness, and being tested for COVID-19 were identified as risk factors for mental health problems.
Cultural and creative sectors are important in their own right in terms of their economic footprint and employment. They also spur innovation across the economy, as well as contribute to numerous other channels for positive social impact (well-being and health, education, inclusion, urban regeneration, etc.). They are among the hardest hit by the pandemic, with large cities often containing the greatest share of jobs at risk. The dynamics vary across sub-sectors, with venue-based activities and the related supply chains most affected. Policies to support firms and workers during the pandemic can be ill-adapted to the non-traditional business models and forms of employment in the sector. In addition to short-term support for artists and firms, which comes from both the public and private sector, policies can also leverage the economic and social impacts of culture in their broader recovery packages and efforts to transform local economies.
The impact of pandemic COVID-19 is observed in every sector around the world. The education sectors of India as well as world are badly affected by this. It has enforced the world wide lock down creating very bad effect on the students’ life. Around 32 crore learners stopped to move schools/colleges and all educational activities halted in India. The outbreak of COVID-19 has taught us that change is inevitable. It has worked as a catalyst for the educational institutions to grow and opt for platforms with technologies, which have not been used before. The education sector has been fighting to survive the crises with a different approach and digitising the challenges to wash away the threat of the pandemic. This paper highlights some measures taken by Govt. of India to provide seamless education in the country. Both the positive and negative impacts of COVID-19 on education are discussed and some fruitful suggestions are also pointed to carry out educational activities during the pandemic situation.
The novel Coronavirus pandemic caused strong negative emotions including fear, and stress and impacted in mental health of individuals worldwide. One of the emotions linked with mental health and infectious disease is self-blame regret. Thus, current study investigated the role of fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress in the relationship between self-blame regret and depression. A community sample of 352 individuals in Turkey (71 % female and 29 % males), ranged between in age18 and 63 (M= 28.90±8.90), completed fear of COVID-19 (FCV-19S), perceived stress (PSS-10), DASS-21 scales and responded to one item concerning the self-blame regret. Results demonstrated that self-blame regret is positively correlated with fear of COVID-19, perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Moreover, serial multiple mediation analyses demonstrated that both fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress mediated in the relationship between self-blame regret and depression. Findings and implications are discussed.
With regards to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the domain of entrepreneurship, we offer research-based evidence and associated insights focused on three perspectives (i.e., business planning, frugality, and emotional support) regarding entrepreneurial action under an exogenous shock. Beyond the initial emergency response that countries around the world have taken, we argue that it is time to revise entrepreneurial action guidance in such a context. Our aim is to highlight ways that entrepreneurs can take action in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. We position our insights to be relevant to both researchers and practitioners coping with an unprecedented situation that has catastrophic consequences both economically and socially.
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spread globally from its outbreak in China in early 2020, negatively affecting economies and industries on a global scale. In line with historic crises and shock events including the 2002-04 SARS outbreak, the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and 2017 Hurricane Irma, COVID-19 has significantly impacted global economic conditions, causing significant economic downturns, company and industry failures, and increased unemployment. To understand how conditions created by the pandemic to date compare to the aforementioned shock events, we conducted a thorough literature review focusing on the presentation of panic buying and herd mentality behaviours, changes to discretionary consumer spending as defined by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and the impact of global media on these behaviours. The methodology utilised to analyse panic buying, herd mentality and altered patterns of consumer discretionary spending (according to Maslow’s theory) involved an analysis of consumer spending data, largely focused on Australian and American markets. Here, we analysed the volume and timing of consumer spending patterns; the volumes of spending on specific, highly-demanded consumer goods during the investigative period; and the distribution of spending on luxury and non-durable goods to identify the occurrence of these consumer behaviours. Moreover, to identify the presence of the media in influencing consumer behaviour we focused on web traffic to media sites, alongside keyword and phrase data mining. We conclude that, to date, consumer behaviour during the COVID-19 crisis appears to align with behaviours exhibited during historic shock events. We hope to contribute to the body of research on the early months of this pandemic before longer-term studies are available.
A critical situation pushes human behaviour towards different directions with some aspects of behaviour being irrevocable. COVID-19 pandemic is not a normal crisis, and to control the spread of disease various measures were taken including complete and then partial lockdown. Since all elements of the economy are intricately interrelated with public health measures and lockdown, this resulted in economic instabilities of the nations hinting towards change in market dynamics. In every market, consumers are the drivers of the market competitiveness, growth and economic integration. With economic instability, consumers are also experiencing a transformation in behaviour, though how much of transformation experienced during the crisis will sustain is a question. This article looks at the consumer behaviour during COVID-19 crisis and in the subsequent lockdown period when the world stood still for more than a quarter of a year. Further, the article attempts to weave through the maze of literature available about consumer behaviour in normal times and in crisis times, strengthens it with the rapid assessment reports culled out by the different consulting organisations during lockdown phase, substantiates the same with first-hand telling and retelling of experiences by consumers and professionals with marketing background to bring up a hypothesis of the pandemic affecting a paradigm shift from consumer materialism to consumer spiritualism. The proposition offers further testable hypotheses for future research to understand consumer sentiments or requirement in buying ‘what is enough’ within the marketing context and how it can be reinforced post-COVID crisis for ensuring sustainability of business models. It would also be interesting to explore the correlates of this forced consumer behaviour with other variables such as learning from crisis, changing needs, personality, nationality, culture, new market segment and age to develop new models of consumer behaviour.
