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1 – 10 of over 7000Rahul Kumar and Md. Shahnawaz Abdin
The present world is crippled with the pandemic coronavirus (Covid-19). The pandemic that originated in Wuhan city of China has sent every country in the world in an unprecedented…
Abstract
Purpose
The present world is crippled with the pandemic coronavirus (Covid-19). The pandemic that originated in Wuhan city of China has sent every country in the world in an unprecedented situation that has social and economic impacts. This paper aims to explore whether epidemics and pandemics have any impact on consumption patterns among rural and urban consumers in India. Taking pandemic Covid-19 as a case study, it was explored how this pandemic impacted the consumption pattern of consumers in India; what are the similarities and/or differences between rural and urban consumers that are found in their consumption habits in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The required data was collected through questionnaires sent to respondents. Approximately 500 respondents were contacted through the mail to fill in the survey questionnaire. Despite the sincere efforts, a total of 175 complete survey questionnaires were filled in by respondents. The study used SPSS Statistics version 25 software for the analysis of data.
Findings
It was found that epidemics and pandemics have a profound impact on the pattern of consumption in India. The study reveals that consumers resort to panic buying in the initial stages of epidemics and pandemics. It was found that consumption habits of consumers went a sea change and they were spending largely on essentials only. The study also reveals that the majority of consumers would like to continue in the same consumption habits as that of during COVID-19. The consumption pattern of urban consumers witnessed more change than the consumption pattern of rural consumers. It is due to the closure of eateries and restaurants, shopping malls, movie theatres, etc., in urban areas that forced the change in the consumption pattern of urban consumers.
Research limitations/implications
The research has a limitation of using a less sample size. For the generalizations, more robust studies can be conducted with more data.
Practical implications
The findings of the study will give marketers an insight for framing their policies in the wake of epidemics and pandemics.
Originality/value
The research adds to the existing body of knowledge. There are plenty of studies on the behaviour of consumers. However, there are no major studies that focus on the behaviour of consumers during the outbreak of a pandemic. So, this study fills this gap in the existing body of knowledge.
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Shurui Zhang, Shuo Wang, Lingran Yuan, Xiaoguang Liu and Binlei Gong
This article investigates the mechanism of the direct and indirect effects of epidemics on agricultural production and projects the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural output in…
Abstract
Purpose
This article investigates the mechanism of the direct and indirect effects of epidemics on agricultural production and projects the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural output in China.
Design/methodology/approach
This article first adopts a dynamic panel model and spatial Durbin model to estimate the direct and indirect effects, followed by a growth accounting method to identify the channels by which epidemics affect agriculture; finally, it projects the overall impact of COVID-19 on agriculture.
Findings
The incidence rate of epidemics in a province has a negative impact on that province's own agricultural productivity, but the increase in the input factors (land, fertilizer and machinery) can make up for the loss and thus lead to insignificant direct effects. However, this “input-offset-productivity” mechanism fails to radiate to the surrounding provinces and therefore leads to significant indirect/spillover effects. It is projected that COVID-19 will lower China's agricultural growth rate by 0.4%–2.0% in 2020 under different scenarios.
Research limitations/implications
It is crucial to establish a timely disclosure and sharing system of epidemic information across provinces, improve the support and resilience of agricultural production in the short run and accelerate the process of agricultural modernization in the long run.
Originality/value
Considering the infectivity of epidemics, this article evaluates the mechanism of the direct and indirect effects by introducing a spatial dynamic model into the growth accounting framework. Moreover, besides the impact on input portfolio and productivity, this article also investigates whether epidemics reshape agricultural production processes due to panic effects and control measures.
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Saeed Awadh Bin-Nashwan and Meshari Al-Daihani
The rapid outbreak of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has triggered unprecedented restrictions on not only human movement but also a wide sphere of economic activities, disrupting…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid outbreak of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has triggered unprecedented restrictions on not only human movement but also a wide sphere of economic activities, disrupting livelihood, welfare and business worldwide. In response, some Muslim communities have launched fundraising campaigns to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the virus on the front-liners and the most affected segments of vulnerable populations. The purpose of this study is to explore the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of donors to these campaigns who contribute via social media platforms (SMPs).
