Impact of COVID-19 crisis on stocking and impulse buying behaviour of consumers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchi Gupta ◽  
Kiran Nair ◽  
Lakshmi Radhakrishnan

PurposeThe current study investigates how consumers are reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aims to explain consumers' stockpiling and impulse buying behaviour during the current crisis.Design/methodology/approachBased on the scope and focus of this study, our primary data collection tool was an online survey questionnaire that was sent to 1,000+ people and the results were computed from 417 responses received. The study employed Exploratory Factor Analysis to substantiate the construct validity of the constructs. Unidimensionality, validity and reliability of the model were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis. The effect of the COVID crisis on consumer stocking and impulse buying behaviour was investigated using structural equation modelling.FindingsThe findings show that the COVID pandemic did have a significant impact on consumer behavioural patterns indicated by the stocking and impulse buying behaviour of consumers.Practical implicationsThese results have consequences for policymakers and practitioners in terms of adjusting inventory and response policies, especially in terms of efficient supply chain management processes and actively reaching out to customers to reduce their fear and anxiety levels, which contribute to such panic activity.Originality/valueThis paper adds value to the literature on consumer behaviour during COVID-19 pandemic in case of Indian consumers. The findings of the paper will help in doing a comparison of the said behaviour of consumers in other parts of the world. The paper also helps in explaining the underlying theories elucidating such behaviour of consumers.

Kybernetes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Selim Aren ◽  
Hatice Nayman Hamamcı

Purpose In this study, scales are developed for phantasy and its determinants, which is accepted as an important variable in investment preference with an emotional finance perspective. The scales developed in this framework are narrative, divided mind, group feel, informed herding, uninformed herding and phantasy. In addition, the power of these determinants to explain phantasy was investigated. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, the data was obtained between May 01, 2019 and November 30, 2019 via an online survey with convenience sampling. First, a pilot study consisting of 200 subjects was performed. Then, additional data was collected. The total number of subjects was 648. The authors used IBM SPSS Statistics and AMOS for analysis. Exploratory factor analysis and discriminant analysis were performed. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis was performed after an additional data collection process with structural equation modeling. Findings As a result of analyses, the validity and reliability of these scales were ensured statistically. It was also found that divided mind directly affects phantasy, but group feel and narrative indirectly affect by informed herding. The “unknown and new investment” preference, which is accepted as a typical feature of the bubble periods, is modeled with the relevant variables. In this framework, it has been found that the variables that refer individuals to the relevant investment preferences are phantasy, group feel, uninformed herding and divided mind. Originality/value The study is unique because of its findings and developed scales. The findings are valuable in that the theoretically alleged relations were also obtained empirically.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyo Jung Chang ◽  
Kittichai (Tu) Watchravesringkan

Purpose Consumers’ environmental behaviours are not only the result of their positive attitudes towards environments, but also different reasons and motivations exist. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to find out important factors affecting sustainable apparel buying behaviour. Applying the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study further examines how knowledge about sustainable apparel, perceived money availability, and perceived accessibility to the store influence sustainable apparel consumption. Design/methodology/approach Using a purposive college student sample, 235 usable responses were collected to answer the questions. An exploratory factor analysis with principal component analysis was first performed followed by confirmatory factor analysis, and a structural equation modelling analysis. Findings Results revealed that the TPB was successfully applied in the context of sustainable apparel buying behaviour. Furthermore, it was found that consumers’ perceived money availability and perceived store accessibility are important factors that affect control beliefs and sustainable consumption. Research limitations/implications This study found the needs of educating college students for contexts of environmental apparel and textiles issues. Originality/value Even though previous literature often found the gap between the behavioural intentions and the actual behaviour, this study found the respondents of this study walk their talk. This study successfully applied the TPB to explain consumers’ sustainable apparel buying behaviour.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 609-632
Author(s):  
Debarun Chakraborty ◽  
Wendrila Biswas

