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This study aims to examine the relationship between the risk-aversion level of return policies and customer trust in online shopping in three countries in the Middle East.

In the first step, the different types of return policies of online shoppers and the risk-aversion level were determined by surveying 18 online shops and interviewing 21 customers. The risk-aversion level of these policies was found in the experts’ panel. In the second step, the experiences of 573 consumers when facing seller’s return messages, perceived risk and consumer trust in three countries (UAE, Iraq and Iran) were collected through a questionnaire. Finally, the gathered data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The results indicated that risk-averse return policies taken by online vendors led to lower consumer trust. Moreover, customer perceived risk mediated the relationship between return policies’ risk-aversion level and trust in Iraq and Iran. At the same time, there was no significant association between return policies and perceived risk in UAE. In addition, perceived risk wholly mediated the relationship between return policies’ risk aversion and trust in vendors in Iran, but this role was minor in Iraq.

Among the intercultural studies, especially in the Middle East, this is one of the first studies based on the marketing and sales management in an online shopper’s supply chain. Moreover, the investigation of return policies in online commerce is another innovative aspect of the present paper.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the adoption of cloud computing as a digital technology by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and assess its impact on sustainability of such enterprises.

A model was developed that featured factors influencing SMEs sustainability. Primary quantitative data was gathered using a survey as an instrument. Total set of n = 387 responses were gathered using a convenience sampling method.

Findings reveal that cost reduction, ease of use, reliability and sharing and collaboration factors have significant statistical impacts on SMEs sustainability, whereas privacy and security factor has no significant statistical on SMEs sustainability.

The study poses significant implications on managers and SME development authority to create an inductive environment for technological support for SMEs’ sustainability.

The study enhances SMEs’ performance and sustainability by upgrading their existing information and communications technology as a digital infrastructure and benefiting from novel IT-based cloud revolution. Several studies have provided an understanding of the use of cloud computing services in SMEs but lack enough information about the challenges and impact on SMEs sustainability.

This chapter offers a preliminary investigation into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumer purchasing behaviour within the grocery retail industry and supports evidence that since the pandemic began at the end of 2019, there have been changes in the demands and behaviours of consumers (Donthu & Gustafsson, 2020). Previous research has reported that the pandemic resulted in retail consumers spending less and saving more (Jorda, Singh, & Taylor, 2020), as well as panic buying (Nazir, 2021), both of which initially contributed to the limited availability of goods. This preliminary study reports upon survey data collected from retail consumers and answers the question ‘What were the changes in consumer behaviour in the grocery sector as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?’ Findings reveal that an increase in online shopping occurred more distinctly during the first of the UK’s lockdowns, which waned over time. Findings also reveal a lower shopping frequency, but higher shopping spends during lockdown, and that social distancing and discipline were key drivers of this behaviour change. Findings also reveal an intention to maintain a combination of new and old shopping behaviours and habits after lockdown, giving rise to the continuing importance of meeting consumers’ grocery needs online as well as in-store. This chapter further discusses the implications arising from the reported findings.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on cities have transformed the lives of urban societies across the globe. One of such effects has been the redefinition of access and urban mobility patterns, exposing divides and inequalities along the lines of class, gender and social positions. In Latin America, long-term lockdowns and widespread containment-oriented restrictions have deepened already acute conditions of poverty and deprivation. Low-income and socially vulnerable households and individuals in countries such as Colombia find themselves unable, or in a disadvantaged position, to work from home, access goods and services securely and avoid transport modes that increase exposure to contagion. This chapter examines inequalities in urban mobility and access to essential opportunities in urban settings in Colombia, through data collected from 3,900 respondents to a web survey organised during the national lockdown in the country in April 2020. The chapter presents a Latent Class Analysis model exploring how intersecting differences in class, gender, ethnicity, age and other relevant socioeconomic characteristics, influence the degree of adaptability and capacity to adapt to the challenging conditions posed by COVID-19 for physical travel and carrying out everyday activities. Building on three distinct classes of mobility and access-related conditions, the chapter reflects on structural inequalities associated with Colombian cities’ urban form, functional and productive structures and its wide social gaps. The chapter builds on empirical findings to reflect on urban policy and discuss avenues for addressing social and spatial inequalities worsened by the pandemic.

COVID-19 has been the subject of a number of inquiries recently. All country's capital market practices have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Economic woes, along with the stock market crash, have hit emerging markets and developing economies in a variety of directions.

This study is an attempt to focus on the Indian economy to provide the gist of the situation and recovery mode of an economy with the help of growth indicators of the economy.

This study is based on secondary data. The researchers applied some econometric tools, viz, unit root test Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF), Panel Granger Causality, and Panel ARDL Bound Test were applied to examine the relationship of economic indicators and stock market benchmark in two periods: March 2020–June 2021 (during period) and July 2021 to March 2022 (post period).

The findings of this study explored the different causal relationships for the selected variables in both periods. The study discussed the reasons for ARDL (Auto Regressive Distributed Lag) bound for all selected factors. The study revealed the story of crude oil prices and Gold as trusted investment avenues during the crises.

As we know, the capital market's backlash is reflected in movements in stock prices and stock exchange volume, which are concerned with the economic effects of the pandemic and urged the segment to react. Investors can use the information in the event to make investment decisions.

The purpose of this review is to summarize existing literature on the causes and impacts of the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic on people and businesses, and to propose a conceptual framework for the global economic recovery. The study used existing most recent empirical literature from available for exploring of the magnitude causes and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the people and business and summarized the way of the world economic system. The review study uncovered that people and businesses are suffering from vulnerability scenarios that have causes and effects on current macroeconomic and microeconomic indicators. In addition, microeconomic indicators have affected in the categories of unemployed who are soaring, lowering incomes, increasing health spending, household spending, low productivity, mental stress, decreased consumption, social imbalance, collapsing commodity prices and so on. Nevertheless, macroeconomic indicators have affected in the categories of the global financial crisis, supply and demand, capital market volatility, disruption of fiscal policy, monetary policy, aviation industry, international tourism and hospitality, world trade, and high unemployment. The present study concluded that all government and non-government agencies have to play a major and mature role not only in developing of right policies and laws but also in ensuring practices and coordination as well as increase public and business awareness accordingly. The study summarized strategic and policy guideline for the recovery of the global economy by strengthening the health care system, commodity market volatility fix-up, financial market restructuring, resumption of manufacturing and economic activity, special care for micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises, mitigate the unemployment problem, recovery package for tourism, hospitality and aviation sector, strengthening the global supply chain network, impacts on global immigration and remittance issues and develop sustainable development framework accordingly for recovery of the world economy.

The present study aims to identify and evaluate the socioeconomic barriers to effective COVID-19 pandemic transmission control in Pakistan.

The study identifies multiple socio-economic barriers through an extensive literature review. The preliminary analysis unveiled 15 socio-economic barriers. Nine experts were contacted to collect data and finalize the most prominent barriers to COVID-19 transmission control using the DELPHI method. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method was used to process and interpret the data collected and a cause–effect relationship was established among the barriers.

The finalized barriers to effective COVID-19 pandemic transmission control were evaluated using DEMATEL which grouped criteria into two grouped criteria – cause and effect. The DEMATEL analysis shows that poor safety culture, lack of strategy and goal setting, lack of resources, late realization and recognition of the pandemic problem and lack of expertise and capacity in disaster and risk management fall into the cause group. These factors are critical as they directly affect the remaining barriers identified in the study.

Despite the collective global efforts, the national economies have been struggling to completely control COVID-19 transmission control. Pakistan’s economy has been facing the third wave of the pandemic. It is mandatory to identify the barriers and evaluate them to develop a comprehensive strategy ensuring that there would be no fourth wave. The study identifies and evaluates the barriers to COVID-19 transmission control in Pakistan using the integrated DELPHI-DEMATEL framework. The findings would help the government, experts and strategists to develop a comprehensive disaster and risk management strategy.

This paper aims to examine and assess the sodium content in various pre-packed bread products marketed in three cities, Muscat, Morgantown (West Virginia) and Stockholm, and in combination with spread products. It also aims to investigate the pattern of public consumption of bread in Muscat.

A random cross-sectional investigation was followed. This study used the nutrition panel of selected bread and spread products to record sodium content and a close-ended questionnaire.

The mean sodium content in 100 g of bread marketed in Muscat was significantly lower than that in Morgantown (p < 0.001) and Stockholm (p < 0.022). The intake of 100 g of any bread type with 40 g of cheese spread will offer more than 20 per cent of the recommended daily intake of sodium, which poses a health risk upon frequent consumption. Results from the survey conducted in Muscat showed that most of the people consume bread in breakfast and the average amount of bread consumed per day was reported to be 100 g. Only 74.9 per cent of the participants knew that salt is added in the making of bread.

This research is of a value to food policymakers in relation to the use of salt (sodium) in bread. Sodium content in bread products varied significantly in the selected markets. Daily consumption of bread with cheese spreads should be either reduced or avoided by children because of high sodium content. Average intake of 100 g bread per day by participants in the survey is an indicator of a reduced exposure to sodium.