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The paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marketing. The main purpose of the research is to analyze how COVID-19 has affected the critical messaging strategies in the Saudi food industry. Systematization of scientific background on the investigated issue indicated that pandemics and epidemics significantly impact business processes, including marketing activities. The motivation behind this study is derived from several observations on how companies have adapted their business goals to contribute to tackling the impact of COVID-19. With changes in consumers' behavior, companies had to readjust their strategies to address the anticipated short- and long-term changes in market dynamics. The research aims to reveal trends in marketing communication in the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 eras. Therefore, the process of investigation of the topic in the paper is carried out using quantitative approaches. The article specifically focuses on the objectives such as 1) establishing how Shawarmer SA, Maestro Pizza, and Hungerstation interacted with their customer before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) uncovering changes in social media messaging strategies used by Shawarmer SA, Maestro Pizza, and Hungerstation. Specifically, online survey on three major companies in Saudi Arabia, Shawarmer SA, Maestro Pizza, and Hungerstation. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis of data from each of the above company's Twitter pages, which showed that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed how companies interact with their customers. Therefore, the author sought to identify the appropriate strategies adopted by the three major players in the Saudi food industry, Maestro Pizza, Hunger Station, and Shawarmer, to interact with customers. The research empirically confirmed and theoretically proved that messaging is a crucial aspect of marketing. The results of the study can be helpful in the development of customer-oriented marketing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the article was to describe selected factors of hotel business in the Slovak Republic in the years 2001 to 2020 and identify the economic impacts of measures related to the pandemic crisis COVID-19 in 2020. At the same time through selected marketing tools. Paper is also focused on innovative marketing tools used in the hotel business during a pandemic time and their impact on business effectiveness. To analyze the situation in the hotel business in the Slovak Republic, we used a statistical method of comparison within the period under study. To obtain qualified answers to the stated research goals and subsequent research questions, we statistically processed available data on the number of domestic and foreign visitors, as well as the capacity of accommodation facilities in the monitored period. Subsequently, we carried out research in the hotel sector using the method of controlled structured interviews. The results were processed through exploratory factor analysis, based on which we were able to evaluate marketing tools with the most significant impact on efficiency in the hotel business in the Slovak Republic. The measures taken in connection with the coronavirus COVID-19 caused significant economic impacts on the hotel business in the Slovak Republic, as in 2020 the number of foreign visitors dropped to 20-year lows. The analysis of the environment in the hotel business for the period under study showed that the impact of measures within the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the number of visitors, the amount of revenues and the number of accommodation facilities. The research of structured interviews with accommodation facility managers showed that the use or non-use of marketing activities (websites, PPC advertising, social media) had a significant effect on the reduction of revenues. The findings of the analysis of the environment clearly show that the relaxation of the economic measures in the summer of 2020 increased the number of domestic visitors to a higher level than in the same period in 2019, but there was no increase in the number of foreign visitors. We can state that if the epidemic comes under control, there will be a massive increase in the number of visitors and thus an increase in revenues. In case, that Slovak hotel managers would use innovative marketing tools more in the future when communicating with potential customers, it is highly probable that their potential losses would be lower in the next crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the success factors influencing product development design and product launch projects. The lives of people and businesses have been threatened and affected by the global COVID- 19 pandemic for more than two years. Knowing these factors can help us make the right decisions and develop an effective project plan and matrix. Nowadays, project management is a very important part of work in companies of different sizes. Project management can be seen as applying innovation processes in an enterprise. The authors conducted quantitative and qualitative research on 544 companies in the Slovak Republic. The research focuses on aspects of project management and individual success factors. The data obtained by the questionnaire survey were processed by statistical methods, where the authors chose the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test as the basic method and the Wilcoxon two-tailed test for independent sample data sets. An essential variable in the sample of enterprises surveyed was, in particular, the sector of the economy in which the enterprise surveyed operates. Two key factors were considered when developing the product - employee education and the implication of social responsibility. The study's uniqueness lies in surveying all types of enterprises, irrespective of their