Given the paucity of comprehensive summaries in the extant literature, this systematic review, coupled with bibliometric analysis, endeavors to take a meticulous approach intended at presenting quantitative and qualitative knowledge on the ever-emerging subject of financial literacy. The study comprises a review of 502 articles (Annexure 1) published in peer-reviewed journals during 2000-2019. Citation network, page-rank analysis, co-citation analysis, content analysis, and publication trends have been employed to identify influential work, delineate the intellectual structure of the field, and identify gaps. The most prominent journals, authors, countries, articles, and themes have been identified using bibliometric analysis, followed by a comprehensive analysis of the content of 107 papers in the identified clusters. The three major themes enumerated are - levels of financial literacy among distinct cohorts, the influence that financial literacy exerts on financial planning and behavior, and the impact of financial education. Additionally, content analysis of 175 papers has been conducted for the last four years’ articles that were not covered in the co-citation analysis. Emerging themes identified include financial capability, financial inclusion, gender gap, tax and insurance literacy, and digital financial education. A conceptual framework has been modeled portraying the complete picture, following which potential areas of research have been suggested. This study will help policy-makers, regulators and academic researchers know the nuts and bolts of financial literacy, and identify the relevant areas that need investigation.
Studies in psychology and behavioral economics have found that decision‐making is replete with cognitive biases. Using examples of time inconsistency, regret, and overconfidence, this article investigates the implications for correcting biases of how they may offset each other. If only some biases are known, even correction of all known biases has ambiguous effects. With costly correction, the presence of some biases may be optimal. Further, if the correct decision is unknown, then the presence of biases does not imply that decision‐making is suboptimal.
This study aims to examine the role of social media marketing on the performance of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research method uses a quantitative approach and the analytical tool used is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on Partial Least Square. The sampling technique used purposive sampling and the sample in this study was MSMEs who use social media for marketing. The social media used are Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp. The number of samples in this study was 254 MSMEs. Data collection used online questionnaires. The research findings show that the use of social media marketing is influenced by compatibility, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease-of-use. The results of this study indicate that the use of social media for marketing has a positive effect on the performance of MSMEs, especially in increasing sales, customer relationships, productivity, and creativity. This means that the better the management of social media for marketing, the better the performance of MSMEs will be. The theoretical contribution to this research is built on the TAM and UTAUT theories and their impact on social media marketing on MSMEs in developing countries that are living through the COVID-19 pandemic. © Copyright: The Author(s) This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This study mainly investigated the factors affecting the business model innovation of small and micro travel agencies (SMTAs) in the Internet+ era. Based on a literature review, six hypotheses were proposed. To identify the influencing factors, the questionnaire, which was developed from previous studies, was distributed and 130 valid questionnaires were identified. Linear regression was used to test the hypotheses and further verify the relationship between each factor and the four dimensions of business model innovation. The results revealed that: 1. Organizational learning ability, consumer demand, entrepreneurial spirit, and website performance have significant effects on the business model innovation of SMTAs in the Internet+ era; 2. Organizational learning ability; consumer demand, and technological development were discovered to have positive effects on the value proposition innovation of SMTAs; 3. Consumer demand, entrepreneurial spirit, and organizational learning ability have positive effects on the value maintenance innovation of SMTAs; 4. Organizational learning ability and consumer demand have positive effects on the value network innovation of SMTAs; 5. Finally, organizational learning ability, website performance, and consumer demand have positive effects on the value realization innovation of SMTAs. These results can serve as the foundation for future relevant research and as a reference for SMTAs and related industry practitioners in their future management.
Older people express a preference for home and community-based care over skilled nursing, realizing that preference, however, is dependent upon having those options available. The present exploratory study uses publicly available data to understand if the geographic availability of long-term care options—skilled nursing, assisted living, home health, and homemaker/companion services—are equally distributed by demographics in Florida. Regression analyses showed that the percent 65 and older and the percent in poverty in a county were not related to long-term care availability or quality. Findings indicate that Hispanic older people have less access to nursing home beds, greater access to home health and homemaker/companion agencies, and tend to live in counties with a greater number of assisted living facility (ALF) deficiencies while Black older people have greater access to homemaker services. Rural counties had lower rates of home health and homemaker/companion agencies and fewer ALF deficiencies. The 65 and older population would benefit from the increased availability of long-term care options near the communities in which they live.
