EMPIRICAL STUDY ON ALTERNATIVES FOR SAVING AND INVESTING IN THE POSTPANDEMIC PERIOD. CASE STUDY: ROMANIA

This paper develops investigations in the field of saving and investing techniques related to the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on the Romanian trading market. The study focuses particularly on the alternatives for accumulation of money capital which can lead to a positive long-term return. The research aims to investigate the available current services and opportunities in the Romanian investment market and their returns after the pandemic. Towards this objective, the study presents the past returns for several products and the users potential risks. Furthermore, an investigation is conducted based on the latest statistics whereas different variants of portfolios are presented. Unlike most of the previous studies, this analysis has a double approach: evaluating viable alternatives depending on several characteristics and simultaneously developing a long-term potential strategy that could be used to ensure the financial future of an individual in the period of the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic. This contribution provides an initial analysis of the saving and investing market of Romania before and after the pandemic.

BUCHAREST PUBLIC TRANSPORT: CHALLENGES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic had and it’s still having a big impact on mobility since the end of 2018, when it started. Public transportation was already facing issues in all the big metropolitan cities where many people are in the same space at the same time. If we add the COVID-19 consequences and rules, public transit is the main barrier for community members to go back to their daily routines being safe and comfortable. This paper presents the changes in the public transport sector since COVID-19 started and aims to explore the consequences and possible alternatives to mitigate the impact of the pandemic crisis. As research method I decided to analyze and summarize numerous primary sources along with the public transport operators’ official websites. Both quantitative and qualitative data were used by doing a comprehensive research in ProQuest Central, Coronavirus Research Database, Elsevier ScienceDirect and Web of Science. The results suggest that reduction of mobility has been the first measure to slow the growth of the worldwide COVID-19 cases. However, the transport limitations don’t have the same impact for all modes of transport, public transport having one of the most considerable decline so far. In Bucharest, the public transport operators have imposed safety measures such as mask wearing, periodic cleaning, transparency and access to the information. Those aspects are important, but sometimes not sufficient to fight against the pandemic. What this research does is to come and complete the set of safety measures focusing on mitigating the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and increase the safety of the people while using public transport vehicles.

QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION ONLINE TRAINING, STUDENT SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. A VIETNAMESE PERSPECTIVE

The study aims to test the online training quality scale and examine the relationship between training quality, satisfaction, and loyalty of online students. The results of CFA analysis on a survey sample of 300 online students of public and non-public universities in Hanoi city. The online training quality scale includes five components: (1) quality of information systems (2) quality of faculty, (3) effectiveness of online learning, (4) student satisfaction, and (5) student loyalty. Furthermore, the results of SEM analysis show that the quality of the information system, the quality of the lecturers, and the effectiveness of online learning all have an indirect relationship to loyalty, and directly for satisfaction, and anthropological factors are time and place of residence affect learners’ satisfaction.

BUSINESS REVENUE AND JOB RETENTION DURING COVID-19 CRISIS IN MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN SERBIA

Manufacturing companies in the Republic of Serbia had to react quickly to the changed business conditions during Covid-19 crisis, in order to adjust their businesses, as well as working conditions to the new circumstances. Since most of the employees in these companies cannot work remotely, maintaining production processes was challenged due to the restrictions imposed by the state and decreased demand for their products. New dynamic environment influenced differently various segments of manufacturing companies’ businesses, which affected companies’ business revenue and number and structure of its employees. This paper investigates the impact of Covid-19 on the manufacturing companies’ business revenue, and subsequently their employees and job retention schemes. It further explores the possibilities of effective crisis management in the Republic of Serbia, as well as readiness of manufacturing companies’ employees and management to adapt to the new working environment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to lessen its impact on the companies’ performance and profitability.

THE IMPACT OF ONLINE MARKETING IN THE PROMOTION OF UNIVERSITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 HEALTH CRISIS

Nowadays, social networks have become a habit for most people, the latter allocating time to check the received messages, view the published pictures and descriptions, but also the videos. Marketing has also taken this phenomenon into account. This research paper was conducted in order to identify the impact that online marketing has had on the promotion of three prestigious universities in Bucharest (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, National University of Political and Administrative Studies and the University of Bucharest) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main results highlighted the fact that during COVID-19 pandemic students use social networks frequently to find out information about the educational offers provided by universities, but also to be able to be permanently connected to the activities carried out within them.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH ONLINE FOOD AND GROCERY SHOPPING SERVICE DURING COVID-19 IN LEBANON

Covid-19 pandemic has changed companies’ strategies to reach their customers. To combat economic downturns due to quarantines and worldwide country closures, stores had to establish a new method to satisfy their customer needs such as adopting online food and grocery ordering and delivery systems. The aim of this research is to give an overview over food and grocery online shopping in different countries through secondary data collection and to analyse Lebanese customers’ food and grocery online shopping behaviour before and during Covid-19 pandemic through primary data collection. To assess the Lebanese market and the rate of satisfaction with food and grocery online ordering and delivery, an online survey was distributed to 300 participants using random sampling technique. Results showed that Lebanese customers have increased their food and grocery online ordering through WhatsApp during Covid-19 pandemic and customers are satisfied with the overall service quality of delivered food, grocery, and with delivery time.

