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COVID-19 has affected most business activities, including technology-based business. The higher the business vulnerability rating, the greater the impacts. After identifying three dimensions of vulnerability (exposure, business sensitivity and response capacity), this study aims to determine the potential components and indicators of the vulnerability of technology-based businesses.

Using the indicator approach, a comprehensive vulnerability model was developed for assessing the vulnerability of the technology-based business against COVID-19.

In this study, COVID-19, as a biological threat and an exogenous shock, was considered the exposure dimension. Business characteristics, job characteristics, business owner-manager demographics, product and supplier characteristics were identified as the sensitivity dimension, while resources, human capital, technological capitals, social capitals, institutional capitals, infrastructures, management capacity and supply chain capabilities were defined as the adaptive business capability or response capacity. To determine vulnerability and response capacity against exogenous shocks and a pandemic crisis, the framework can act as a useful checklist for managers and owners of technology-based businesses.

Research on the COVID-19, especially in the technology-based business, is still at the emergent stage. This study is a pioneering effort to review the literature on business vulnerability and provide a framework to reduce business vulnerability using the indicator-based approach.

In any information security risk assessment, vulnerabilities are usually identified by information‐gathering techniques. However, vulnerability identification errors – wrongly identified or unidentified vulnerabilities – can occur as uncertain data are used. Furthermore, businesses' security needs are not considered sufficiently. Hence, security functions may not protect business assets sufficiently and cost‐effectively. This paper aims to resolve vulnerability errors by analysing the security requirements of information assets in business process models.

Business process models have been selected for use, because there is a close relationship between business process objectives and risks. Security functions are evaluated in terms of the information flow of business processes regarding their security requirements. The claim that vulnerability errors can be resolved was validated by comparing the results of a current risk assessment approach with the proposed approach. The comparison is conducted both at three entities of an insurance company, as well as through a controlled experiment within a survey among security professionals.

Vulnerability identification errors can be resolved by explicitly evaluating security requirements in the course of business; this is not considered in current assessment methods.

It is shown that vulnerability identification errors occur in practice. With the explicit evaluation of security requirements, identification errors can be resolved. Risk assessment methods should consider the explicit evaluation of security requirements.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the impact of the antecedents of the exchange domain (use of coercive influence, ideational favor exchange, calculative resource‐dependence, and decision uncertainty) on relationship building. The paper examines the link between the two mediating dynamics of embedded trust and relationship‐specific customization and loyalty by developing a model of vulnerability‐based commitment.

The links between the model elements are tested using data from a survey of clients in the Hong Kong insurance service. Structural equation analysis is used to test research hypotheses and to examine the extent to which vulnerability‐based commitment leads to the development of loyalty.

The degree of embedded trust between parties is enhanced by the use of coercive influence, favor, and resource‐dependence. Embedded trust has a negative relationship with decision uncertainty. The antecedents of coercive influence, favor, and resource‐dependence have positive impacts on relationship‐specific customization. Vulnerability‐based commitment is positively affected both by trust and customization whilst commitment has a positive impact on loyalty.

A vulnerability‐based commitment model is developed as an analytical and managerial tool for understanding the benefits and hidden vulnerabilities of client loyalty and for implementing effective service strategies.

By understanding the implications of the benefits/costs in commitment vulnerabilities, the findings can help in the design of a loyalty quality system. A new measurement tool is provided to enable researchers to perform more vigorous scale development of commitment.

The purpose of the research is to develop a conceptual framework to anticipate the vulnerability of value of commercial properties towards changing risk of flooding. The existing patterns, themes, and issues associated with property value and their vulnerability towards flooding were identified and used to inform the development of the conceptual model.

Literature review is performed to identify the factors affecting vulnerability of commercial property values to the impact of flood risk in the UK. The review approach was based on related literature contributing to identified themes and sub-themes. The extant literature is summarized into two distinct themes of “vulnerability” and “value” contributing to changing risk of flooding. The synthesised literature is then utilized in developing the conceptual map which further paved the way towards designing the conceptual framework.

The generic conceptual framework presented explores the interaction between different internal and external influencing factors affecting the vulnerability of value of commercial property system. The framework highlighted the importance of space and time within the system. An extensive review of previous studies in both the residential and commercial sectors for different disaster studies reveals that the main research challenge in assessing the vulnerability of property values are the intensive data requirements. The need for data is considered to be the main restrictive factor resulting in lack of empirical studies in this field.

This study brings together two existing research domains of flood vulnerability and property value. Practitioners and researchers will find this study useful in developing an improved understanding of the vulnerability of commercial properties to flooding. The conceptual framework is an important outcome of the research which will encourage further research in this considerably neglected field.

This study aimed to address the underexplored domain of organisational vulnerability, with a specific focus on understanding how vulnerability is understood in organisations and the underlying pathways leading to vulnerability.

This study utilised a narrative literature review methodology, using Google Scholar as the primary source, to analyse the concepts of organisational vulnerability in the context of disaster risk studies. The review focused on relevant documents published between the years 2000 and 2022.

The analysis highlights the multifaceted nature of organisational vulnerability, which arises from both inherent weaknesses within the organisation and external risks that expose it to potential hazards. The inherent weaknesses are rooted in internal vulnerability pathways such as organisational culture, managerial ignorance, human resources, and communication weaknesses that compromise the organisation’s resilience. The external dimension of vulnerability is found in cascading vulnerability pathways, e.g. critical infrastructure, supply chains, and customer relationships.

As the frequency and severity of disasters continue to increase, organisations of all sizes face heightened vulnerability to unforeseen disruptions and potential destruction. Acknowledging and comprehending organisational vulnerability is a crucial initial step towards enhancing risk management effectiveness, fostering resilience, and promoting sustainable success in an interconnected global environment and an evolving disaster landscape.