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a cross-sectional research design using an online survey conducted in a typical Muslim community such as Kuwait. A total of 565 samples of data (356 women, 209 men) were used for analysis. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to estimate the research model and extract meaningful conclusions.
Findings
The results show that charitable projects, internet technology features, SMP features and religiosity are significant motivations that influence attitudes toward online donations related to COVID-19 response. All these relationships are indirectly related to intentions to donate via SMP through a significant mediating effect of attitude.
Practical implications
The outcome of this study could support the efforts of governments, non-profit organizations and communities to focus attention on suitable proactive strategies to boost online fundraising campaigns for those affected by epidemic diseases.
Originality/value
This study enriches the literature by integrating both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of online donations into a new and unique related context such as SMP, especially amid the COVID-19 crisis.
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Greek economic adjustment and memoranda austerity lasted for 10 years followed by intense academic and political debate over their impact on Greek society. Macroeconomic…
Abstract
Greek economic adjustment and memoranda austerity lasted for 10 years followed by intense academic and political debate over their impact on Greek society. Macroeconomic stabilization succeeded in nominal terms but to the detriment of growth drivers and social welfare involving asymmetrical and high social cost.
The article presents the key growth challenges after March 2020, taking into account the COVID-19 disastrous impact. From an institutional point of view, transaction cost reduction, attainment of market credibility, trust and confidence, and improvement of economic and social cohesion, remain doubtful in the long term if macroeconomic stabilization not collides with export-oriented growth and structural reforms.
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Humphrey Ngala Ndi, Roland Akoh Ndi, Henry Ngenyam Bang, Marcellus Forh Mbah and Judwin Alieh Ndzo
This paper aims to explore the responses of households in the informal economic sector to the Cameroon Government strategy against Covid-19 in Yaounde, Cameroon between March and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the responses of households in the informal economic sector to the Cameroon Government strategy against Covid-19 in Yaounde, Cameroon between March and May 2020.
Design/methodology/approach
Given the recency of Covid-19, the exploratory design was used to collect and analyse information for the study. Empirical data was obtained through personal observations and questionnaires, whereas grey data were sourced from official sources in government and international agencies in Yaounde. The mode of the ordinal data generated from the questionnaire was used to characterise the attitudes of respondents to quarantine measures and bar charts were used to illustrate the distribution of responses.
Findings
The government’s strategy against Covid-19 was largely ignored in Yaounde between March and May 2020 because of the influence of the predominantly informal economy on household’s ability to allocate scarce resources between the competing needs of protecting their health on the one hand, and their livelihoods on the other hand. Poor households had to walk a difficult line between shutting down their businesses to protect their health or risking Covid-19 infections to protect their livelihoods. Over 53.1% of respondents thought quarantine measures were unsuccessful as over 63% ignored them. Quarantining and Social distancing were also difficult in informal settlements because of structural congestion.
Research limitations/implications
Perhaps, the greatest limitation of this study was the use of non-probability sampling. As such, sampling error could not be estimated, blurring the ability to ascertain the degree of similarity between the sample and the study population. This made sample generalisability difficult.
Practical implications
There are short-term and long-term policy implications of these findings. Basic comprehensive measures including food and water distribution, as well as rent holidays, must be implemented in informal neighbourhoods to ensure more successful quarantines in future pandemics. In the long run, investments in urban social housing must be carried out to reduce slums, an ever-present risk factor in the rapid propagation of infections.
Originality/value
The originality of this study is first, in its level of analysis which is the household. By measuring household responses to quarantine measures within defined neighbourhoods, the study deviates from most that have adopted a theoretical approach and conducted analysis at country or regional levels. Few studies have attempted to investigate the failure of quarantine measures against Covid-19 from the viewpoint of the occupational characteristics of the populations involved.
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Shahrzad Yaghtin, Hossein Safarzadeh and Mehdi Karimi Zand
Despite the significant potential of digital content marketing (DCM) to establish public and professional awareness, especially in uncertain situations, no previous research has…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the significant potential of digital content marketing (DCM) to establish public and professional awareness, especially in uncertain situations, no previous research has investigated how to plan business-to-business DCM to help firms and society get through a crisis. Thus, this study aims to offer an integrative framework for providing valuable information for managing uncertainty, particularly during the pandemic crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
Through the lens of business awareness, this research explores relevant content types that can help firms and society get through the pandemic crisis. For this, the systematic review of 52 articles appearing in publication outlets for more than one decade (2010 to 2021) was conducted.
