Global fashion retailers’ responses to external and internal crises during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the media reported different kinds of issues that global fashion retailers face. They had to unexpectedly dismiss garment workers and employees internally, while they had to perform CSR practices for their suffering communities externally. The purpose of this study is to investigate how global fashion retailers responded to these external and internal crises during the pandemic through a case study. Based on corporate social responsibility (CSR) contribution types and the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), various secondary sources which are related to three selected global fashion retailers’ (Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo) responses to external and internal crises during the pandemic are analyzed. The findings indicate that global fashion retailers showed some different approaches in their responses to external and internal crises during the pandemic. Externally, all of them practiced CSR by providing monetary and in-kind contributions to the society. However, toward the internal issues related to their factory workers and employees, some of them denied or diminished the problems that had been raised, while all of them attempted to make a deal with the parties who had been affected. The results of this study propose an agenda to discuss global fashion retailers’ responsibilities during the pandemic, as well as to inform fashion retailers of how leading retailers have responded to the crises.

Mask-Wearing Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Cultural Comparison Between the United States and South Korea.

This study identified and compared factors that directly and indirectly influenced face mask-wearing in the United States and South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic by applying the theory of reasoned action. The overall levels of attitudes and future mask-wearing behavioral intention were lower for United States than Korean participants (N US = 150 and N South Korea = 150). Differences between the groups were noted in the impact of norms and background characteristics on attitudes and behavioral intention. Messages communicating the importance of wearing masks should be tailored to different cultures. Americans should be encouraged to try wearing masks on their own while Koreans should hear about the social benefits of mask-wearing.

External pressure or internal culture? An innovation diffusion theory account of small retail businesses’ social media use

COVID-19 put unprecedented external pressure on small businesses to adopt or increase use of social media while not all small businesses are internally ready for this rapid change. This study investigated the roles of external pressures and organizational culture of openness and learning in driving small retail business owners'/managers' social media use decisions by impacting their perceived usefulness and barriers, based on the innovation-decision process model from the diffusion of innovations theory and the theory of reasoned action. An online survey with structured measurements was administered to 411 U.S. small retail business owners/managers. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that external pressures positively influenced small business owners'/managers’ perceived usefulness and barriers and social media use intention. In addition, the culture of openness and learning positively influenced the perceived usefulness while mitigating the perceived barriers, thereby directly and indirectly influencing the social media use intention. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.