ABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted the implementation of social distancing policies worldwide, limiting participation in exercise and substantially impacting health behaviors. In accordance with the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the present study aimed to develop a model for predicting the intent to participate in exercise and engage in health behaviors among Korean men using the perception of COVID-19 risk as an exogenous variable. We analyzed data obtained from 374 Korean men who had completed a 32-item, online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the effect of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on the intention to participate in exercise and health behaviors using COVID-19 risk perception as an antecedent variable. COVID-19 risk perception exerted significant negative effects on the attitude toward exercise participation (beta = -0.857, p < 0.001), subjective norms associated with exercise participation (beta = -0.862, p < 0.001), and PBC related to exercise (beta = -0.738, p < 0.001). In addition, both attitude (beta = 0.213, p < 0.001) and subjective norms (beta = 0.168, p = 0.001) exerted significant effects on the intention to participate in exercise. PBC also exerted significant effects on the intention to participate in exercise (beta = 0.580, p < 0.001) and health behaviors (beta = 0.461, p < 0.001). Lastly, the intention to participate in exercise exerted a significant effect on health behaviors (beta = 0.400, p < 0.001). The data indicated that, among TPB variables, PBC exerted the greatest influence on the intention to participate in exercise and had a significant effect on engagement in health behaviors. The current findings support TPB as an important theoretical model for predicting the intention to participate in exercise and patterns of health behavior among Korean men during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study also highlights the importance of addressing PBC when designing interventions to promote exercise participation and health behaviors among Korean men.Copyright ©2023 The Author(s).
ABSTRACT
As the number of people infected with COVID-19 in Korea is increasing, several measures have been implemented to gradually restrict outdoor activities and indoor gatherings while promoting a non-face-to-face social culture. In this study, we performed a gender-based multi-group analysis using a technology acceptance model (TAM) as an external variable for COVID-19 risk perception to verify the model's predictive ability to increase participation behavior toward digital fitness services. We analyzed the data of 433 Koreans using an online survey consisting of 23 items. A structural equation model was used to verify the perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), intention to use and exercise participation behavior of the TAM with COVID-19 risk perception as an external variable. First, our results showed that COVID-19 risk perception had a statistically higher significant and positive effect on PEOU (beta = 0.170, t = 3.296, p < 0.001) than on PU (beta = 0.130, t = 2.848, p = 0.004) of digital fitness services. Second, the PEOU of the digital fitness service was found to have a statistically higher significant positive effect on PU (beta = 0.512, t = 9.728, p < 0.001) than on intention to use (beta = 0.130, t = -2.774, p = 0.006). Third, the PU of digital fitness services was found to have a statistically significant positive effect on the intention to use (beta = 0.684, t = 12.909, p < 0.001). Fourth, the intention to use the digital fitness service was found to have a statistically significant positive effect on exercise participation behavior (beta = 0.796, t = 16.248, p < 0.001). Lastly, we observed a significant difference between men and women in COVID-19 risk perception and PEOU among the six paths established. Digital environments that encourage participation in exercises could promote health during a pandemic. This study highlighted the need to consider digital environments that encourage exercise participation in creating physical exercise contents as there was no significant difference in the intention to use digital fitness services between men and women.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s).
ABSTRACT
In this study, the relationship between variables influencing employee morale and employee morale in the manufacturing sector during COVID-19 is empirically investigated. The sample size of 200 employees was evaluated using the "Convenience Sampling Technique." Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 27 and the Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient. The results showed that employee morale and casualization are strongly correlated. It was determined that all exogenous variable dimensions should be supported. All of this is done to increase employee morale. As a result, the study makes the following recommendations: Management should grant access to certain perks and benefits for casual workers, including health benefits, performance bonuses, transportation allowances, etc.;they should also be permitted to have a workers' union for collective bargaining;sustained compensation policies;work on reducing stigmatization, and focus on improving working conditions in order to achieve "high" employee morale.