The Pandemic Consumer Response: A Stockpiling Perspective and Shopping Channel Preferences

Covid‐19 has changed consumer behaviour, probably forever. Initial consumer stockpiling led to stockouts, threat and uncertainty for consumers. To overcome shortages, consumers expanded their use of channels and many consumers started buying online for the first time. In this paper, we aim to address important research gaps related to consumer behaviour during the pandemic and especially stockpiling. Our paper starts by presenting the findings of our pre‐study, which used social media to elicit or confirm potential constructs for our quantitative models. These constructs complemented the protection motivations theory to explain stockpiling behaviour, forming the basis for study 1, the stockpiling preparation stage and study 2, the effects of the Covid‐19 pandemic disruptor on customer service logistics and lockdown shopping channel preferences. For studies 1 and 2 we gathered data via a UK online panel‐structured questionnaire survey (n = 603). Results confirm that consumer‐driven changes to supply chains emanate largely from consumer uncertainty. Lockdown restrictions led to consumers feeling socially excluded, but enhanced consumers' positive attitudes towards shopping online and increased consumers' altruism. In response, consumers stockpiled by visiting physical stores and/or ordering online. Lockdown restrictions led to feelings of social exclusion but, importantly, stockpiling helped to minimize consumer anxiety and fear and even increase wellbeing.

Consumer Perceptions of Sustainable Development Goals: Conceptualization, Measurement and Contingent Effects

Our humble gratitude goes out to our editors and the anonymous reviewers who contributed to the improvement of this paper.The COVID-19 pandemic has caused drastic disruptions to many multinational companies' (MNCs') supply chain management, pushing them to relocate their manufacturing activities to their home countries, a phenomenon known as reshoring. Grounded in moral psychology theory and the resource-based view (RBV), the aims of this research are to provide an extended conceptualization of sustainable development goal (SDG) perceptions from local consumers, develop a scale, and assess this scale in relation to the reliability and validity of consumer perception of SDG antecedents and consequences in reshoring contexts from three industries, with the help of six studies. We conceptualise these perceptions on the basis of seven components (i.e. society/community wellbeing, affordable and clean energy consumption, economic growth, responsible consumption, responsible production, sustainable industrialization and innovation and gender equality). Using data from three distinct industries and a sample of 1075 reshoring MNC customers, we also determine how local consumers perceive and react to reshoring initiatives geared towards achieving SDGs and advocacy. The findings offer relevant implications for both the management and research of SDGs in a reshoring context at a scale level, which we describe in the form of future research directions.

Shall We Dance? Recreational Dance, Well-Being and Productivity Performance during COVID-19: A Three-Country Study

Mental health issues are increasingly prevalent worldwide, emphasizing the need to research antecedents and consequences of well-being. Prior research shows that within organizations, higher levels of subjective well-being (SWB) promote productivity performance. Building on this research, the authors hypothesize that recreational dance positively influences productivity through higher SWB. Survey data from Brazil, Italy, and the United Kingdom reveal that recreational dancers are more productive than nondancers due to their higher intrinsic motivation and SWB. Dancing has an additional direct effect on productivity, beyond the mediating role of SWB. The results indicate well-being and productivity improvements in all three countries, although they show a moderating effect such that the relationship between recreational dance and SWB is stronger when social norms are perceived to be looser. This study indicates potentially far-reaching benefits that could be achieved by including recreational dance in corporate well-being programs. International dance organizations could market dance classes as a pathway to increase productivity at work and explore synergies with public health marketing to promote the benefits of recreational dance in joint international campaigns.

Changes in youth mental health, psychological wellbeing, and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid review (preprint)

Background: The focus of this review was to assess changes in youth mental health, psychological wellbeing, or substance use, as well as changes or disruptions to the delivery of mental health or substance use services for young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: We conducted a rapid review of the literature on our outcomes of interest among youth (age <=25) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary studies and systematic reviews on change were eligible for inclusion. Searches were conducted in PubMed and Embase in May 2021, and two reviewers screened studies for inclusion. We report results using a narrative synthesis. Results: We included 156 primary publications. A variety of methods were used to assess change, including prospective assessment of longitudinal cohorts, retrospective recall by participants in cross-sectional and qualitative studies, and comparison of peri-pandemic data to pre-pandemic normative values. Publications regarding mental health (n = 121) and psychological wellbeing (n = 26) generally indicated poor outcomes during the pandemic period. Publications on substance use (n = 41) revealed overall declines or unchanged patterns of use, though certain groups reported increased or problematic use. Studies of service delivery (n = 11) indicated a generally positive reception for helplines and telehealth, although some youth experienced difficulties accessing mental health services. Conclusions: The evidence indicates negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people’s mental health, although declines in alcohol and nicotine use were also found. Services will need to continue to adapt as the pandemic progresses, particularly to support disadvantaged youth who lack access to telehealth resources.

Competing during a pandemic? Retailers' ups and downs during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic (that started in early 2020) is causing several disruptions in the short- and mid-term, to which businesses have to adapt. Some retailers have reacted to the emergency immediately, displaying a plethora of different intervention types. The authors aim to synthesize the challenges that retailers are facing during the COVID-19 emergency. We do this from the perspective of both consumers and managers, with the goal of providing guidelines on and examples of how retailers can handle this unprecedented situation.