This study investigates the various risk factors that alter online shopping behavior in Kuwait, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Online questionnaires were distributed through various social media platforms. Overall, 385 responses were collected via online questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using AMOS 21 for the purpose of structural equation modeling. The findings show that risk susceptibility, risk severity, and risk of formal penalties positively affect consumers' online buying attitude in Kuwait, whereas product risk, financial risk, and non-delivery risk show no significant effect. Convenience risk is the only factor that negatively affects attitudes. Further, we find a new path wherein formal penalties imposed on those who break the lockdown rules can directly and positively affect consumer behavior toward online shopping during the pandemic. We show that factors that affect the attitude and behavior of users toward online shopping in normal nonemergency times, vary from those during emergency times.

This study examined social media’s role in various levels of research, development, and performance within enterprises in Kuwait. The research incorporated four inductive case analyses in various sectors. The case studies epitomize the supply chain of Kuwaiti enterprises, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Media richness theory and social exchange effectuation theory were utilized to create an effective theory and a theoretical framework. This study collected data via a questionnaire completed by 100 managers employed by Kuwaiti SMEs specialized in the food sector and interviews with eight managers. Numerical data were analyzed via SPSS software, while textual data were analyzed by applying thematic analysis. The results of this study suggest that Kuwaiti companies should adopt social media platforms and other novel, innovative outlets to publicize their organizations and maximize performance. Social media richness and openness tend to determine the supplier selection process in most Kuwaiti enterprises, leading to positive transactional and social impacts on entrepreneurship.

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Purpose This study aims to focus on how virtual campaigns are affecting voters in the elections of Kuwait, as well as whether such virtual campaigns will replace traditional campaigns in the post-COVID era. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research adopts a purposeful sample when selecting participants from candidates and the managers of electoral campaigns in Kuwait. Fifteen participants were selected, which has been sufficient to achieve data saturation, and then, textual data were collected via semistructured interviews from 15 candidates and the managers of electoral campaigns in Kuwait during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings The findings indicate that candidates preferred using virtual campaigns which enabled them to reach voters during the time of COVID-19’s lockdown. Majority of responses underlined that social media platforms do direct political messages to the voters. Hence, social media platforms should be perceived as preferred medium for communicating with supporters, especially in the post-COVID-19 era. However, some responses uphold the importance of keeping traditional political campaigns due to the peculiar nature of the Kuwaiti community where there is a need for socialization and meeting face-to-face with voters. Originality/value This research provides a new evaluation about the role of virtual political campaigns in Kuwait. It highlights the crucial and increasing role of virtual political campaigns in attracting voters; nevertheless, it found that virtual campaigns should be used as addendum to conventional political campaigns in the post-COVID-19 era in Kuwait.

The small and medium enterprise (SME) sector plays an important role in the development of the local, regional, and global economy. This study seeks to examine the relationships among several factors that are claimed to influence the performance of SMEs. Internal and external environmental factors, as well as the moderating role of gender on the research variables, are empirically examined. A survey of 142 entrepreneurs in the northern region of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, using convenience sampling was conducted. Path analysis was used to test the research model using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) model by Warp PLS (ver. 7). Results suggest that both internal and external success factors influence enterprise performance. Based on statistically significant relationships, entrepreneurial orientation, human capital, and entrepreneur goals and motives (internal factors), as well as economic factors, socio-cultural factors, and legal and administrative factors (external factors) are influencing SME performance. Additionally, results indicate that SMEs almost perform at similar levels regardless of the gender of the SME owner. Gender is found to moderate the influence of economic factors, and legal and administrative factors on performance. There is no indication that gender moderates the influence of the rest of the factors on the performance. Such finding is surprising given the context of the study, i.e. Saudi Arabia was traditionally considered as a conservative male-dominated society. AcknowledgmentThis study was supported and funded by the research sector of Arab Open University – Kuwait Branch under decision number 21002. Authors would like to thank the National Entrepreneurship Institute “RIYADAH”, Tabuk branch, KSA for their support in data collection.