Assessing vulnerability of informal floating workers in Bangladesh before and during COVID-19 pandemic: a multi-method analysis

Effectiveness of emergency food assistance programs during COVID-19 at Union Parishad: Mediating role of political neutrality

Union Parishads (UPs) launched Emergency Food Assistance Programmes (EFAPs) in Bangladesh to address food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its importance, EFAP had resource shortages, logistical barriers, and potential gaps in coverage. This study evaluates the critical factors of EFAP's contribution to food insecurity, including governance practices, political dynamics, and operational capabilities. A cross-sectional survey and mixed- method analysis was performed, encompassing beneficiaries and officials, to examine the distribution process, governance frameworks, and the significance of political neutrality. The findings reveal that governance_EFAP (β= 0.080, p < 0.05), distributive__EFAP (β = 0.084, p < 0.05), and crisisMgt_EFAP (β= 0.30, p < 0.05) significantly enhance EFAP effectiveness, while political bias negatively affects impartiality and efficiency. Political neutrality (pol_neu) (R² = 0.88) mediates the relationship between equity in distribution and the effectiveness of EFAPs. The study is innovative in examining how political neutrality mediates the success of EFAPs during the COVID-19 epidemic, notably UPs in Bangladesh. It provides unique insights into governance, equity, political dynamics, and evidence-based disaster relief distribution suggestions for local governments, international development organizations, and humanitarian agencies. The study suggests capacity-building for UP officials, accountability, and political neutrality in aid distribution to improve governance frameworks are crucial for addressing food insecurity in future crisis response. With its cross-sectional approach, this research cannot assess EFAPs' long-term effects. Its application may be limited because it solely examines UP governance. Longitudinal research across various administrative settings among multiple countries could determine the efficacy of the EFAP.

Purchasing challenges in times of COVID-19: resilience practices to mitigate disruptions in the health-care supply chain

Purpose

This study aims to identify supply chain (SC) management practices applied to purchasing capable of improving the resilience of the health-care SC and mitigating the effects of material and service disruption during pandemics.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach adopted is qualitative and is based on a systematic literature review from the ScienceDirect, Emerald, Wiley and Web of Science databases. After selecting 705 documents, filters are applied, and 52 articles present problems faced by purchasing the health-care SC during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Findings

This article suggests five propositions of resilient practices that can increase purchasing resilience in the face of pandemics such as COVID-19. The proposed practices are collaboration, flexibility, visibility, agility and information sharing, which suggest a sequence for the adoption of management practices based on the number of occurrences and importance found in the analysed studies.

Research limitations/implications

This study does not find robust empirical evidence that could categorically state that the results can be replicated in organisations in general. Thus, as a continuation of research, more studies should use an empirical methodology and case analysis to organise different branches. As the human factor was decisive for the results observed in the literature, future research should dedicate part of the studies to the psychological area of professionals. Actions to combat the pandemic were implemented, impacting positively and negatively on the results obtained. Future research on combat actions could indicate which ones should be avoided.

Practical implications

As a result, disruptions are expected to be reduced, and consequently, the resilience of the SC will increase. Accordingly, purchasing processes and procedures can be redefined to positively influence the resilience of the health-care SC. Resilience is related to maintaining the flow of supply, as well as systems and actions aimed at mitigating the effects of disruptions in the hospital’s core business.

Social implications

Health systems need to respond to society’s needs even in the face of global crises, such as the one faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The overload in hospitals and the exponential demand for specific medicines and services in the fight against the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic require enormous coordination in procurement by the purchasing sector. This planning aims to ensure that the care provided by health services maintains the flow of value that serves hospitalised patients.

Originality/value

This study introduces a new approach to the recurrent problem of disruption of the health-care SC during a pandemic using a combination of five important management practices. This proves useful for mitigating disruptions and their effects on the health-care SC.

Supply chain integration and firm performance in the COVID-19 era: the mediating role of resilience and robustness

Purpose

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the most impactful disruptions which has imposed high levels of uncertainty on supply chains around the world. Supply chain integration (SCI) is highly recommended as an underlying mechanism that can facilitate the development of resilience and robustness as two dynamic capabilities. They can in turn positively influence firm performance and success during the disruptive conditions of COVID-19 era. The study aims to examine whether SCI as an enabler of resilience and robustness can improve firm performance during COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model is developed to elaborate the relationship between SCI dimensions, resilience and robustness and firm’s operational and financial performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey method is then used to empirically examine the model using a sample of 94 companies in the food industry in the province of Tehran, Iran, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study makes several contributions. It provides a novel theoretical model on the relationship between SCI, resilience and robustness and firm performance and tests this model in a less-studied yet critical context (i.e. Iranian food industry) and during a disruptive era (i.e. COVID-19 pandemic).

Findings

The results support the positive effect of three SCI dimensions of internal, product and process integration on operational and financial performance during corona virus pandemic. Furthermore, internal and process integration have positive effects on resilience. Internal, product and process integration have positive effects on robustness. In addition, resilience mediates the effects of internal and product integration on both operational and financial performance, whereas robustness mediates the effect of internal and product integration on financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in the Province of Tehran. To test and generalize the results, it is recommended to conduct this study in other places and countries.

Originality/value

These results highlight the importance of SCI dimensions as vital enablers of resilience and robustness and their consequent impact on firm’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitality and COVID-19: a willingness to choose e-consultation owing to unemployment and home isolation

Purpose

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was declared as a pandemic since COVID-19's widespread outbreak and the hospitality industry has been the hardest hit due to lockdown. Consequently, hospitality workers are suffering from the negative aspects of mental health. In the event of such a crisis, this study aims to explore the link between unemployment and home isolation to the willingness to choose electronic consultation (e-consultation) by exploiting psychological ill-being and behavioural intention (BI) with marital status as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative methodology is applied to primary data collected from 310 workers from the hospitality industry through an online survey.

Findings

Findings of this study suggest that the usage of the e-consultation service can be adopted using three levels. There are valid reasons to conclude unemployment and home isolation are linked to higher rates of psychological health behaviours, which can result in stigma, loss of self-worth and increased mortality. The adverse effect is higher for single individuals than for married people.

Originality/value

The study focussed on e-consultation, BI coupled with the Fishbein scale and a classification model for the prediction of willingness to choose e-consultation with the extension of Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB).

Procurement system for resilient supply chain amid the COVID-19 pandemic: systematic literature review

Purpose

This study aims to provide a rich learning opportunity from COVID-19 crisis for making resilient supply chain by adopting new strategies for the procurement system.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review has been conducted from the year 2012 to 2022 with the objective of developing procurement system for resilient supply chain. Fifty-four research papers are selected for this study.

Findings

The study exhibits that procurement function makes a significant contribution in creating supply chain resilience in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 emergency has enforced companies to operate in new ways to face supply chain disruptions. The new strategies and actions appropriate for resilient procurement system have been identified.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to the papers that were indexed in the Scopus database. It has also been limited to the procurement function and supply chain resilience.

Practical implications

This research highlights strategies for supply chain resilience to improve the business performance in COVID-19 or similar types of crisis.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is to identify the strategies and new practices followed in procurement function to improve the supply chain resilience. This study suggests directions for future research on the integration of procurement and manufacturing for making resilience in the supply chain.

Towards measuring SMEs performance amid the COVID-19 outbreak: exploring the impact of integrated supply chain drivers

Purpose

This study aims to explore supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in Oman. This study analyzes the impact on selected supply chain drivers – facilities, inventory, transportation and sourcing. It further intends to explore whether the supply chain challenges faced by the SME sector in Oman impact their overall performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study follows the quantitative technique of structural equation modeling to examine the proposed hypotheses. Data were collected electronically from SME managers/owners/entrepreneurs. All items were adopted and measured using a five-point Likert scale. One hundred and four complete and usable responses were received and considered.

Findings

The data was analyzed using SPSS and PLS statistical software. The model has been supported empirically, and the results showed a significant relationship between supply chain drivers and SMEs’ overall performance in Oman, except for supply chain inventory. The results have demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the SMEs’ supply chain drivers in Oman and, consequently, their overall performance.

Practical implications

The results of this research can drive the development and implementation of a supply chain management strategy. This research will help policymakers induce the performance of SMEs affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It would further enhance strategic sourcing and supplier performance considering the developed practices associated with the resource-based view.

Originality/value

The originality of the current study lies in its ability to empirically test two models within the Omani SMEs context while considering the supply chain drivers as a single variable or dividing it into four separate independent variables. This study would provide a preview for scholars for such empirical investigation and serve as a reference for policymakers and practitioners to maintain a management system of crises that may protect the SME supply chain drivers.

Assessing the influence of COVID-19 protocol on online health information seeking intention of athletes in India

Purpose

The Internet is used as a tool to seek health information by individuals. Mental health concerns are the high prevalence of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and preventive steps are required to curb the illness. Therefore, to gain more insight into health concerns, it is now a common practice to seek health information on the Internet. This study propose an integrated theoretical model to explore the relationship between COVID-19 protocols and perceived online trust with online health information seeking intention (OHISI) and a moderating effect of perceived severity and perceived urgency.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected from 325 athletes in the category of individual and team sports through an online survey in a Likert-scale questionnaire. The analysis is performed with a quantitative methodology.

