Do social media platforms develop consumer panic buying during the fear of Covid-19 pandemic

The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the effects of knowledge management (KM) enablers on KM processes in research universities and testing the direct relation between KM processes and OP. This study also proposes to examine the mediating role of intellectual capital (IC) and innovation in the relationship between KM processes and performance of universities.,Using a sample of 217 academic and administrative personnel from research universities of Pakistan, the hypothesized relationships were tested through partial least squares structural equation modeling technique.,The results reveal that KM enablers have a significant impact on KM processes. The results also indicate that KM processes influence organizational performance (OP) directly and indirectly through innovation and IC.,Findings of this study reinforce the corporate experience of KM and suggest how administrators of research universities and higher educational institutions can promote innovation and IC, which in turn enhance OP.,Despite the augmented importance of KM in higher education institutions or research universities, there is a dearth of studies that investigate the interplay of KM, innovation, IC and OP. This is one of the earliest studies that not only empirically investigate the interaction of KM enablers, KM processes and performance of research universities but also shed insights into the existing literature by simultaneously investigating mediating role of IC and innovation in the underlying relationship.

From knowledge management to organizational performance

Purpose: During COVID-19 pandemic, the use of social media enhances information exchange at a global level; therefore, customers are more aware and make backup plans to take optimal decisions. This study explores the customer psychology of impulse buying during COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The researcher, being a social constructionist, aims at understanding social patterns in impulsive buying strategies during COVID-19 pandemic. Forty UK consumers were participated using the telephonic interview method with the purpose to maintain social distancing practices. Findings: Results revealed that vulnerable group of people, fear of illness, fear of empty shelves, fear of price increase and social inclination to buy extra for staying at home, increased panic impulsive buying behaviour among customers. Many people socially interpreted the evidence of death rate and empty shelves, which led to more disinformation, rumours and sensationalism, which increased customers' impulsive buying behaviour. Finally, risk of going outside, COVID-19 outbreak among employees of local retail stores, and health professionals' recommendations to stay at home, led to impulsive buying behaviour. Originality/value: This study has constructed a research framework of customer psychology of impulse buying based on the results of this study and fear and perceived risk theories. The study also explains how the fear of fear, risk perception and conformist tendency enhanced impulsive buying during COVID-19 pandemic. This study has discussed specific implications for retailers.

Understanding the customer psychology of impulse buying during COVID-19 pandemic: implications for retailers

The significance of managing and sharing employee knowledge for successful organizational change, innovation, and for sustainable advantage has indeed been suggested by research since the last few decades. Despite numerous attempts to foster the sharing of knowledge in organizations, employees may not always be willing to share knowledge attributed due to personal beliefs or situational constraints leading to hiding of knowledge. This article provides a theoretical basis by identifying and illustrating the present and the possible myriad of knowledge hiding (KH) events by employees within organizations.,Drawing literature from numerous sources, this paper adopts synthesis and provides a review of the literature and proposes framework.,This paper identifies six broad drivers which may lead to KH, including: driven by situation explain the reason for unintentional hiding as a result of performance and competition leads to individual to have a motive to hide knowledge, driven by psychological ownership leads to controlled hiding, driven by hostility and abuse by employees or managers leads to victimized hiding and lastly driven by identity and norms leads to favoured hiding. Furthermore, this study uncovers three potential future events, which need managerial attention: negative reciprocity, influenced disengagement and perceived disengagement.,This paper also offers new insights to managers to understand the present events and foresee the possible reasons about the KH behaviour and how they can strategize to reduce these events and undergo organizational change.

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Why should I share knowledge with others? A review-based framework on events leading to knowledge hiding

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen an unmatched level of panic buying globally, a type of herd behavior whereby consumers buy an uncommonly huge amount of products because of a perception of scarcity. Drawing on the health belief model, perceived scarcity, and anticipated regret theories, this paper formulated a theoretical model that linked the determinants of panic buying and analyzed their interrelationships. Subsequently, data were collated from 508 consumers through an online survey questionnaire in Singapore that was conducted during the early stage of the pandemic, before the onset of the circuit breaker in April 2020. Next, an analysis of the results was done through structural equation modeling. It showed that the effect of the health belief model dimensions (i.e., perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, outcome expectation, cues to action, and self-efficacy) on panic buying is partially mediated by the consumers' perceived scarcity of products. Furthermore, the effect of perceived scarcity on panic buying is partially mediated by consumers' anticipation of regret. This paper expands on the current theoretical understanding of panic buying behavior, giving insights into the possible measures and solutions that policymakers and relevant stakeholders can uptake to manage panic buying in future a pandemic or health crisis.

The Determinants of Panic Buying during COVID-19.

Purpose




This study aims to explore the challenges to knowledge sharing (KS) in the context of public sector universities in developing countries. Furthermore, it explores why knowledge hoarding behaviour is flourishing even when employees are encouraged to share their knowledge in organisations and are rewarded for doing so.




Design/methodology/approach




Research data were collected from vice chancellor, registrar, professors, assistant professors and lecturers using an interview technique. They shared their knowledge, expertise, experiences and understanding about issues relating to KS practices in public universities. These interviews were thematically analysed using the NVivo 11-Plus software and different themes emerged.




Findings




The results reveal that hoard knowledge to gain power, authority, influence, promotion opportunities and employee favouritism negatively influence KS practices. Furthermore, an unsupportive culture and a poor linkage between KS and rewards negatively influence KS practices in public sector universities.




Research limitations/implications




The present study aids academic leadership in designing policies and strategies to enhance KS among faculty staff and to create a supportive KS culture. These results are useful for top management officials of public sector universities, especially in developing countries, and for policy makers, who can plan and execute effective policies to foster KS behaviour.




Originality/value




The originality can be viewed as a new window open towards the motivation of the university staff to hoard their knowledge instead of sharing it. This study gives the novel conceptual model based on why people do not share their knowledge and how KS practices can be fostered among the employees in public sector universities. Few studies have been conducted to explore KS issues in the real context of developing countries, and specifically in the Asian culture.

Ubaid Ur-Rahman

Papers

Exploring the challenges, trends and issues for knowledge sharing: A study on employees in public sector universities