Front-line hotel employees mental health and quality of life post COVID-19 pandemic: The role of coping strategies.

The tourism business has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in economic and job losses due to travel restrictions and lockdown measures. Among those most impacted are tourism employees, who have experienced job insecurity, financial difficulties, and increased work-related stress. The pandemic has also produced a significant negative effect on both mental health and quality of life (QOL) of these employees, leading to high levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. This study aims to assess the impacts of three coping strategies (problem-focused, social support, and avoidance) on the mental health and quality of life of front-line hotel employees. Data were collected from 700 participants and analyzed using SPSS version 25 and structural equation modeling (SEM) and AMOS program version 24. Our study found that social support and problem-solving coping strategies were effective in mitigating the negative impacts of stress, depression, and anxiety, while avoidance coping strategy did not have a significant impact. The mental health consequences of stress, depression, and anxiety were found to reduce the quality of life of hotel employees. The study highlights the significance of developing and implementing effective coping strategies to support the mental health and well-being of tourism employees. The findings suggest that organizations should provide resources and support to address the mental health needs of their employees.

The Impact of Social Loafing on Turnover Intention for Tourism Employees Post COVID-19: The Mediating Role of Mental Health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread changes in the way that people work, including an increase in remote work and changes in group dynamics. Social loafing, the phenomenon of reduced individual effort in group settings, has been widely studied in the literature. However, less is known about the potential impacts of social loafing on mental health and turnover intention in this relationship. In this study, we hypothesized that social loafing would be related to turnover intention and that mental health would mediate this relationship. To test these hypotheses, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 700 full-time tourism employees in Egypt. The obtained data were analyzed by Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Our results indicated that social loafing was significantly related to turnover intention and negative mental health consequences significantly mediated this relationship. The results showed that stress (as a dimension of mental health) experienced by employees may act as a mediator between social loafing and turnover intention. On the other hand, depression and anxiety were not observed to have a similar mediating effect. This implies that stress could play a vital role in the decision-making process of employees who are contemplating leaving their job due to social loafing. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing social loafing may have the added benefit of improving mental health and decreasing turnover intention in the workplace.

The Impact of Gender on the Link between Personality Traits and Entrepreneurial Intention: Implications for Sustainable Agriculture

The purpose of this study is to test the moderating effect of gender on the relationship between the Big Five personality traits of agriculture and food science senior students and their entrepreneurial intention. For this purpose, the study employed an online survey, which was directed to senior students in the agriculture and food science program at four public universities in Saudi Arabia. Out of the 450 forms distributed, 410 provided usable responses for analysis. This process yielded an answer ratio of 91%. The findings of PLS-SEM showed that the Big Five personality traits have a significant positive influence on students' intent toward entrepreneurship, except for neuroticism, which was found to have a negative but insignificant influence. The results of moderating effect analysis showed no significant moderating influences of gender on the link between two traits, i.e., agreeableness and neuroticism and entrepreneurship intention. On the other side, gender was found to have a significant moderating role in the relationship between the four other traits, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experiences, and entrepreneurial intention. Male students have a more moderating influence in relation to extraversion and conscientiousness than females do on entrepreneurial intention, whereas female students have a more moderating influence regarding openness to experiences than males on entrepreneurship intention. The results confirm that to ensure a sustainable agriculture ecosystem, each gender should receive appropriate development programs to strengthen their personal traits to stimulate entrepreneurial intention.

Mental Health of Tourism Employees Post COVID-19 Pandemic: A Test of Antecedents and Moderators.

Many people are experiencing a lack of confidence in the security of their employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly employees in the tourism sector, which has caused adverse effects on their mental health. These adverse effects involve the management of stress, anxiety and depression, that may arise from the demands of the industry. However, few studies have explored how insecurity in the workplace and financial pressure from families affects mental health and can intervene in these relationships. In this study, the aim was to investigate job insecurity as an antecedent of employees' mental health and family financial pressures as a moderator using a sample of 475 hotel and travel industry employees. The theoretical background of the study was built upon the theories of resource conservation and effort-reward imbalance. The participants completed an online survey that measured job insecurity, family financial pressure, depression, anxiety, and stress. The collected data were subjected to PLS-SEM data analysis. The findings of this study reveal that job insecurity had a significant influence on depression, anxiety, and stress among tourism employees, and family financial pressure worsened the negative consequences of job insecurity on mental health. This research highlights the significance of addressing the mental health of employees in the tourism sector after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the crucial role played by family financial pressures. The findings of this study highlight the importance of addressing job insecurity in the tourism industry and its impact on employees' mental health. This could involve implementing policies and practices that enhance job security, such as providing more stable work schedules, better benefits packages, and greater opportunities for professional development. The results also underscore the need to take into account the role of family financial pressure in moderating the impact of job insecurity on mental health. Practitioners and policymakers in the tourism industry should consider ways to alleviate financial pressure on employees and their families, such as offering assistance programs, flexible work arrangements, and supportive company policies.

