People's Perceptions and Coping Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological-Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh.

By emphasizing the Terror Management Theory, this study investigated the participants' perceptions, psychological experiences, coping strategies, and behavioral changes during the pandemic in Bangladesh in two phases: first, after the pandemic's immediate outbreak, and second, after 3 months of the pandemic (daily infection cases were very high). To perform the research, an empirical-phenomenological method was used. Findings indicate that at the first stage, participants' death phobia was extremely high, and poor medical facilities, religious struggles, imprudent behavior of others, concerns for family members, and a tendency to compare the socioeconomic status with other developed countries affected participants' emotions severely. Later on, participants' perceptions of the disease changed significantly. This study highlights that people's behavior varies depending on whether the thought of death is in the center or on the periphery of their attention. In both stages, religious faith and rituals played a crucial role in coping with the crisis situation.

Work-Life Balance, Job Satisfaction, and Job Performance of SMEs Employees: The Moderating Role of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors.

Even though studies on work-life balance and family-supportive supervisor behaviors are prevalent, there are few studies in the SME setting, and the implications are yet unexplained. Thus, the study examines the effect of work-life balance on the performance of employees in SMEs, along with the mediating role of job satisfaction and the moderating role of family-supportive supervisor behaviors. We have developed a conceptually mediated-moderated model for the nexus of work-life balance and job performance. We collected data from SMEs and employed SEM-PLS to test the research hypothesis and model. Empirical results demonstrate that work-life balance positively influences job satisfaction and performance. Our empirical findings also revealed that job satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between work-life balance and job performance. We also found that when FSSB interacts with work-life balance and job satisfaction, it moderates the relationship between work-life balance and job performance and job satisfaction and job performance. Hence, our findings provide exciting and valuable insights for research and practice.

Predicting the Willingness and Purchase of Travel Insurance During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study explored the willingness and purchase of travel insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic amongst working adults to ensure their safety and welfare through the lens of the theory of planned behavior. Primary data were gathered from 1,118 working adults across Malaysia and analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling. The study outcomes revealed that attitude toward travel insurance was significantly influenced by insurance literacy, perceived health risk, and health consciousness. The willingness of working adults to purchase travel insurance was highly influenced by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral controls but unaffected by perceived product risks. The purchase of travel insurance was positively influenced by the willingness to purchase travel insurance. In fact, travel insurance literacy and perceived health risk should be emphasized amongst working adults to encourage them to purchase travel insurance policies for traveling abroad.

Does the relationship marketing orientation of an entrepreneur support agency improve performance? Evidence from small- and medium-size enterprises in Malaysia.

Entrepreneur support agencies are highly important in the development of small-and medium-size businesses of entrepreneurs. There are a number of studies on support agencies, but studies on entrepreneurial performance from the perspective of a relationship marketing orientation (RMO) between support agencies and entrepreneurs are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the hypothesized relationships between the RMO of an entrepreneur support agency and the financial and nonfinancial performances of small- and medium-size entrepreneurs (SMEs). A total of 276 valid SMEs survey responses based on purposive sampling were collected and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings indicate that trust and reciprocity are the significant factors to financial performance of SMEs. Meanwhile, trust, communication, empathy, and reciprocity indicate a significant positive relationship with nonfinancial performance of SMEs. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to provide an interesting avenue to understand the relationship between an entrepreneur support agency and entrepreneurs to work on synergistic relationship approaches in order to remain sustainable in the market. This study has also drawn specific implications for SMEs and government agencies for entrepreneur and policy planning to coordinate appropriate entrepreneurship development programs and strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem.