A crisis context, as COVID-19 pandemic, is a situation in which maladaptive buying behaviors are irrationally born. In this context, vulnerability and resilience, as opposed states of being, are two variables that can influence the final behavioral outcome. In a pandemic case, panic buying, impulsive and compulsive behavior, hoarding, and stockpiling are the most common effects. The present paper is a systematic literature review aiming to underline the main theories and variables used in explaining abnormal buying behavior during the coronavirus pandemic, the place of vulnerability and resilience among them, and the managerial implications emphasized by the existing studies. The analyzed research papers (N=63) are selected from 2020-2022 time frame. The results show that Theory of planned behavior and the Stimulus-organism-response are the most frequently used models for understanding and explaining panic conduct. The variables affecting maladaptive consumer behavior are both external and internal, the range of factors being wide and complex. Vulnerability and resilience are believed to mediate the relationship between these factors and panic behavior. The managerial implications born from the analyzed studies include four stakeholders (i.e., retailers, policy makers, governments, and mass-media) that, during a crisis, are advised to improve their communication abilities and to better manage their resources. Read more

The paper analyzes the behavior of business entities based in the Emirate of Dubai in the context of crisis communication responses by government institutions during the Dubai 2024 floods. The research aims to identify if there are key differentiating factors that influence the understanding of government crisis communications by businesses. Numerous literature sources indicate the importance of employee wellbeing policies for reducing crisis risks and hazards. A document analysis of public announcements of Dubai Government institutions, as well as responses, announcements, and policies of 69 companies operating in Dubai, has been performed to understand what and how the government communicated during the crisis, how companies behaved during the crisis, and what policies and procedures are in place in the companies. The crisis communication of the Dubai government and official authorities was proactive and in line with principles defined by the Situational Crisis Communication Theory. This resulted in the successful mitigation of the crisis risks and the timely restoration of the basic functioning of the city's critical infrastructure. At the same time, the crisis response of business entities was not univocal: some businesses decided to work remotely or temporarily cease their operations, while others decided to carry on with the “business as usual” approach, returning the employees to their workplaces quickly and putting them at risk. Findings of the research indicate that companies with a clear focus on employee wellbeing and developed health, safety, and environment policies were less involved in putting their employees at risk than companies that did not highlight employee wellbeing as one of their priorities. Further, the findings highlight the importance of employee wellbeing policies in crisis risk mitigation and contribute to the body of knowledge in terms of crisis communication, employee wellbeing, and emergency management. Read more