Purpose Research and development pursuits have always been an integral part of a teacher’s professional development. Today, the higher educational institutes (HEIs) are chiefly prioritizing and providing a sustained support toward research-based and research-oriented learning. But as revealed by the broad outlines of the entire scenario, a fall in research productivity and developmental attempts is witnessed among the faculties of higher educational establishments. To put it succinctly, the motivating aspects that reinforce such activities are not adequately taken care of and have thwarted their progression. The purpose of this paper is to delve deep and explore the factors that inspire teachers toward an enriched research and learning, which equally gets reflected in their teaching practices. Design/methodology/approach This is a descriptive research with a cross-sectional survey on faculties from different HEIs of West Bengal. A questionnaire has been designed with a five-point Likert scale to draw the primary data. Convenience sampling technique has been utilized. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis have been performed with structural equation modeling on the hypothesized research model through AMOS. Findings The major findings of the research have revealed that improved research and development activities of faculties had an immense impact on their teaching quality. The level and accessibility of infrastructure posits a strong influence in augmenting a teacher’s research and developmental endeavors. Working climate influences teachers’ research activities as well their teaching adroitness. Research limitations/implications Results may vary when an extensive study is conducted on teachers of HEIs of two or more states or of the country as a whole. Suppression of the real underlying facts by few respondents may affect the result to a small extent. Practical implications When faculties orient themselves toward research intensive learning and teaching, the students actively get involved in a platform of greater interaction. It elevates their persistence level, intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and cognitive skills. Research-based teaching is also instrumental in honing their analytical skills, promoting creativity. Originality/value The study identified a vital role of the higher education institutes in motivating the faculties toward research-based teaching. There is a dearth of empirical research in identifying the factors that enrich the learning patterns and research activities of the teachers. Thus, it can prove to be a constructive study if implemented.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 808-835
Author(s):  
Suman Mittal ◽  
Krishan K. Garg ◽  
Renu Aggarwal

Purpose The Indian banking industry has undergone many changes with the advent of changing economic environment in the country. Many changes have taken place in terms of customer services, work culture, infrastructure, approach to sales and customer relationship management amongst others. This paper aims to attempt to evaluate the adherence of BCSBI code by the banks. Customer perception has been evaluated to analyse the adherence of the code. Also, the authors have tried to evaluate the impact of customer type (mass and class customers) and bank type (based on bank ownership- private and public banks) on the compliance of the code by the bankers or minimum regulatory requirements with respect to customer services. Questionnaire has been developed as per the Banking Code and Standard Board of India (a customer services cell of Reserve Bank of India), and BCSBI has been used as a regulatory standard to compare the level of compliance by the banks. Design/methodology/approach Primary data have been collected from private and public sector banks. In the first step, instrument validity and reliability has been checked by using structural equation modelling; in the second step, descriptive statistics has been used to know the extent of fulfillment of standard by banks; and in the third step, a two-way multivariate analysis of variances has been used to do the comparative analyses of the respondents data. Findings The overall finding of the research shows that overall adherence of the dimension of code are not in sync with the objective of the code. Study also has shown the mindset of the Indian bankers that how they predominantly serve the class customers and push those products to the customers which are target based or earn profitability for the banks and incentives for the banker. Private banks are ahead in compliance with respect to the customer services, but they are also ahead in sales malpractices. Practical implications This study is an eye opener for the regulators, as per BCSBI regulations, surprise supervision take place every year, but this study shows the ineffectiveness of that supervision. Following the BCSBI norms by the banks is just eyewash of regulators, but all the norms are fulfilled only in papers but not in actual practice. Originality/value The research paper is original piece of work; the researcher did not find any study related to BCSBI code in Indian as well as in international literature.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raphael Papa Kweku Andoh ◽  
Daniel Yeboah Mensah ◽  
Emmanuel Afreh Owusu