Findings

The study reveals the bright side of online health information (OHI), which brings athletes together and has played out with virtual happy hours, meetings and events. The bright side of OHI reflects social, cultural, technological and economic benefits. An OHI chatbot offers bright personalised side information to the individual seeker, which is more convenient and efficient than human capabilities.

Originality/value

The pivotal contribution is the integrated theoretical framework that is derived from multidisciplinary literature to capture the complexity of OHI. Also, it conceptualises the constructs in the context of OHI and COVID-19.

P, Rao KV. Post-COVID-19 strategic sourcing decisions for escorting stakeholders’ expectations and supplier performance in construction project works

Purpose

The occurrence of COVID-19 has impacted the wide-reaching dimensions of manufacturing, materials, procurement, management, etc., and has loaded disruptions in the wide range of supply chain (SC) activities. The impact of COVID-19 has twisted supplier performance and influenced stakeholders’ thinking towards selecting supplier sources and making strategic sourcing decision for convinced arrangement of construction management (CM) resources. Nowadays, suppliers are intently evaluated by stakeholders in post-COVID-19 phase to induce agile availability of CM resources. Accordingly, this paper aims to demonstrate competent CM dimensions under post COVID-19 scenario for ease managing construction projects by the stakeholders.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have implicated Grey Sets Theory along with decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique for understanding significant outcomes. Varieties of diverse decision aspects responsible for strategically influencing supplier sourcing decision is projected under post COVID-19 scenario for handling construction projects by the stakeholders.

Findings

This study investigated sustainable construction management dimensions (SCMD) at the stage of resource deliveries and client aspirations under post COVID-19 situation. The study demonstrated “Lead time” as the most crucial, “Product Range” as the second and “Customers dealings and relationship” as the third crucial aspect considering by the stakeholders for selecting supplier sources based on the attainment of performance score of 0.1338, 0.1273 and 0.1268, respectively. It is found that high lead time stimulates the stakeholders to divert their orders to other competent supplier sources holding a low degree of lead time as compared.

Research limitations/implications

The present study rollovers its existence by serving critical thinking, conceptual modelling, criteria identification and evaluation under CM domain for drafting effectual strategies by the suppliers. The study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on stakeholders’ decision-making and enlisted SCMD that strategically stimulated them in choosing supplier sourcing decision.

Originality/value

The present study realizes the insights of stakeholders in the post COVID-19 scenario related to the supplier sources based on performance score. The study quantified sustainable supplier attribute for construction work and practices. The study analysed the expectations of the stakeholders purchasing different varieties of construction materials from supplier sources for civil works in the post COVID-19 scenario.

Mapping the key challenges and managing the opportunities in supply chain distribution during COVID-19: a case of Myanmar pharmaceutical company

Purpose

This study aims to present a study on the supply chain process of a Myanmar-based pharmaceutical company (named ABC Pvt. Ltd. in this study) that produces pharmaceutical products across Myanmar and aims of bringing quality medical products and best care for Myanmar people’s health. The study aims to identify the key supply chain challenges and manage the opportunities executed by this pharmaceutical company to improve the supply chain process during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Design/methodology/approach

This work used a case study and conducted semistructured interviews with the manager, senior managers and senior staff of the ABC Company to improve the supply chain process and develop a comprehensive structural relationship to rank them to streamline the uncertainties, real-time information and agility in a digital supply chain using grey relational analysis (GRA) method.

Findings

From the data analysis and results, “Impact of political factor,” “Delay in import process” and “Weak internet connection,” and “Weak knowledge of the use of digital platform,” “Poor information sharing in online by employees” and “Information flow from top management to operational level” have been identified as top and bottom three key challenges, respectively. “Inventory management,” “Selection of transport method” and “Operational cost”, and “Marketing and brand Innovation,” “Online delivery of products” and “E-commerce enablement (Launching applications, tracking system)” are identified as the top and bottom three managing the opportunities, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study help to supply chain decision-makers of the company in their establishment of key challenges and opportunities during the COVID-19 era. As a leading company, it always tries to add value to its product through a supply chain system, effective management teams and working with skillful decision-making toward satisfying the demand on time and monitoring the supplier performance.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is to identify the key supply chain challenges and opportunities by the GRA method to rank them, considering the case of Myanmar pharmaceutical manufacturing company as a case-based approach to measuring its performance during the COVID-19 outbreak era. This work will assist managers and practitioners help to the company to provide optimal services to its consumers on time in this critical situation.

