The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Sports Industry,Consumer Behaviour,and Future Outlook

Owing to the specific qualities,the main spectator sports business is susceptible to the ongoing pandemic.The sports sector is reliant on high-level sporting tournaments that need a lot of manpower to run.The significance of the core product is inextricably linked to a variety of ancillary entertainment elements that have been meticulously created to draw in a large number of attendees or spectators.The value of entertainment at issue in the sports industry is primarily created by two sources:athletic events on-field and event components and accessories.The paper examines the state of sports following the pandemic,recovery options,and the future of sports,as well as the numerous effects and difficulties that have occurred as a result of COVID-19-induced developments in the sector.This paper is highly important for the sports industry such as sports managers,broadcasters,media managers,marketers,researchers,practitioners and students who are interested in learning about COVID-19 and its impact on athletes and coaches,the market value of sports,consumer behaviour;and how the situation will be for the sports industry in the post-COVID-19 world.

Determinants of Online Buying Behaviour of Social Media Users in Cameroon

Online shopping in Cameroon is growing rapidly and gaining considerable ground.The phenomenon is relatively new as compared to the traditional brick-and-mortar store(serving customers face-to-face in a building rather than online).As the world faces digital transformations,businesses in Cameroon are seeking new ways to reach their customers and create favourable environments to effectively carryout online purchase.This study examines the factors that affect consumer online buying behaviour in Cameroon.Three theories guided this investigation:the Technology Acceptance Model(Davis,1989),Diffusion of Innovations Theory(Rogers,1995),and Uses and Gratifications Theory(Katz&Blumler,1974).The study focuses on students of the University of Buea who carry out online shopping.Purposive sampling is used,and data are collected from 365 respondents through a questionnaire with open and closed ended questions.Analysis of data is done with the use of the Statistical Package for Social Scientists(SPSS)Version 21 to determine the types of products consumers buy online;the degree to which consumer trust and satisfaction affect consumer loyalty;and the specific social,economic,and market factors that affect online buying behaviour.Findings indicate that:Consumers mostly buy fashion items(74.3%),electronics(44.7%),cosmetics(37.3%),and house equipment(34%)online.Consumers will repeat purchase from a marketer if they trust and are satisfied with the product and service quality(81.1%);hence,they will also encourage others to buy.If they are dissatisfied,they will not repeat purchase from the online store.Advertisement(76.1%),attractive pricing/discount(71.7%),product quality(71%),service quality(64.1%),convenience(72.3%),available income/money(49.6%),word of mouth recommendation(41.9%),and personal motivation(62.7%)constitute the major factors that affect consumer online buying behaviour.Results of the hypotheses testing show that:H1=Consumers buy more of fashion items online(X^(2)=9.950;df=16;p=0.869);H2=There is a significant relationship between trust and satisfaction and consumers online buying behaviour(X^(2)=270.765;df=16;p=0.000);and H3=Social,economic,and market factors significantly affect consumer online buying behaviour(X^(2)=106.328;df=16;p=0.000).The study recommends online marketers to develop their marketing strategies towards customer orientation and focus on the ease of use of their online shopping services.

Green Product Purchase Behaviour： Relevance for Muslims

Recent climate change phenomenon and other prevailing environmental problems have marked a need for human beings to rethinking their way of life, particularly in their relationship with the environment. In Islam, human beings are made responsible at his/her best efforts in preserving the environment including practising pro-environmental behaviour. Due to strong pressures by Western public movements since past decades, the emergence of green products in marketplace has provided an alternative and better way of consumption in reducing adverse environmental impacts. However, little attention has been paid on relating green product purchase behaviour with Islamic teachings. Therefore, the paper discusses the role of green products purchase behaviours in reducing adverse environmental impacts and its relationship with Islamic teachings as mentioned in AI-Quran and As-Sunnah. Besides, the importance of green product knowledge in determining green product purchase behaviour is also discussed. Implications from the study would provide some insights on links between green product purchase behaviours and Islamic teachings as well as improving understanding on the influence of knowledge on pro-environmental behaviours both in empirical manner and as being outlined in Islam.