Purpose
Covid-19 has prompted higher institutions around the globe to relocate traditional classes to online classes. Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) was no exception. It had already drawn up limited strategies regarding distance education, but those Web-based platforms were provided only to students with special needs. Due to the pandemic, all ELTE students were compelled to use online platforms that the university provided, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, to resume their studies. This study aims to evaluate the initial experience of students in using these new platforms. It also explores the effects distance learning has on students’ satisfaction and attitudes toward their education.
Design/methodology/approach
By using a quantitative approach, students’ attitudes toward e-learning and their access to tech-platforms, use of those platforms and satisfaction with online courses are processed and analyzed via a statistical package for the social sciences.
Findings
The results of this study show that distance learning is still in the development stage, and although traditional classrooms appeared to be indispensable, the positive attitudes and willingness of the majority of students to engage in distance learning classes in the post-COVID19 pandemic indicate that there is an immense potential future for e-learning platforms in higher education institutions.
Originality/value
The distance learning approach has been the only way for institutions worldwide to resume studies during the pandemic of Covid-19. Students faced mixed feelings of perplexity, loneliness, uncertainty over what is going to happen with classes, exams, graduation and other significant activities impacting their study path; irrespective of their daily struggles with the hard accessibility to means of e-learning and personal potential health problems. This evaluation is considered as a roadmap for institutions to follow-up and to improve the organizational and educational shortcomings they met.
The Internet-of-Things (IoT) empowers remote monitoring and management of the performance of machines, vehicles, processes, etc., which facilitate service business models. However, companies in emerging and transitional economies, in particular, face challenges when applying IoT, not only related to the use of technology, but especially regarding the need for a new business model. The main goal of this paper is to better understand emerging IoT business models in Vietnam through identifying and interpreting business model design options and choices. The case studies and their commonalities are used to perform a morphological analysis and create a generic IoT business model providing business model alternatives for each of the four business model dimensions. The research provides insights into the commonalities and discrepancies of IoT-based business models. Also, it provides a novel application of morphological analysis to business model innovation to create a generic business model for IoT applications in emerging markets.
Focus on digital technology led transformation of institutions revolves around multiple areas including customer experience, operational process and business model. It encompasses varied discussions from smart cities to future of work. This research driven conceptual point of view explores the essence of transformation based on evidences across large global institutions. The paper proposes a clear definition of what is digital transformation? Digital transformation is viewed as a complex process, under-taken by institutions – manifested through multiple technology and business initiatives, to capitalize differential benefits. Based on descriptions from existing literature, public narratives from institutions, news, discussions with expert technology practitioners, qualified by grounded theoretical understanding of technology-led transformations, the research identifies specific institutional focus areas. The definition highlights a process perspective around digital transformation. Transforming organizations are at transient maturities based on continued focus over a period of time. A clear definition, elaborates on the key components of transformation. This helps form a relatable common understanding of the digital transformation construct.
We conducted an online consumer survey in May 2020 in two major metropolitan areas in the United States to investigate food shopping behaviors and consumption during the pandemic lockdown caused by COVID‐19. The results of this study parallel many of the headlines in the popular press at the time. We found that about three‐quarters of respondents were simply buying the food they could get due to out of stock situations and about half the participants bought more food than usual. As a result of foodservice closures, consumers indicated purchasing more groceries than normal. Consumers attempted to avoid shopping in stores, relying heavily on grocery delivery and pick‐up services during the beginning of the pandemic when no clear rules were in place. Results show a 255% increase in the number of households that use grocery pickup as a shopping method and a 158% increase in households that utilize grocery delivery services. The spike in pickup and delivery program participation can be explained by consumers fearing COVID‐19 and feeling unsafe. Food consumption patterns for major food groups seemed to stay the same for the majority of participants, but a large share indicated that they had been snacking more since the beginning of the pandemic which was offset by a sharp decline in fast food consumption.
Purpose
This paper aims to identify key service attributes in peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation from online reviews and formulate service improvement strategies based on the unsatisfactory service encounters mined from the reviews.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology involves topic modelling using latent Dirichlet allocation, sentiment analysis and process analysis based on process chain network (PCN).
Findings
The text analytics results showed that negative P2P accommodation experiences are caused by the lack of hot water for shower, poor sleep quality and unpleasant check-in.
Research limitations/implications
The PCN analysis shows that the surrogate interactions of the P2P accommodation platform with both the guest and the host impact consumer experiences. This highlights that the key to managing consumer experiences lies in the non-human resources such as information, rather than direct interactions between process entities.