The production and distribution of face masks to other countries: a strategic approach of Taiwan during COVID-19 outbreak

Purpose

COVID-19 pandemic has exposed that even the best of the developed nations have surrendered to the devastations imposed on the global supply chains. The purpose of this study is to explore how COVID-19 has exaggerated the supply chain of production and distribution of Taiwan-based face masks and also investigate the conscientious factors and subfactors for it.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, an analytical hierarchy processes (AHP)-based approach has been used to assign the criterion weights and to prioritize the responsible factors. Initially, based on 26 decision-makers, successful factors were categorized into five main categories, and then main categories and their subcategories factors were prioritized through individual and group decision-maker’s contexts by using the AHP approach.

Findings

The results of this AHP model suggest that “Safety” is the most important and top-ranked factor, followed by production, price, work environment and distribution. The key informers in this study are stakeholders which consist of managers, volunteers, associations and non-governmental organizations. The results showed that good behavior of the employees under the “Safety” category is the top positioned responsible factor for successful production and distribution of face masks to the other countries with the highest global percentage of 15.7% and using sanitizers to protect health is the second most successful factor with the global percentage of 11.7%.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations faced in this study were limited to only Taiwan-based mask manufacturing companies, and it was dependent on the decisions of the limited company’s decision-makers.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is that the empirical analysis of this study has been based on a successful Taiwan masks manufacturing company and evaluates the responsible factors for the production and distribution of Taiwan masks to other countries during COVID-19.

Building resilience in retail supply chains: Lessons learned from COVID-19 and future pathways

Purpose

This study explores the countermeasures taken by retailers to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on supply chain disruptions.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a multiple case study approach and undertakes 36 semi-structured interviews with senior management of the four largest retailers of the United Arab Emirates. The respondents were designated at different positions such as Vice President, Director and Project Manager.

Findings

Results reveal that retailers are employing six countermeasures to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on supply chains. Particularly, retailers are securing required demand, preserving cash flows, redirecting inventory, adding capacity to their distribution centres, becoming more flexible with their direct or third-party logistics provider and finally widening delivery options for their suppliers to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations. First, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a broader population as it attempts to build an initial theory. Second, this study uses a cross-sectional approach to explore the countermeasures employed by retailing firms to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.

Originality/value

A notable weakness in a supply chain disruption literature is an unfulfilled need for research examining the strategies employed by retailers to respond to/address the challenges posed by COVID-19. Our study fills this gap.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Female Workers’ Social Sustainability in Global Supply Chains

This review article investigates the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on female workers in the global supply chain context. To this end, we reviewed and critically examined emerging scholarly literature as well as policy documents and reports published by international development organizations concerning female workers’ social sustainability, livelihood, and health and wellbeing issues in global supply chain operations. Thus, this article focuses on female workers’ issues in emerging and developing economies where the ongoing pandemic continues to devastate and create multidimensional social and economic challenges for the wellbeing and social sustainability of female workers. Our analysis suggests that female workers are facing serious socioeconomic challenges that continue to affect their wellbeing, mental health, and livelihoods. Accordingly, it is imperative that international development organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), trade associations, governments, and most importantly the corporate sector not only consider individual responsibility for promoting female workforce social sustainability in global supply chains but also actively collaborate to address pressing social sustainability issues vis à vis female workers. Building on these findings, the implications for future research, practice, and policies are discussed.

Supply chain resilience during the COVID-19: empirical evidence from an emerging economy

Purpose

Although the advances in the supply chain resilience (SCR) literature, there is a critical gap concerning this understanding in a high disruption context, such as in the case of the COVID-19. This paper aims to investigate some dimensions (agility, robustness, disruption orientation and resource reconfiguration) of the SCR during this unprecedented disruption in the Brazilian supply chain context.

Design/methodology/approach

Supported by the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities and the SCR literature, we developed a model, which in turn was analyzed and validated by partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results revealed that while resource reconfiguration and supply chain disruption orientation positively affect SCR, we found a non-significant effect of supply chain robustness and agility.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that in a considerable disruption scenario, managers with their supply chain operations in emerging economies should prioritize the development of resources to support the disruption orientation and manage the scarce resources adequately by reconfiguring them.

Originality/value

Our study is one of the first that reported the dynamics of the SCR dimensions in an emerging economy during the COVID-19.