scholarly journals The New Consumer Behaviour Paradigm amid COVID-19: Permanent or Transient?

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seema Mehta ◽  
Tanjul Saxena ◽  
Neetu Purohit

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.

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-44
Author(s):  
Raluca Ciornea

Abstract The main objective of the paper is to inquire if bioeconomy is a “saving” sustainable solution to major problems caused by fast-fashion industry - consumption of non-renewable and scarce natural resources, waste generation, pollution - in the actual conditions of overconsumption and consumption intensification due to accelerated increase of global population. A closer look reveals that not only that fast-fashion industry is not bridging the gap to sustainability, but also that its transit to bioeconomy (which is the main alternative proposed by global organisms to increase sustainability) may deepen the global issues wanted to be solved, if the current business models are maintained. Insides evidence that individual overconsumption outpaces the fast-fashion industry’s efforts to create a sustainable bio-economic system, thus is imperative to redesign the business models to use less important natural resources and to reduce the environmental impact, while in parallel discourage the overconsumption. Consequently, fast-fashion business models need to have a sustainable holistic approach and incorporate sustainable measures, which are able to shift the consumer behaviour from overconsumption to sustainable choices, in their marketing objectives, strategies and actions. Based on the findings, premises for future research were proposed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Bushra Mahadin

Purpose-This paper aims to investigate factors that affect customer switching from Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles (ICEV’s) to Hybrid Electrical Vehicles (HEV’s), in Jordan for the period of (2010-2014).Design/methodology/approach-A self-administered survey was hand-delivered to the targeted sample of car users in Jordan. The authors delivered 400 questionnaires to customers, from which 333 were deemed valid for the analysis, corresponding to the percentage of (83.25%) which indicates the validity of the study. Findings- There was no difference in switching behavior between (ICEV’s) and (HEV’s) based on gender in the Jordanian market. Fuel consumption efficiency was the number one variable that supports the switching behavior towards (HEV's), followed by Eco friendliness, lower taxes and technological features. Price and the current trend in the market were the least supporting factors. In addition to that the perception of the battery life of (HEV's), limited choices in the market, lack of information and fear of the relatively new technology were the major hindering factors of choosing an (HEV).Research limitations-Future research needs to investigate other factors that may affect customers’ behavior such as perceived image, trust, and subjective norms. Future research should investigate into the importance of environmental awareness and new technologies, and gender differences in behavior. From an international marketing standpoint, comparative studies between Jordanian and non-Jordanian customers are potential areas of future research for international marketing strategies and cross-cultural consumer behaviour analysis. Practical implications-The paper identifies the determinants of switching behavior. marketers should focus addressing customers concerns in terms of providing enough information and building awareness towards the technology and it's benefits towards the society and the environment.Originality/value-Our study is one of the few in Jordan that investigates the switching behavior towards vehicles technology. Our study is thought to have made a modest contribution to consumer behaviour literature and, specifically, for decision making process. It offers marketers insights into the determinants of switching behavior towards the hybrid vechicle technology and how this contribute to consumers’ decision making process and attitudes to achieve the intended behavioural outcomes


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Mokter Hossain ◽  
Jarkko Levänen ◽  
Marleen Wierenga

ABSTRACT Firms are often criticized for their reluctance to embrace sustainability in their business strategies. Frugal innovation is a recent concept that represents a new way for firms to serve underserved customers in developing countries while also promoting sustainability. Based on three cases of frugal innovation at the grassroots level in India, this article demonstrates how frugal innovation presents a promising way to tackle some of today's pressing societal problems with new business models. We use a range of parameters for economic, social, and environmental sustainability to strengthen the case for frugal innovation. This article attempts to inspire scholars to consider frugal innovation further in their future research endeavors and encourage firms to integrate it into their existing business models.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 4121
Author(s):  
Hana Tomaskova ◽  
Erfan Babaee Tirkolaee