Practical implications
The information on the P2P accommodation platform should be in a more interactive format such as video and 360 degrees camera. Hosts should ensure a good condition of the physical products such as water heaters and beds before guests' arrival. Professional videography and handyperson services should be provided by the platform to help hosts deliver a preferred consumer experience. Flexible and strict check-in polices should also be introduced to smoothen the check-in process.
Originality/value
This study is built on multi-attribute utility theory. It is also one of the first to study P2P accommodation services from an operations management perspective. It demonstrates how text analytics serves as an additional supplement for service improvement.
Caste privilege is invisible in the lives of so-called upper caste, middle-class women. This paper offers critical insight into Brahman women’s lives, mapping evolving gender roles but examining them as sites of caste privilege. Education, marriage and housework are the registers used to map gender roles. The study uses narratives of three generations of Chitpavan Brahman women and individual interviews of Chitpavan women from Pune, a city in western India. The findings confirm that accumulated cultural capital facilitates a smooth educational progression for Chitpavan women. The modernizing impulse of Brahmans necessitates a minimum social norm of educational attainment before marriage for women across generations. There is an increase in women’s agency in marriage negotiations. Brahman women continue to be responsible for domestic management but can choose to identify as pragalbha grihini i.e. cultured housewives. I argue that the pragalbha grihini lies in a contested discursive space, between the tensions of ‘feminist’ and ‘housewife’. It is an important pathway for the socio-cultural reproduction of caste privilege.
In contrast to earlier coronavirus diseases such as SARS or MERS, whose impact was largely limited to specific regions of the world, the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is affecting people across the globe. This article analyzes the effects of this worldwide phenomenon on certain technologies and how this may improve our lives. It presents technologies that relate directly to the treatment of the virus as well as those that have been used to adapt to living under this crisis. Given that such a pandemic will likely affect humanity again, this article also highlights how these technologies may prove helpful in the future. To this end, technological challenges, related innovation logics, and their social impacts are discussed.
Purpose
While the customer brand engagement (CBE) research has advanced important insight, most studies to date explore CBE under regular, free-market conditions, yielding an important knowledge gap regarding its manifestation under less regular conditions, including disaster/pandemics. This study, therefore, aims to explore CBE with essential/non-essential service during COVID-19-prompted citizen lockdown.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a review, the authors develop a framework of lockdown-based CBE with essential/non-essential service interactions, which are conceptualized by their respective capacity to meet differing needs in Maslow’s hierarchy. The authors view lockdown-based essential/non-essential service interactions to differentially impact CBE, as summarized in a set of propositions.
Findings
The framework depicts lockdown-based essential/non-essential service interactions and their respective impact on CBE. The authors propose two essential service modes (i.e. socially distant/platform-mediated interactions) and two non-essential service modes (i.e. service closure/platform-mediated interactions), which the authors hypothesize to differently affect CBE. Moreover, the authors view the associations between our lockdown-based service modes and CBE to be moderated by customers’ regulatory focus (i.e. promotion/prevention), as formalized in the propositions.
Research limitations/implications
Given the authors’ focus on lockdown-based CBE, this paper adds unique insight to the literature. It also raises ample opportunities for further study, as outlined.
Practical implications
This study yields important managerial implications, including the suggested adoption of differing tactics/strategies to leverage promotion/prevention-focused customers’ brand engagement during lockdown.
Originality/value
By exploring the effects of lockdown-based essential/non-essential service modes on promotion/prevention-focused customers’ brand engagement, this paper adds novel insight.
Enterprises are surviving in a digital transitioning society, where the creation of strategic alliances is one important result of this constant change during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A medium of conducting business where organizations can share their main capabilities in order to strive in a pandemic is the creation of Virtual Enterprises (VE). But despite increasing research interest in VE, there is still lacunae in understanding the conceptualization of digitalization of VE operations during crises. Therefore, this study provides a review of extant literature and meta-analysis of 55 VE research articles to present the theoretical underpinning concept of VE digitalization.
We develop an econometric model of consumer panic (or panic buying) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Google search data on relevant keywords, we construct a daily index of consumer panic for 54 countries from January 1st to April 30th 2020. We also assemble data on government policy announcements and daily COVID-19 cases for all countries. Our panic index reveals widespread consumer panic in most countries, primarily during March, but with significant variation in the timing and severity of panic between countries. Our model implies that both domestic and world virus transmission contribute significantly to consumer panic. But government policy is also important: Internal movement restrictions - whether announced by domestic or foreign governments - generate substantial short run panic that largely vanishes in a week to ten days. Internal movement restrictions announced early in the pandemic generated more panic than those announced later. Stimulus announcements had smaller impacts, and travel restrictions do not appear to generate consumer panic.