size, line of business, and financial turnover. The percentage distribution of the maximum use of CSR among the surveyed companies in each sector was most positive in the Logistics industry. Training and certification of employees are primarily one of the most important factors to ensure an increase in the success of those projects aimed at launching new products on the market; in the case of the surveyed sample, this is more than 40% of enterprises. Based on the sub-results, we can conclude that enterprises place more emphasis on new product development projects and the environmental concept of CSR. Still, the launch of new products or services is underestimated by the project management of enterprises. After more than eight years, the research has shown an increase in the importance of using social responsibility in management processes for new product development. A breakthrough finding is comparing the use of CSR in small businesses in Slovakia to global trends in which we perceive the dominance of multinational corporations. Enterprises are advised to focus specifically on new product launches and detailed planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issue of tools boosting marketing, management, and innovations via digital platforms, such as internal websites of the top Czech luxury fashion businesses in the COVID-19 era. The main purpose of the research is to perform a case study about how these websites address COVID-19, innovations, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. Systematization of the scientific sources and approaches for solving the problem indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted industries that are dispensable and, at the same time, costly. The relevance of this scientific problem's decision matters theory and practice since the COVID-19 crisis is rather a negative challenge than a positive opportunity for businesses, which often ends up paying the ultimate price – falling into bankruptcy. A battery of employed methodological tools includes a simplified Delphi method with data processing by a panel of experts, the meta-analysis and content analysis, and teleological interpretations instruments. The research object is the Summer 2021 version of the internal websites of the top 20 Czech luxury fashion businesses based on their pre-COVID-19 turnover in 2018. The paper presents an empirical analysis based on this case study and juxtaposes it to prior academic findings. The research empirically confirmed and theoretically proved the underplayed potential of the websites of luxury fashion businesses. The research results could be helpful for theory adjustments and have practical implications and offer recommendations for businesses. They lead to propositions about the internal perspective and digital readiness to inform about it and a general attitude to the marketing, management, and innovations during crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the talent management issue as one of the effective human resource management practices during the global pandemic caused by COVID-19 and points to the main challenges and priorities in the research area. Talent management has undergone a dynamic development in recent years. It has recently become a frequently discussed concept among business and academics alike and one of the priorities of the modern management of all companies. The paper also presents the results of research carried out on a sample of 137 human resources managers. Respondents who participated in the questionnaire survey are human resources managers in companies operating in the Slovak Republic at national and international markets. Data were collected using the online questionnaire. For the research, two research hypotheses were established. The hypotheses aimed to determine whether there are statistically significant relationships between the scale of talent recruitment and selection process over the past year; the change in the management and organizational style of the company during the COVID-19 pandemic; the existence of the statistically significant relationship between the budget allocated to talent management and headhunting practices over the last year. The hypotheses were verified using correlation analysis and the methods of inductive statistics. Testing the statistically significant relationships verified hypothesis H1. It confirmed the existence of statistically significant relationships between the scale of the talent recruitment and selection process over the past year and the change in management and organization of the company during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hypothesis H2 was rejected. It stated the absence of statistically significant relationships between the budget for talent management in the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic and the competition for qualified talent for the last year. The questionnaire survey results pointed how human resources managers in companies operating in the Slovak Republic perceive the situation associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic. The findings identified the pandemic impact on talent management and how human resources managers see human resource management's future and priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reviews Georgia's digital trust formation process and underlines the most important challenges for the online business sector. This research can be generalized for most developing countries where the digital transition process is on the agenda, especially for countries that have recently emerged from economic-political transition. Georgia has completed the transition from a centrally planned economic system (the heritage of being part of the Soviet Union) to a free market economy. Although trust in institutions is improving gradually, mistrust in business processes is still a great challenge for local business sectors. A wide-reaching lockdown caused by