Post-COVID-19 Family Micro-Business Resources and Agritourism Performance: A Two-Mediated Moderated Quantitative-Based Model with a PLS-SEM Data Analysis Method

The global spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a devastating impact on thousands of small businesses. Many businesspeople, especially those who own and run micro-businesses, have been hampered by the unprecedented scale of the lockdown of social activities and the restrictions placed on their freedom of movement. The reciprocity process between small rural businesses and residents is ultimately in the interest of improving agrotourism performance. Integrating the non-zero-sum games theory and the social exchange theory, this study aims to achieve the following: (1) testing the relationship between family micro-businesses resources and agritourism performance;(2) examining the impact of two mediating variables (resident-micro-business interaction and support for agritourism development);and (3) testing the intervention of one moderating variable (personal resident benefit) on the tested relationships. Dyads data was collected from 293 residents/family small businesses operators. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with the SmartPLS program was employed to analyze the collected data. Family micro-business resources were found to have a positive and significant impact on agritourism performance, moreover, resident-micro-business interaction and support for agritourism development were found to partially mediate the relationship between family micro-business resources and agritourism performance, and the personal resident benefit significantly moderated the relationship between family micro-business resources and resident-micro-business interaction. Several implications for academics and policymakers were elaborated. The limitations and further study opportunities were also discussed.

Educators' Utilizing One-Stop Mobile Learning Approach amid Global Health Emergencies: Do Technology Acceptance Determinants Matter?

In July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency;in the future, this may cause the closure of higher education institutions and a shift toward digital learning. As before, specifically in March 2020, the WHO expressed that COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic. This transformation was accompanied by the widespread adoption of mobiles and their applications in learning with organised or non-organised forms. Although many articles have recorded the importance and effectiveness of mobile learning in higher education, other articles have indicated the weak utilisation of mobile learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, especially by university educators (UEs). In addition, these articles often focus on the opportunities, challenges, and weaknesses of mobile learning amid COVID-19, but few studies have handled the acceptance of the UEs to adopt a mobile learning approach amid COVID-19 by the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). This article's main contribution is extending the (UTAUT) model in context and reviewing the acceptance of the adoption of mobiles and their applications in education as an approach amid global health emergencies, i.e., COVID-19 and monkeypox. The data were gathered from university educators (N = 392) in Saudi Arabia. The hypotheses were evaluated with data that were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results demonstrated that six of the eight hypotheses had high and significant effects on behaviour intention (performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EF), social influence (SI), facilitating conditions (FC), self-efficacy (SE), and users' awareness (UA)). Two of the eight factors have insignificant or negative impacts on behaviour intention (users' perceptions (UP) and technology challenges (TC)), which need an additional review by policymakers, practitioners, mobile learning providers, and investigators looking to develop efficient strategies concerning mobile learning.

Examining Learning Experience and Satisfaction of Accounting Students in Higher Education before and amid COVID-19.

The widespread outbreak of the COVID-19 virus had substantial impacts on higher education, which turned into distance using virtual environments and electronic (e) learning platforms. There is a growing body of research on the effect of COVID-19 on students' education and e-learning experiences amid the pandemic. However, limited research was performed to assess the learning experience before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic among students in specific disciplines such as accounting. The current research compares accounting students' learning experience and satisfaction before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We distributed a pre-tested questionnaire online to students through our colleagues. The results of the SEM multi-group analysis with Amos indicated significant differences between students' experience before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a significant influence on their satisfaction. Accounting students were found to have more participation in learning, to receive proper support and motivation, and to have better assessment and feedback before than amid COVID-19. However, they had better access to information and learning resources and were able to construct knowledge amid the pandemic using e-learning than before the pandemic. Several implications from the findings are raised and discussed.

Before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Physical Fitness Association with Mental Health among Higher Education Students: A Multi-Group Analysis Model.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), created a significant problem people's health around the world. The mental and physical health of entire populations has been negatively impacted due to the introduction of several restriction methods. Maintaining a specific physical activity and fitness level is crucial given the pandemic situation. The connection between physical fitness and mental health has recently received growing attention. In contrast to the message from physiological research, which lauds the general benefits of fitness for physical health, the corresponding psychological literature reveals a more complex relationship. This paper outlines the research evidence, focusing on the relationship between physical fitness and depression, anxiety, and stress before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were obtained from 390 higher education students (measuring their perception before and during the pandemic). They were analyzed by a structural equation modeling multi-group analysis to detect the variance in the test relationship before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Theoretical and empirical implications are also discussed.

Learning from Failure: Building Resilience in Small- and Medium-Sized Tourism Enterprises, the Role of Servant Leadership and Transparent Communication

Understanding how small- and medium-sized enterprises develop and foster resilience in their employees is critical to better adapt to and recover from challenges. Yet, how such a process is conducted is not well-understood in literature. Integrating the literature from the social exchange theory and the disaster resilience framework, this research examines the effects of servant leadership (SL) and transparent communication (TC) on employees' capacity for resilience (learning from failure, hardiness, and optimism) and their adaptive performance during/post the COVID-19 crisis. A total of 880 employees in restaurants and travel agencies were surveyed. The results reveal that the effects of SL and TC on employees' adaptive performance was fully mediated by employees' capacity for resilience, specifically learning from failure.

Before and Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Self-Perception of Digital Skills in Saudi Arabia Higher Education: A Longitudinal Study.

Compatible with global sustainable development report, 2016 edition, and vision 2030, Saudi Arabia recognized the importance of technology in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper aims to measure the self-perception of digital skills among students in Saudi Arabia's higher education system to understand how they were influenced before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, we started a project to study the self-perception of digital skills among Saudi Arabia university students (group A). A total of 469 students participated in this research. The validity and reliability of the employed scale were tested with first-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The differences between the two groups (before and amid the pandemic) were tested through the Mann-Whitney U test. The results for group A (N = 232 students) showed a higher self-perception of their digital skills. In March 2020, amid the pandemic, Saudi Arabia closed and shifted to technology-based teaching like many other countries worldwide. After students' return to universities in 2021, an evaluation of how the students perceived their own digital skills was again conducted (group B). The results for group B (N = 237 students) demonstrated a lower level of confidence in their own digital abilities. Comparing two groups (A and B), after the educational course was administered, group A (prior to COVID-19) had greater self-perceptions of digital skills than group B (amid COVID-19). Students' perceptions of their own digital skills have been negatively impacted as a result of the pandemic situation caused by COVID-19. The collected evidence suggests that there is a difference, and that this difference is statistically significant. As a result of the substantial relationship between self-perception of digital skills and how students deal with reality based on their own self-perception, Saudi Arabia higher education ministry shifted teaching methods to be based on technology. Other significant findings and their implications for practice and theory were reported in this study. Finally, limitations and prospects for future research were also elaborated.

Dimensionality Analysis of Entrepreneurial Resilience amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparative Models with Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling

Several previous empirical research studies have defined and operationalized entrepreneurial resilience (ENTR-RISC) as either a construct with multiple dimensions or a construct with a single dimension. While only a few previous research studies have assessed some components of the presumed dimensionality of ENTR-RISC, no research has attempted to assess the dimensional structure of ENTR-RISC amid the COVID-19 pandemic using different alternative competing models. In order to acquire a deeper understanding of the dimensional characteristics of the ENTR-RISC construct, this research assessed its dimensionality by comparing existing models' goodness of fit (GoF), and the best model that fitted the data was further tested using various confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models (a second-order factor model, an oblique first-factor model, and a single-factor model) on quantitative data gathered from 590 SME entrepreneurs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The results of analyzing the tested models via structural equation modeling (SEM) and the AMOS program indicated that the ENTR-RISC construct has a multidimensional three-factor structure. Even though this research helps in the advancement of ENTR-RISC practice and theory, further research is required to test the dimensionality of ENTR-RISC in greater depth. The findings of this study may encourage further research on this topic and stimulate a much-needed discussion on the dimensional structure of the ENTR-RISC concept.

Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Entrepreneurial Resilience and Creative Performance with the Mediating Role of Institutional Orientation: A Quantitative Investigation Using Structural Equation Modeling

As a result of the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), thousands of small companies around the world have been severely disrupted. Many business professionals, particularly entrepreneurs, suffer from the unprecedented magnitude of the lockdown of social activities, which is combined with limits on individual mobility. This study investigates the resilience of entrepreneurs-which is characterized by hardiness, resourcefulness, and optimism-as well as the relationship between resilience and creative performance. Additionally, the mediating role of institutional orientation is investigated in order to highlight how contextual factors influence this relationship. Using a quantitative study approach and structural equation modeling data analysis technique, 390 entrepreneurs were investigated, and the analyzed data demonstrate that entrepreneurs' ability to persevere in the face of adversity is strongly related to their ability to innovate, with institutional orientation serving as a partial mediating variable. Implications and future research opportunities are also explored in the paper.