ONLINE AND PHYSICAL STORES: DETERMINANT FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PURCHASING DECISION AND CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION

Over the last 20 years, there have been significant changes in the retail sector, which have been mainly influenced by technological advances, that have radically transformed the customer experience. This research contributes to the enrichment of the existing literature by examining new purchasing trends concerning the transition to the online environment caused by the COVID19 pandemic. For an indepth understanding of the topic, five determinants of the purchasing decision were identified: informativeness, social presence, sensory marketing, product type and brand trust. This study researched, using multi-line analysis, how these factors influence the customer degree of satisfaction regarding online and physical stores. The main results show that customer satisfaction is differently influenced by these factors, depending on the type of store, namely online or physical. These findings demonstrate that companies should adopt different business strategies, focusing on sensory marketing in physical stores and brand trust, together with informativeness in the online ones.

CAREER GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: ROLE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION AMONG TEACHERS

This paper aims to highlight the role of continuing education among the teachers of India. The study identifies factors which influence teachers in Higher education institutions (HEI) for continuing education. The paper also explores the impact of continuing education on career growth and development. A systematic survey was conducted among the teachers in Higher education institutions of Uttarakhand, India. Factor analysis is used to identify the important factors that influence teachers to enrol for continuing education. SPSS and AMOS are used to analyse the data. The findings of the study indicate that factors like time, financial support, job opportunities, knowledge, skills, and abilities play a detrimental role among teachers for continuing education. This study also reveals that continuing education has a positive impact on career growth and development of teachers. Continuing education helps the teachers to explore better career opportunities, provides job security, salary increment, and promotion which contributes to their professional growth and personality development. Continuing education in teachers demonstrates a significant role in the development of interpersonal skills, technical skills and inculcates self-confidence that contributes to their personal growth. The importance of paper increases amidst the COVID19 pandemic and the launch of the National Education Policy in India, as the paper will provide support to the Higher education institutes and Government to frame policies and strategies to imbibe continuing education as an integral part of the education system. The paper by enumerating its benefits, motivates the teachers to enhance their qualifications and enhance their future prospects.

PLUMMETING CONSUMERS' BRAND SWITCHING BEHAVIOUR USING A HOLISTIC PRODUCT STRATEGY IN THE ZIMBABWEAN COLA INDUSTRY

The study was driven by the need to elevate consumers’ switching costs so as to minimise consumer churning behaviour. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the product strategy on consumers’ brand switching intention behaviour. A marketing orientation of managing a product from a holistic approach was adopted and that was informed by previous theoretical modelling. The study followed a quantitative approach in the cola industry in Zimbabwe. Data was collected using questionnaires from a sample size of 432 respondents. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) - Amos Graphics was used to analyse data. The study confirmed that a holistic approach to product strategy is statistically significant in minimising churning behaviour of customers. Product availability and product quality were inversely influencing behavioural intention to switch brands whilst product price recorded a significant positive impact. Product range had an insignificant association with consumer attrition. The study concluded that consumers’ switching behaviour can be managed through a well implemented product strategy. To plummet brand switching behaviour, the study recommends effective product pricing, effective product distribution and improvements in product quality.

THE ROLE OF E-TRAINING, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND EMPLOYEE RESILIENCE IN INCREASING EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN INDONESIAN STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES

This study analyzes the effect of e-training, career development, and employee resilience on employee productivity of State-Owned Enterprises for Survey Services in Indonesia. The sample in this study were employees of one of the State-Owned Enterprises for Survey Services. The sampling technique used is purposive sampling with a valid response of 270 respondents. The research method used is quantitative. Data was collected by distributing questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using Amos 24. The results showed that e-training and career development had a significant positive effect on employee resilience. Career development and employee resilience had a significant positive effect on employee productivity. In contrast, e-training does not affect employee productivity. The results of this study provide useful implications for policymakers to determine company strategies related to e-training, career development, and employee resilience to increase employee productivity.