Findings
Based on the findings from the literature review, this paper identified two main categories of valuable content types for firms and society during the pandemic, namely, business-centered content types to enhance industrial environment awareness and human-centered content types to raise emotional awareness during the pandemic crisis.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research delivers the first scientific article that focuses on presenting an integrative framework for providing valuable content types helping firms and society to manage uncertainty.
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John Overby, Mike Rayburn, Kevin Hammond and David C. Wyld
The war in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic have made international business activities increasingly difficult and risky…
Abstract
The war in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic have made international business activities increasingly difficult and risky. The worldwide economic downturn and slow growth in domestic markets are forcing companies to depend more than ever on overseas trade. SARS emerged in China in November 2002 and has spread to 26 countries. The SARS epidemic has caused the most severe economic crisis in Southeast Asia since the wave of bank failures and currency devaluations that swept the region five years ago. The SARS epidemic has prompted health officials to implement travel advisories and restrictions, in order to defer nonessential travel to regions of Asia with large numbers of SARS cases. They are enforcing quarantine and isolation measures in major cities to try and limit the spread of SARS. The President of the United States has signed an executive order adding SARS to the list of communicable diseases that can be quarantined. A major disruption in China could paralyze just‐in‐time supply chains and cause an economic crisis for retailers and other businesses worldwide. The SARS epidemic has caused many economists to drastically reduce their economic‐growth forecasts for Asia. New infectious diseases, such as SARS, can emerge and easily travel around the globe, infecting less‐resilient hosts and mutating because of the influence of viruses and bacteria in their new environment. Health officials are even more concerned about the pandemic disaster that hasn’t happened, but may still. However, the SARS epidemic has created positive economic benefits for some companies.
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Maria V. Petrovskaya, Vladimir Z. Chaplyuk, Raju Mohammad Kamrul Alam, Md. Nazmul Hossain and Ahmad S. Al Humssi
The article investigates economic globalization under COVID-19 and global economic policies to curb the epidemic. The authors analyze the economic policies of most countries and…
Abstract
The article investigates economic globalization under COVID-19 and global economic policies to curb the epidemic. The authors analyze the economic policies of most countries and the mechanism to respond to the changing circumstances in light of the epidemic. COVID-19 as an epidemic that appeared in October 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan (and it's a new version that appeared in the United Kingdom and India in 2021) harmed the world economy, as borders between countries and even within countries were closed, which affected the economic activities of countries and among the most important indicators that affected the national product of countries, foreign trade, foreign direct investment and that unemployment rates have increased significantly both in developing and developed countries. It is also noted that the poverty rate has increased dramatically for developing countries.
The article found that there are trivial linked responses from one country to another, due to several factors, the most important of which are the capabilities of countries and the health infrastructure on the one hand, and the economic factor on the other.
Recommendations were developed in the research in overcoming the economic crisis through a situation that can help countries mitigate the negative economic effects of the global pandemic COVID-19.
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Quang Thi Thieu Nguyen, Dao Le Trang Anh and Christopher Gan
This study investigates the Chinese stocks' returns during different epidemic periods to assess their effects on firms' market performance.
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the Chinese stocks' returns during different epidemic periods to assess their effects on firms' market performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs an event study method on more than 3,000 firms listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges during periods of SARS, H5N1, H7N9 and COVID-19
Findings
Epidemics' effect on firms' stock returns is persistent up to 10 days after the event dates. Although the impact varies with types and development of the disease, most firms experience a negative impact of the epidemics. Among the epidemics, COVID-19 has the greatest impact, especially when it grows into a pandemic. The epidemics' impact is uneven across industries. In addition, B-shares and stocks listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange are more negatively influenced by the epidemic than A-shares and those listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
Research limitations/implications
The results of the study contribute to the limited literature on the effects of disease outbreaks as an economic shock on firm market performance. Given the possibility of other epidemics in the future, the study provides guidance for investors in designing an appropriate investing strategy to cope with the epidemic shocks to the market.
Originality/value
The research is novel in the way it compares and assesses the economic impact of different epidemics on firms and considers their impact at different development stages.
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