Influences of Distributive Injustice and Job Insecurity Amid COVID-19 on Unethical Pro-Organisational Behaviour: Mediating Role of Employee Turnover Intention.

Drawn on Social Exchange Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, this study developed a research model to examine the direct influence of job insecurity and distributive injustice, which were common in many hotels amid COVID-19, on unethical pro-organisation behaviour (UPoB) among hotel employees. The study also examines the mediating role of turnover intention in the relationship between job insecurity, and distributive injustice, which was result of the COVID-19 pandemic on UPoB. For this purpose, a questionnaire survey was self-dropped and collected through personal network to hotel employees in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. The results of structural equation modelling using AMOS (version 23) supported all the study hypotheses. The results showed a significant positive influence of distributive injustice and job insecurity on UPoB among hotel employees. Moreover, turnover intention was found to have a partial mediation role in the relationship between job insecurity, distributive injustice and UPoB. The results extend our understanding of Social Exchange Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory that employees in hotels are more likely to protect themselves and their job by engaging in UPoB if they perceived their job at threat due to a crisis, i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic. The major conclusion of current research is that when hotels employees perceived job insecurity and distributive injustice because of the pandemic, they responded with high turnover intention and as a last choice engaging in UPoB to save their resources, in this case their jobs, since they have no other alternatives outside the organisations. However, this inappropriate antisocial behaviour could have a negative influence on both employees and organisation at the long term. The results of current research have several theoretical implications for tourism scholars and managerial implication for hoteliers.

Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Social Media Usage and Food Waste Intention: The Role of Excessive Buying Behavior and Religiosity

Despite being a religious country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) ranks among the world's worst food wasters. Social media usage (SMU) and changes in customers' behavior, such as excessive buying, are some of the main influences of food waste. This paper examined the impact of SMU on food waste intention (FWI) with the mediating role of religiosity and excessive buying behavior amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 1250 restaurant customers in KSA. The study results employing structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated a significant negative impact of customer religion on the intention of food waste. Nevertheless, SMU fosters excessive buying, which in return results in a high FWI. The results also demonstrated that excessive buying behaviors partially mediate the influence of SMU and religiosity on the intention of food waste. The findings have numerous implications for policymakers, academics, and restaurant professionals.

An Unethical Organizational Behavior for the Sake of the Family: Perceived Risk of Job Insecurity, Family Motivation and Financial Pressures.

In organizations, unethical behaviors are pervasive and costly, and considerable recent research attention has been paid to various types of workplace unethical behavior. This study examines employees' behaviors that are carried out for the benefit of one's family but violate societal and organizational moral standards. Drawing upon the self-maintenance and bounded ethicality theories, this study examines the engagement of unethical organization behaviors (UOB) in the name of the family during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines the influence of job instability and the mediating role of family financial pressure and family motivation. A total of 770 employees in hotels and travel agents in Egypt were targeted, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results posit that perceived risk of job insecurity predicts engagement in unethical organizational behaviors, while intentions of UOB increase by high family motivation and financial pressures. Toward the end of this paper, a discussion on the theoretical and practical implications and are presented.

Positive Humor and Work Withdrawal Behaviors: The Role of Stress Coping Styles in the Hotel Industry Amid COVID-19 Pandemic.

Working in the hospitality industry is stressful due to the intensive workload and extended work hours; this stress has increased after the COVID-19 pandemic due to high levels of job insecurity, downsizing, and laying off procedures. Employees in the hotel industry can deal with stress positively by utilizing task-coping styles or negatively by emotion- and avoidance-coping styles. Building on the transactional theory of stress and coping, and the benign violation theory of humor, the current study explores the relationships between positive humor and work withdrawal behaviors with the mediating effects of coping styles. A total of 407 hotel employees participated, and the obtained data were analyzed by structural equation modeling with partial least squares (PLS). The results asserted that affiliative humor is able to reduce coping with stresses via the negative styles and to increase coping with stresses via the positive style. The results also demonstrated the ability of task-coping in reducing work withdrawal behavior. Significant insights into theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.