The purpose of the paper is to examine how psychological characteristics predict membership of and transitions between states of higher vs lower financial vulnerability – and vice versa – over time.

This research uses a dynamic latent class model (latent transition analysis) to explore the dynamics of consumers’ financial vulnerability over time using longitudinal data obtained by repeatedly administering a measure of financial vulnerability.

This research finds that consumers in a state of lower vulnerability are “fragile” in having a relatively high likelihood of moving to a state of higher vulnerability, whereas those in a state of higher vulnerability are “entrenched” in having a relatively low likelihood of moving to a state of lower vulnerability. This pattern of results is called the “financial vulnerability trap.” While financial self-efficacy explains state membership, the consideration of future consequences drives state transitions.

Future research could follow consumers over a longer period and consider the role of alternative psychological characteristics besides those examined.

This research provides practitioners with actionable insights regarding the drivers of changes in consumers’ financial vulnerability across time, showing the value of financial self-efficacy and the consideration of future consequences when developing strategies to prevent consumers from sliding from a state of lower to higher financial vulnerability over time.

There is scant research on financial vulnerability. Further, prior research has not examined whether and how consumers’ psychological characteristics help explain their membership of and transitions between states of different levels of financial vulnerability over time.

The purpose of this editorial is to call out the practice of using identity-first language and labelling consumers and customers, describing them as “vulnerable” and offers practical strategies for person-first language of consumers/customers experiencing vulnerability.

The authors use Australian Indigenous and Indigenous women’s standpoint theory to reflect on their own use of terminology in the field of consumer/customer vulnerability and use their personal experiences to offer a series of practical strategies.

The authors propose six motivations for the use of person-first language in the field of consumer/customer vulnerability: easy to use, an English language convention, common practice, easy to measure, unintentional ignorance and an “us vs them” mindset.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to call out the practice of using identity-first language in the consumer/customer vulnerability field and offer practical strategies to enable person-first language.

This chapter highlights the agency of Nigerian immigrant business owners in constructing their business-related social networks. Literature on immigrant business owners emphasizes their social network embeddedness as a key explanatory factor in their economic integration. I show here ways in which members of one immigrant group purposely shape these networks into the most advantageous form: impersonal/socially distant suppliers, personal/socially close employees, and impersonal/socially distant customers.

Data for the chapter come from 36 semistructured qualitative interviews conducted in New York City with Nigerian small business owners and participant observation in their businesses.

Nigerian immigrant business owners in New York tend over time to shift from business networks of primarily Nigerian or other socially close suppliers, employees, and customers, to networks of mainly socially close employees, and socially distant suppliers and customers.

The chapter’s concern is limited to Nigerian immigrant business owners in New York City. Others in other places may behave differently.

The literature on immigrant business owners is dominated by Asian and Latin American examples while this chapter features the experiences of Nigerian immigrants. It also presents a group that does not fit the widely accepted disadvantage hypothesis of immigrant self-employment. Finally, where many studies treat social networks as static structures, this chapter emphasizes the agency of immigrants in altering the composition of their networks to maximize their position in it.

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which form a significant portion in many economies, are some of the most vulnerable to the impact of extreme weather events (EWEs). This is of particular importance to the construction industry, as an overarching majority of construction companies are SMEs who account for the majority of employment and income generation within the industry. In the UK, previous research has identified construction SMEs as some of the worst affected by EWEs. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Given the recent occurrences of EWEs and predictions suggesting increases in both the intensity and frequency of EWEs in the future, improving the resilience of construction SMEs is vital for achieving a resilient construction industry. A conceptual framework is first developed which is then populated and expanded based on empirical evidence. Positioned within a pragmatic research philosophy, case study research strategy was adopted as the overall research strategy in undertaking this investigation.

Based on the findings of two in-depth case studies of construction SMEs, a framework was developed to represent EWE resilience of construction SMEs, where resilience was seen as a collective effect of vulnerability, coping strategies, and coping capacities of SMEs, characteristics of the EWE and the wider economic climate.

The paper provides an original contribution towards the overarching agenda of the resilience of SMEs, and policy making in the area of EWE risk management by presenting a novel conceptual framework depicting the resilience of medium sized construction companies.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the benefits of alternative, business‐based approaches to tackling the trade in counterfeit goods.

The findings in the paper are based on over six years of personal experience in the brand protection business, on top of over 20 years operational experience dealing with organized crime topics. The conclusions are also based on assessments drawing on a large body of intelligence on the operations, business practices, and vulnerabilities of counterfeiters and the relative impact of anti‐counterfeiting programs.

A careful understanding of the trade in counterfeits reveals a number of vulnerabilities in the business model that can be exploited to disrupt or deter the counterfeiters. In particular, sales brokers often see the smallest profit margins, survive hand to mouth, and put themselves at risk by directly touting sales of counterfeits to persons they do not know over the internet and in face‐to‐face meetings. They offer a natural entry point to the business for both intelligence collection and targeted seizures and influence campaigns. These campaigns can and should exploit both the lack of means to mitigate counter‐party risk and the natural distrust seen among participants in criminal businesses. Raising the perception of costs and risks only slightly can prompt counterfeiters to move away from certain brands and industries, sometimes permanently. A means to measure the effectiveness of such influence campaigns for a company is possible using a metric that takes into account the impact of disruption and targeted seizures leading to an estimate of recovered potential sales.

The approach detailed in the paper is unique and has not been successfully pursued and fully exploited by any firm or organization charged with tackling the trade in counterfeits.