Purpose The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the dark side of business-to-business (B2B) relationships in traditional business practices worldwide that rely on strong networks. Design/methodology/approach This study applies a questionnaire survey to collect data from buyers in 224 Kuwaiti firms and uses the partial least squares structural equation model for data analysis. Findings Drawing on the social exchange theory, we test the relationships between B2B wasta, relationship satisfaction, innovation and efficiency. The findings show that despite the belief that wasta brings long-term benefits when applied in B2B relationships, it negatively impacts the firm’s efficiency. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing literature on B2B relationships by identifying important issues related to the multifaceted nature of B2B wasta relationships. The study confirms the importance of relational and innovation benefits over economic consequences based on elements of social exchange theory, which extends our current understanding of the application of SET in B2B wasta relationships.

This study aims to explain factors that have influenced the e-government service quality in Kuwait during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Data is collected data from 392 users of the e-government services in Kuwait. The analysis has revealed that having a functional e-government portal allows citizens to complete their transactions and depend heavily on using the e-government services. Moreover, trust, ease of use, and citizen's support were also significant in terms of affecting service quality. The findings also show reliability of content and appearance of information as significant factors. COVID-19 had moderating influence on the relationship between reliability, trust, and citizens' support with e-government service quality. These results imply that citizens care about the functionality of the e-government portal and that it allows them to conduct all the transactions and processes that they need. These findings are useful for government officials to understand the most important elements for e-government service quality and thus design services.

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