Unethical Organization Behavior: Antecedents and Consequences in the Tourism Industry

The entire tourism and hospitality industry has witnessed a considerable increase in the number of ethical difficulties that occur in the workplace. It has been discovered that unethical organizational behavior (UOB) is the most significant category in tourists’ unpleasant experiences, driving them to switch and spread unfavorable word-of-mouth information. This study aims to explore the effects of three contextual factors on UOB (i.e., work intensification, job insecurity, and an unethical company-profit climate) and to investigate its possible employee-related consequences, including the feeling of guilt, emotional exhaustion, and customer-oriented citizenship behavior. A total of 970 employees working in hotels (5-star and 4-star) and travel agencies (Category A) participated, and the obtained data were analyzed by structural equation modeling. The results asserted that work intensification, job insecurity, and an unethical company-profit climate stimulate unethical organizational behavior, and unethical organizational behavior leads to feelings of guilt, emotional exhaustion, and customer-oriented citizenship behavior. Significant insights into theoretical and practical implications were further discussed.

Higher Education in and after COVID-19: The Impact of Using Social Network Applications for E-Learning on Students' Academic Performance

The long-lasting pandemic has disrupted face–to–face education and has forced higher education institutions to adopt digital learning management systems, albeit many public universities in developing counties could not properly undertake this shift and adopted either free interactive platforms (e.g., zoom) or social network applications (SNAs) (e.g., Facebook and WhatsApp) due to their limited resources and infrastructure. Despite that the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the value of e-learning, some concerns were raised about the quality of learning outcomes and academic performance of students, using these SNAs for learning, compared to traditional face–to–face education. Therefore, examining the impact of SNAs as an e-learning platform on the academic performance students is inevitable, notwithstanding that this has not been sufficiently examined by researchers amid COVID-19. For this purpose, an online questionnaire was distributed to students via research teams' personal networks, i.e., university lecturers at various public universities in Egypt. They were asked to distribute the survey link with their undergraduates via email or WhatsApp. A total of 600 valid questionnaires was obtained from students in nine public colleges that deliver tourism and hotel management courses in Egypt and adopted SNAs for e-learning at least one semester amid COVID-19. Unlike the results of previous arguments and research, the results of the structural equation modelling using AMOS showed a positive, significant impact of SNAs as e-learning platforms on students' academic performance. The results have several implications for higher education policymakers, educators, and scholars, especially in relation to the future of use social media applications in higher education, particularly in developing countries' contexts.

FLOWER: An Approach for Enhancing E-Learning Experience Amid COVID-19

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has forced higher institutions to shift towards electronic (e) learning. Despite a plethora of research on the responses of higher education institutions to COVID-19 and their shift towards e-learning, research often focuses on the opportunities and/or challenges of e-learning amid COVID-19. Notwithstanding this, limited research has addressed how e-learning experiences can be enhanced among medical students, who often need conventional leaning, especially for practical courses. This research addresses a gap in the knowledge and examined medical students' perceptions of e-learning using the Blackboard platform, and the elements or predicators that affect their e-learning experience amid COVID-19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An online survey was transmitted to medical students in three main public universities. Based on the findings, a FLOWER model was proposed for improving e-learning experience using Blackboard among medical students. This model includes six dimensions: feedback, leverage to remain motivated, open resources and information, working together, evaluation, and reflection and knowledge. These dimensions are interrelated, and enable the creation of a positive e-learning experience. The results showed that four of the six dimensions have high positive and significant path coefficients: open sources and information;leverage to remain motivated;working together;and reflection and knowledge construction. Two of the six dimensions have low positive, but significant, path coefficients (feedback and evaluation), which require further consideration by policymakers and educators. The results have several theoretical and practical implications, which are elaborated upon.

E-Learning Experience in Higher Education amid COVID-19: Does Gender Really Matter in A Gender-Segregated Culture?

Despite a plethora of research on students' experiences of electronic (e) learning amid COVID-19 in higher education institutions (HEI), limited research has recognized the differences between students based on their gender. This research aims to examine the differences between students regarding their e-learning experiences amid COVID-19, especially in a gender-segregated culture where female students do not have full access to conventional learning as their male counterparts do, albeit they often have more access to technology-based learning. A total of 1200 online questionnaires were analyzed from students (600 male and 600 female) in public universities in Saudi Arabia, which tend to use Blackboard to sustain their communication with students and e-learning amid COVID-19. The results of structural model and multi-group analysis using AMOS supported all the research hypotheses. The results showed that the path coefficients and significant values were higher among female students than among male students. Additionally, the explanatory power of the male structural model regarding the e-learning experience (0.58) was lower than that of the structural model of female students (0.85), reflecting a higher explanatory power to explain the e-learning experience. The research findings have numerous theoretical and practical implications, especially in gender-segregated cultures.