PurposeThis paper aims to identify factors that influence customers' panic buying behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 357 participants in Fiji, and structural equation modeling to analyze the collected data.FindingsResults indicate that expected personal outcomes is positively associated with customers' attitudes while expected community-related outcomes negatively impact customers' attitudes. Factors such as attitude, subjective norms, scarcity, time pressure and perceived competition were found to positively influence customers' panic buying intention. Furthermore, scarcity and time pressure were confirmed to positively influence perceived competitiveness while perceived social detection risk negatively influences customer's panic buying intention.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the need for better measures to ensure that every customer has access to goods and services and is not deprived of such necessities in times of a crisis. These results will assist store managers and policymakers in introducing better management, social policies and resource utilization mechanisms to mitigate panic buying during the pandemic.Originality/valueThis study's findings contribute to the literature on customer's panic buying behavior during a global pandemic. Research in this area remain scarce, inconsistent and inconclusive. Novel insights are generated as this study is the first to combine the theory of planned behavior, privacy calculus theory and protection motivation theory. Applying these theories allows new relationships to be tested to better understand customer behavior during a global pandemic. With most studies on customer behavior during crises and disasters in developed countries, this study generates new insights by exploring customer behavior in a developing country.

PurposeWith the increasing popularity of online games like Pokémon Go, a new wave of crowdsourcing communities have emerged, allowing gamers to collaborate, communicate and share useful game-related information. This paper aims to examine the factors that influence gamers' crowdsourcing behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework is developed that combines the DeLone & McLean model, self-determination theory, and different levels of engagement behaviour. The online survey collected 371 responses that were analysed using Covariance Based Structural Equation Modelling (CB-SEM).FindingsThe results show that extrinsic and intrinsic motivation positively influenced gamers' crowdsourcing engagement intention. System quality and information quality were also confirmed to be positively associated with gamers' crowdsourcing engagement intention. Furthermore, crowdsourcing engagement intention was found to be positively associated with crowdsourcing content consumption, contribution, and creation.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study are useful for the owners of Pokémon Go and other gaming-related crowdsourcing platforms in devising tailored strategies to increase the crowdsourcing engagement of gamers.Originality/valueThis study provides the first empirical evidence of factors motivating online gamers' crowdsourcing intention. This study also presents novel insight into online gamers' crowdsourcing intention by combining diverse theories which offer different perspectives and a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. Contribution to the research on the intention-behaviour gap by modelling three behavioural outcomes (content creation, contribution, and consumption behaviour) of crowdsourcing engagement intention, is another important contribution of this study.

Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT)a combination of eight models that helps to understand user intentions as well as acceptance and the actual use of given technology.Performance expectancethe user's belief that the use of the given technology can provide every day benefits.Effort expectancethe given technology is easy and convenient for the user.Social influencethe extent to which a user percieves that significant others believe that the user should use the given technology.Facilitating conditionsthe extent to which a user believes that organizational as well as technical infrastructure is available to support the use of the given technology.Sacrificecan be monetary and nonmonetary and includes time, search, and psychological cost the user bears to obtain a good or service.

Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT)a combination of eight models that helps to understand user intentions as well as acceptance and the actual use of given technology.Performance expectancethe user's belief that the use of the given technology can provide every day benefits.Effort expectancethe given technology is easy and convenient for the user.Social influencethe extent to which a user percieves that significant others believe that the user should use the given technology.Facilitating conditionsthe extent to which a user believes that organizational as well as technical infrastructure is available to support the use of the given technology.Sacrificecan be monetary and nonmonetary and includes time, search, and psychological cost the user bears to obtain a good or service.

The paper examines the retail franchising climate in Fiji, a small island country of the South Pacific region. This paper in particular discusses the various arrangements in which franchises operate in Fiji and will set the scene for Fiji's retail franchise system. There is a lot of potential for franchises to prosper in Fiji if they do it right. Fiji is a growing market with opportunities that many businesses can take advantage of and exploit. The present government has also made positive changes to some of its laws so that businesses can operate better. This study has found that despite the Fiji Government encouraging the growth of franchise industry, there is absence of an entity or a franchise association that could collect, store and maintain proper records of the franchise industry in Fiji.