the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic pushed both firms and individuals further towards online activity worldwide. In this regard, trust has become the key determinant in facilitating electronic transactions. Technological advances are providing dozens of tools to improve customer satisfaction and trust, which should lead to customer loyalty. On the other hand, lack of digital skills and digital security problems raises digital untrust concerns. Therefore, trust research in the digital economy is becoming more actual for academic or business studies. Digital trust is a multidimensional factor that is under the influence of digital and physical operations. In Georgia, businesses have to overcome obstacles built-in people's minds as a heritage of the Soviet Union. Georgia was a part of the Soviet Union for 70 years, which critically degraded the trust of both formal and informal institutions. Therefore, building digital trust in business is getting more complex as it includes traditional trust problems and digital challenges too. The main research purpose in this paper is to present the digital trust forming process in Georgia to reveal the major problems. This study involved the trust stack model in analysing three different stages of trust formation in the Georgian digital economy (trust in the idea, trust in the platform, trust in the individual). The research identified challenges and steps which should be carried out soon. Research academic findings and methodological approaches can be used to analyze other developing countries whose economies are influenced by the digital transformation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the COVID-19 global pandemic has strongly affected different issues of everyday life. The pandemic has changed consumer attitudes and behavior. Consequently, during COVID-19, businesses had to decide how to organize the advertising campaigns and what content should be addressed to consumers. Considering the limited number of articles concerning these issues, it seems important to evaluate the impact of the global health crisis on advertising messages in different countries. The main objective of this paper is to assess TV commercial campaigns implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the specific epidemic situation in the selected countries. The research methodology was based on the observation, a qualitative method of collecting data obtained through monitoring the content of TV commercials aired during the afternoon, before or after the main news service. The research was conducted in May 2020 and in May 2021 in five selected European countries affected to varying degrees by the coronavirus pandemic. The research results allowed evaluation of the advertising messages in terms of their content and values exposed. The findings indicate that the number of COVID-related TV commercials is not correlated with the number of patients and deaths from COVID-19. The themes appearing the most often in the TV commercials in the studied period were the #StayAtHome idea, family and friends, the aspect of safety during the crisis, and brands' special offers. The tone of the advertisements was usually uplifting and hopeful, trying to cheer the stressed societies. From a theoretical perspective, the research results show the advertising strategy issues in specific conditions in different European countries. These findings concerning TV commercial strategy during a pandemic crisis could provide references for other countries, especially in Europe. The research results could be useful for marketing managers in developing strategies concerning the successful planning of TV commercials in crisis periods in European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a pandemic, there are no egalitarians because all citizens cannot treat equally, and a failure to consider ethical concerns before taking action led to a massive and preventable loss of life. As a result of the pandemic, there is a strong ethical or moral imperative to consider how to help the most generous people usage healthy products. Utilitarianism and Kantian have become popular ethical theories that state the right actions that layout clear and actionable principles. This paper reviews (1) how Utilitarianism and Kantianism theories could produce benefit arguments on ethical purchases of cosmetic products from an advertising context, (2) how these theories contributed in the context of COVID-19 to help reduce any harmful health issues via advertising, and (3) Utilitarianism and Kantian theories have proven useful during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to case studies of cosmetics products and advertising in Western and Asian contexts. In addition to these two ethical theories, this paper discussed other issues. The purpose is not to argue which theory is the only relevant ethical theory but to contend with pure utilitarianism. Kantian's finding was similar to the topic argument in other ways. However, both theories reviewed as the most effective way to help societies identify and perceive the necessary costs of goods values. Before adopting utilitarian or Kantian theories, the community must clearly understand these two theories' merit values in product advertising. In such a crisis, ethical theories practices should implement in all areas because ethical challenges would determine whether or not advertisers around the world adhered to ethical standards in devising new and innovative marketing strategies, practices, or tactics for the transition to this new norm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific paper aims to examine the influence of marketing communication tools on the innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises increasing in the Slovak Republic. Nowadays the most companies struggle with business revenue due to the pandemic situation of COVID-19 disease. Many business processes moved to the online area, especially