Purpose Training cannot be effective if trainers are not pedagogically competent. However, the influence of trainers’ pedagogical competencies on employees’ knowledge and skill acquisition during training is not given the needed attention in the training literature. This study aims to examine the influence of trainers’ pedagogical competencies such as delivery, trainees’ involvement, use of visual aids and body language on trainees’ assimilation of training content. Design/methodology/approach The data are analyzed from 425 respondents in an online survey. This study uses structural equation modeling in testing the hypotheses following validity and reliability tests. Findings This study finds that trainers’ pedagogical competencies such as trainee involvement and body language have a significant influence on trainees’ assimilation of training content, but others such as the trainers’ delivery and use of visual aids do not have a significant influence on assimilation of training content. Practical implications Professionals responsible for training should endeavor to use trainers who have been proven to be pedagogically competent, especially involving trainees during training and use of body language and not just experts in the topics/areas they provide training. Trainers themselves should on their part do well to acquire pedagogical skills in addition to the content knowledge they possess to enhance their training effectiveness particularly, trainees’ assimilation of training content. Originality/value As a phenomenon rarely given attention, this study urges learning and development researchers and practitioners as well as human resource management professionals to give attention to the pedagogical competencies of trainers during training and trainees’ learning.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil Atulkar ◽  
Bikrant Kesari

Purpose With the growing acceptance of organised retail in Central India, it is important to understand the impulse buying phenomenon and how it is influenced by consumer traits and situational factors. The purpose of this paper is to examine the combined effect of three consumer traits and four situational factors on impulsive buying. Design/methodology/approach Using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling (SmartPLS 2.0 software), responses from 417 hypermarket and supermarket consumers of Central India in the proposed research framework were analysed and validated. Findings The resulted values for the construct impulse buying tendency, shopping enjoyment tendency, materialism, person’s situation, motivational activities by retailers and product attributes show positive significant influences, whereas the construct store environment having relationship with impulse buying shows negative influence. Importantly, the findings also demonstrate that the gender moderates the relationship between various factors of consumer traits and situational factors with impulse buying. Research limitations/implications The study develops a research framework with three specific variables of consumer traits and four variables of situational factors, triggers impulse buying. Therefore, there is a need to incorporate some other variables, such as interpersonal influence, consumer involvement and consumption patterns, so that more affluent insights can be obtained. The study presents useful insights to retailers, academicians and researchers, regarding impulse buying behaviour of Indian consumers in a still developing organised retail sector in Central India. Originality/value The study focussed on the combined effect of consumer traits and situational factors on impulse buying for the first time in Central India, as earlier studies focussed on impulse buying behaviour at the USA and metro cities of India.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-417 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simge Emekci

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain the factors that affect the green buying behaviours and the relations between these factors. For this purpose, three main factors were added to the Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to develop a more comprehensive model, namely, environmental concern, environmental knowledge and perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE). It is believed that these variables could help understanding the green buying behaviour and extending the TPB model. Design/methodology/approach In this study, quantitative research has been made to test the relations in the proposed model. The target population in this research is individuals living in Turkey, both sexes of age over 18 years. The data were collected through an online survey between May and August of 2017. The data were statistically analysed with structural equation modelling and interpreted using the statistical software AMOS version 20.0. Findings The findings show that PCE is the variable that has the highest influence on the attitudes towards behaviour, intentions and green buying behaviour in the proposed model. It is possible to say that the PCE variable added to the model is an important variable that improved and strengthened the measurement model. Variables added to the model are compatible with Ajzen’s original model. Research limitations/implications The obtained data may not be generalised throughout Turkey. However, it is believed that the data obtained can give a general idea for green buying behaviour of individuals in Turkey. Practical implications The obtained data provide a contribution to the marketing communication experts and the literature. Research findings contribute to explaining green consumption behaviours in developing countries. Originality/value In this research, the gap between consumers’ attitudes and their behaviours has been researched. Understanding the reason for this gap is essential to increase green consumption in developing countries. The number of studies in this field in Turkey is not very much. For this reason, this study is thought to contribute to the field.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Gatling ◽  
Jungsun (Sunny) Kim ◽  
John Milliman

