ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in users' knowledge anxiety, which has been further intensified by the diversity of information platforms and the emphasis on digital personal branding. While previous research has examined the relationship between digital personal branding and negative emotions, little is known about the mechanisms behind negative reactions to digital personal branding from non-direct factors or users' spontaneous negative emotions. To address this gap, this study draws on cognitive appraisal theory (CAT) and social identity theory (SIT) to explore the relationships between users' knowledge anxiety, cognitive processing biases, and brand avoidance, and the impacts of herding behavior and attachment anxiety on these relationships. A sample of 530 consumers completed an online survey, and the data were analyzed using a partial least squares path model. The results revealed that user knowledge anxiety directly and indirectly influenced brand avoidance behavior through cognitive processing bias, and attachment anxiety moderated the path between cognitive processing bias and user knowledge anxiety. However, herding behavior was not found to be significant in online knowledge sharing communities.
ABSTRACT
Purpose>This study applied the herd mentality theory to explore local and global social media users' responses to panic buying across the USA, UK and Australia during the COVID-19 crisis to understand the implications on operations and supply chains.Design/methodology/approach>A total of 208,806 social media user-generated content (UGC) pieces were collected from Twitter in three countries – the USA, UK and Australia. The analysis of this big qualitative data was performed using machine learning–based software – Leximancer.Findings>Positive and negative sentiment towards panic buying during the COVID-19 crisis was observed in the UGC. No significant differences in social media UGC sentiment between the three countries were found;however, differences did exist in key themes. This suggests that the focus, not the sentiment, of consumers' responses to panic buying differed across countries. Social media users follow their location-based and topic-consonant social "herd”, rather than the global "herd”.Research limitations/implications>This study was the first to show that social media users' herd mentality differs in a crisis. The herd mentality of social networks is dependent on factors such as the geographic location of the social network (herd), which can differ from the global herd's reaction, specifically in terms of topics evident in UGC.Practical implications>Operations and supply chain managers need to include social media UGC analysis in their strategies in crisis management responses. The topics, not the sentiment, of consumers' responses to panic buying require managerial actions.Originality/value>This is the first study to show that herd mentality during a crisis, such as COVID-19, is not unidimensional and varies according to the location of the social media network with profound implications for operations and supply chain managers.
ABSTRACT
'CoronaVirus' is a hard hit on both Millennial consumers and marketers. It forced consumers and marketers to do the usual activities of buying and selling differently. Panic buying and herd mentality was widely noticed among millennials. Their unusual buying behavior which reflects behavior during a crisis is highly influenced by environmental stimuli. From this study, it is found that there has been a significant buying behavioral shift of global millennials in emerging markets (BRIC - Brazil, Russia, India, China;CIVETS - Columbia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa). It is evident that the initial marketing attempts of marketers failed during COVID-19 due to the lack of understanding of the significance of environmental and marketing stimuli in consumers' purchase decisions. This study brings out the various positive substantial changes brought about through internetization in marketing goods and services to millennial customers during the pandemic. The pandemic enabled a rapid digital revolution in buying and selling using digital/online platforms. The study suggests the application of the Black Box Model by marketers in marketing and selling decisions. The Internet has been the most important tool used by customers and sellers to access what they need. This study is useful to marketers and upcoming entrepreneurs to understand that it is the consumer's buying behavior that triggers and pushes marketers to sell differently. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study applied the herd mentality theory to explore local and global social media users’ responses to panic buying across the USA, UK and Australia during the COVID-19 crisis to understand the implications on operations and supply chains. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 208,806 social media user-generated content (UGC) pieces were collected from Twitter in three countries – the USA, UK and Australia. The analysis of this big qualitative data was performed using machine learning–based software – Leximancer. Findings: Positive and negative sentiment towards panic buying during the COVID-19 crisis was observed in the UGC. No significant differences in social media UGC sentiment between the three countries were found;however, differences did exist in key themes. This suggests that the focus, not the sentiment, of consumers’ responses to panic buying differed across countries. Social media users follow their location-based and topic-consonant social “herd”, rather than the global “herd”. Research limitations/implications: This study was the first to show that social media users’ herd mentality differs in a crisis. The herd mentality of social networks is dependent on factors such as the geographic location of the social network (herd), which can differ from the global herd’s reaction, specifically in terms of topics evident in UGC. Practical implications: Operations and supply chain managers need to include social media UGC analysis in their strategies in crisis management responses. The topics, not the sentiment, of consumers’ responses to panic buying require managerial actions. Originality/value: This is the first study to show that herd mentality during a crisis, such as COVID-19, is not unidimensional and varies according to the location of the social media network with profound implications for operations and supply chain managers. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered several herd purchase behaviors, and online shopping has been considered a health-related preventative behavior. This study aims to the relative impact of health threat beliefs concerning Covid-19 (perceived susceptibility and perceived severity) and herd mentality on consumers’ online shopping post-adoption disconfirmation and continuance intention of online shopping. Research design, data and methodology: An internet survey was conducted with Vietnamese consumers, and upon screening, usable data of 292 responses were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Results showed that while herd mentality positively affects disconfirmation, health threat beliefs including perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of Covid-19 do not. Results: Results also provided further support for the notion that disconfirmation is a crucial determinant of post-adoption continuance intention. Moreover, herd mentality also has a significantly negative influence on online shopping post-adoption continuance intention. Conclusions: The research provides evidence supporting the role of herd mentality and post-adoption disconfirmation in driving consumers’ intention to continue online shopping. However, the research shows that neither the perceived susceptibility of Covid-19 nor the perceived severity of Covid-19 has significant impact on post-adoption disconfirmation, adding mixed evidence to the application of health belief theory in technology (such as online shopping) adoption. © 2022 The Author(s). All Rights Reserved.