The purpose of this article was to demonstrate the difference between a pandemic plan’s textual prescription and its effective processing using graphical notation. Before creating a case study of the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) of the Czech Republic’s pandemic plan, we conducted a systematic review of the process approach in pandemic planning and a document analysis of relevant public documents. The authors emphasized the opacity of hundreds of pages of text records in an explanatory case study and demonstrated the effectiveness of the process approach in reengineering and improving the response to such a critical situation. A potential extension to the automation and involvement of SMART technologies or process optimization through process mining techniques is presented as a future research topic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6845
Author(s):  
Eliza Nichifor ◽  
Radu Constantin Lixăndroiu ◽  
Silvia Sumedrea ◽  
Ioana Bianca Chițu ◽  
Gabriel Brătucu

Digital technology is leading the transformation of business models into sustainable ones, expanding and changing the competitiveness scenario. This paper aims to promote a new sustainable retailer model shaped by contingent free shipping theory and the optimisation of the customer’s journey, enriching the scientific literature by proposing a consumer behavioural model that highlights the contribution of four selected touchpoints to the sustainable transformation of SMEs. The research was elaborated by deploying a framework that presents five analysis methods, namely, an additive function construction, a TOPSIS method, a Spearman rank correlation coefficient calculation, a content analysis and an analytic hierarchy process, which engender the new model. Discovering nine distinguished categories of e-tailers, the sustainable retailer profile was developed and the touchpoint with the greatest contribution to the transformation process was identified. The results of the study allowed the authors to propose the model as a solution to withstand the preponderant negative experience provided by analysed e-tailers to digital buyers, representing the opportunity for SMEs’ sustainable transformation and long-term growth in a competitive, ever-growing market.


2021 ◽  
pp. 097226292110225
Author(s):  
Shobhana Chandra ◽  
Sanjeev Verma

Big data (BD) is making advances in promoting sustainable consumption behaviour and has attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. Despite the increased focus, the findings of studies on this topic are fragmented, and future researchers need a systematic understanding of the existing literature for identification of the research scope. This study offers a systematic review of the role of BD in promoting sustainable-consumption behaviour with the help of a bibliometric analysis, followed by a thematic analysis. The findings suggest that businesses deploy BD to create sustainable consumer experiences, predict consumer buying patterns, design and alter business models and create nudges for sustainable consumption, while consumers are forcing businesses to develop green operations and supply chains to reduce the latter’s carbon footprint. The major research gaps for future researchers are in the following areas: the impact of big data analytics (BDA) on consumerism, the role of BD in the formation of sustainable habits and consumer knowledge creation for sustainable consumption and prediction of green consumer behaviour.


Network ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-115
Author(s):  
Charithri Yapa ◽  
Chamitha de Alwis ◽  
Madhusanka Liyanage

Emergence of the Energy Internet (EI) demands restructuring of traditional electricity grids to integrate heterogeneous energy sources, distribution network management with grid intelligence and big data management. This paradigm shift is considered to be a breakthrough in the energy industry towards facilitating autonomous and decentralized grid operations while maximizing the utilization of Distributed Generation (DG). Blockchain has been identified as a disruptive technology enabler for the realization of EI to facilitate reliable, self-operated energy delivery. In this paper, we highlight six key directions towards utilizing blockchain capabilities to realize the envisaged EI. We elaborate the challenges in each direction and highlight the role of blockchain in addressing them. Furthermore, we summarize the future research directive in achieving fully autonomous and decentralized electricity distribution networks, which will be known as Energy Internet.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 169
Author(s):  
Rosa Maria Fanelli

The principal aim of this study is to explore the effects of the first lockdown of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on changes in food consumption and food-related behaviour on a diverse sample of Italian consumers aged ≥18 years. To achieve this aim, the research path starts with an investigation of some of the first few studies conducted on Italian consumers. It then reports the findings of a pilot survey carried out on a small sample of Italian consumes who live in Molise. The studies chosen for investigation were published as articles or research reports. In total, six relevant studies were chosen, each involving a different sized sample of Italian consumers. The average number of respondents is 2142, with a standard deviation of 1260.56. A distinction is made between the results of the articles, the research reports, and the pilot survey. The latter was conducted to develop and validate the components of a new questionnaire and, furthermore, to assess changes in the eating habits of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that the effects of the pandemic on consumer behaviour can, above all, be grouped into changes related to shopping for food, eating habits, and food-related behaviour. This article can serve as the basis for future research in this area as it identifies and highlights key changes, in addition to comparing the earliest evidence available, using a critical approach.


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