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which workplace spirituality (WPS) is related to hospitality supervisors’ organizational commitment (OC) and intention to quit (ITQ), examined through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT). Design/methodology/approach Based on survey data collected from 190 supervisors employed by a large US hospitality organization, the relationships were examined using confirmatory factor analysis, second-order factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings The results of this study suggest that three dimensions of WPS (i.e. meaning and purpose in their work, sense of community and alignment with organizational values) are positively related to OC and negatively related to ITQ. Moreover, these supervisors’ OC fully mediates the negative relationship of WPS to ITQ. Research limitations/implications This study tests the validity and reliability of three WPS dimensions in the hospitality environment. It also provides a theoretical perspective through SDT for explaining how WPS impacts employee work attitudes, which can be used to guide future studies. Practical implications Hospitality organizations can benefit from the insights of this research into how WPS can increase the commitment and retention of supervisors, who in turn positively impact front-line workers and customer service quality delivery. Originality/value This study provides additional implications for SDT and offers new insights into the emerging field of WPS scholarship. While other studies have tested relationships related to involving these WPS variables, a scarcity of research has been offered in hospitality or with a theory-based explanation of these relationships.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Surajit Bag ◽  
Sunil Luthra ◽  
Sachin Kumar Mangla ◽  
Yigit Kazancoglu

PurposeThe study investigated the effect of big data analytics capabilities (BDACs) on reverse logistics (strategic and tactical) decisions and finally on remanufacturing performance.Design/methodology/approachThe primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire and an online survey sent to South African manufacturing companies. The data were analysed using partial least squares based structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM) based WarpPLS 6.0 software.FindingsThe results indicate that data generation capabilities (DGCs) have a strong association with strategic reverse logistics decisions (SRLDs). Data integration and management capabilities (DIMCs) show a positive relationship with tactical reverse logistics decisions (TRLDs). Advanced analytics capabilities (AACs), data visualisation capabilities (DVCs) and data-driven culture (DDC) show a positive association with both SRLDs and TRLDs. SRLDs and TRLDs were found to have a positive link with remanufacturing performance.Practical implicationsThe theoretical guided results can help managers to understand the value of big data analytics (BDA) in making better quality judgement of reverse logistics and enhance remanufacturing processes for achieving sustainability.Originality/valueThis research explored the relationship between BDA, reverse logistics decisions and remanufacturing performance. The study was practice oriented, and according to the authors’ knowledge, it is the first study to be conducted in the South African context.


2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 302-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahnaz Nayebzadeh ◽  
Maryam Jalaly

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the nature of emotion, self-esteem and life satisfaction tendencies amongst Iranian Muslim consumers when making impulse purchases. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires were distributed amongst female Muslim participants at a shopping centre in Yazd, Iran – each of which were selected using cluster and random sampling methods. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling techniques, where LISREL software was used to measure the direct and indirect relationships between variables. Findings – Within the sample, there was a direct causal relationship between impulse buying tendencies, impulse buying behaviour and purchasing. Second, there was a negative relationship between self-esteem and life-satisfaction within impulse buying tendencies. Finally, a positive relationship exists between emotion and impulse buying tendencies, which elicits impulse buying behaviour culminating in purchases. Emotion drives these consumers towards dissonance-reducing behaviour, which mediates low self-esteem and life satisfaction – through consumerism as a form of retail therapy. Some of the items purchased on impulse, that fulfilled this role, were hijabs (headscarves) and mantos (a type of tunic/shirt-dress/coat common in Iran). Research limitations/implications – The hijab is worn by Muslim females across the globe. However, the manto is an item of clothing worn almost exclusively by Iranian females. Therefore, it is likely that Muslim females in different geographies may exhibit similar behavioural traits, but their consumption patterns would substitute this item with a different one, such as an abaya or jilbab, for example. Originality/value – Whilst the notion of retail therapy is widely understood, the novel contribution of this study lies in highlighting that the purchase of clothing such as hijabs and mantos by Iranian Muslim females is not just driven by rational and emotional decision-making seeking to fulfil religious obligations. There are cases where these religious artefacts are used to raise feelings of self-esteem and life satisfaction within the same individuals.


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