Investigation on the Consumption Values of Hong Kong People on Tie Products

This study aims at investigating the consumption values of Hong Kong people on necktie. Based on the Sheth-Newman-Gross Model of consumption values on consumers’ choice decision as conceptual framework, results from the focus group interview, a questionnaire was designed and adopted for conducting the survey. Data collected from 245 respondents were analysed using the Factor Analysis to review the important elements of consumers’ decision of purchasing tie products. Implications on the results on the Functional value were reviewed and discussed in details. Interesting elements such as fabric hand-feel were also identified as influential associated in Hong Kong consumers’ selection of necktie. Since, both fibre content and fabric handle were also found as major selection criteria for fabric materials, the study was focused on the analysis of functional value of the product and further extended to study the handle preference for Hong Kong customers, in which a subjective handle assessment of a wide range of tie fabrics being newly developed and introduced in the market was conducted and objective fabric physical and mechanical properties were measured. Important fabric handle attributes that influence the consumers’ preference on tie fabrics were identified and their objective translation by fabric physical and mechanical properties were also obtained. The investigation provides decision support to necktie manufacturers and retailers through scientific and quantitative recommendations for product development of tie products and material selection.

Perceived Influence of Toothpaste Repackaging on Purchase Predisposition of Customers in Owo, Ondo State

Packaging has advanced from being preserver of products to being a visible billboard and a silent salesman for products. This has made the manufacturers to keep repackaging their products especially toothpaste. The paper therefore examines perceived influence of the toothpaste repackaging on the purchase predisposition of the residents of Owo Local Government Area using Mymy, Close Up, Macleans and Pepsodent as case study. Survey design was employed for the study while two hundred copies of questionnaire were administered to two hundred respondents who were selected through purposive sampling. The finding revealed that there is significant influence of change in packaging of tooth paste on the consumers＇ purchase predisposition which may invariably lead to purchase of these brands of tooth paste. The study therefore recommends that manufacturers should introduce changes in elements of tooth paste carefully and gradually in order to study the consumers＇ reaction to such change.

Targeting Arab Markets:Is Cultural Context Irrelevant to Marketing in Libya?

Marketing experts have debated for more than two decades about the effect of nationality and culture on marketing.However,most research on this issue was conducted in Western countries.An important question for marketers in the international arena,therefore,is whether the consumer’s responses(i.e.,sentiment and behavioural aspects)toward the global marketing programs in developing countries depend on culture.In a research representing a large sample of consumers and four different home appliances country-of-origin global operators in Libya,we explore the potential role of culture on consumers’responses toward foreign marketing programs.Results indicate that although the foreign companies have a tendency to adopted standardisation perspective,this does not impact on consumers’responses in a single cultural context toward marketing.The findings reveal that buying behavior was more a function of individual difference than of national cultural context.Further,our results suggest that for mainstream home appliances,segmenting on the basis of nationality is probably unnecessary and that a standardized approach would likely be successful across an increasingly relevant Arab world;and that continuing perceptions of Arab insularity are likely to be misplaced.Faced with the effectiveness of globally efficient marketing programs,local manufacturers would need to work hard to identify particular niche segments where a culturally-specific appeal might be more successful.

Techno-economic analysis of the adoption of electric vehicles

Significant advances in battery technology are creating a viable marketspace for battery powered passenger vehicles.Climate change and concerns over reliable supplies of hydrocarbons are aiding in the focus on electric vehicles.Consumers can be influenced by marketing and emotion resulting in behaviors that may not be in line with their stated objectives.Although sales of electric vehicles are accelerating,it may not be clear that purchasing an electric vehicle is advantageous from an economic or environmental perspective.A technoeconomic analysis of electric vehicles comparing them against hybrids,gasoline and diesel vehicles is presented.The results show that the complexity of electrical power supply,infrastructure requirements and full life cycle concerns show that electric vehicles have a place in the future but that ongoing improvements will be required for them to be clearly the best choice for a given situation.