daily workers cooperation, communication with customers, sales support, and almost all types of marketing activities. Experience has shown that the key to success in business is the adequate setup of the communication tools. This issue is important not only in the company, but it took a crucial role in the communication with customers. Customers had to adapt to the new COVID-19 situation that dramatically changed their shopping habits. The survey responses were divided into two basic groups focused on traditional marketing and modern (online) tools. The research rests on data from the interviews with 825 managers or owners of small and medium-sized enterprises of the Slovak Republic. Data were examined using descriptive and regression analysis. The presented results showed that traditional and modern tools of marketing communication impacted increasing the innovation of companies. Besides, the impact of business internationalization on increasing business innovation has been demonstrated. The results were supplemented using various modern marketing tools. For evaluating these results, the method of calculation of constructed surface polygons was used. The findings showed that modern marketing communication tools were better for innovative companies than for non-innovative ones. This difference is up to 14.7%. Moreover, the findings showed many possibilities for improving modern marketing communication tools such as artificial intelligence in online communication through mobile marketing applications, analytical tools, or chatbots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of this paper is to research differences that start to change consumer behavior in the digital era since the advent of COVID 19. The events associated with the pandemic that led to increased social distance and complete lockdown undoubtedly affect not only the economic situation territories and countries in general, but also on the behavior of each individual. The situation that has arisen has forced more and more consumers to meet their needs with the help of digital tools, and this process has some special characteristics. The article shows the results of analytical and comparative analysis of the changes in consumer behavior in the digital space since the onset of the pandemic. It was researched trends change consumer demand in the study categories via Google Trends. The practical study was conducted on the basis of the analysis of changes in consumer behavior and their preferences in the direction of recreation and tourism, where the data of a sociological survey of Azerbaijani citizens to study the potential impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry was used. The survey was conducted on April 13-21, 2020 by a team of researchers from the University of Northampton (UK), the National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography -- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, University of National and World Economy (Bulgaria). According to the results of the study, conclusions were drawn that give new challenges to the development of marketing in the digital environment, namely: digital tools have had rapid unpredictable development since the COVID-19 pandemic, and remain as high level in demand after easing restrictive measures; entrepreneurship was not ready for such quick transformation; after the first interactions in digital space, the consumer has a stable experience of interaction with specific brands, but they disappoint the expectations of consumers in a personalized contact. Based on the conclusions, an algorithm for building relationships with consumers and increasing their level of loyalty in the digital environment is proposed. The results of this study could be used in the implementation of marketing goals of representatives of different levels of business structures, governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incentives for the internationalization of universities and the digitalization of teaching driven by the situation of COVID-19 have increased the operation of virtual work teams in higher education institutions, both in terms of groups of students and groups of researchers. The objective of this study is to explore the evolution of academic research concerning virtual teams within university settings, aiming to delineate prominent research trajectories and outline a prospective agenda for future inquiry in this domain. This work involved a systematic review of the literature in the WoS and Scopus databases to identify what, when, who, where and how virtual teams in universities have been researched. The PRISMA method was used to guide the data collection process. Forty-seven articles were identified as relevant for analysis. Despite the significant development of academic research on virtual teams since the end of the last century, the necessary attention has still not been given to the specific case of virtual teams in universities. Most of the research has been conducted in the United States; however, previous research reveals that cultural aspects are relevant variables in the performance and efficiency of virtual teams, so it is advisable to extend this type of research to other countries and cultural contexts. In addition, we can also see that most of the works identified have analysed work teams formed by students, and there are very few studies on virtual teams of researchers, despite the importance of these teams in the context of encouraging the internationalization of research networks. Moreover, the review of the content of the articles as well as the future lines of research have been organized around a life cycle model, considering three categories: inputs, operating process and outputs-results. The second category is the most developed to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of COVID-19, which was declared a pandemic in 2020, has greatly decreased. However, although its lethal effect on humans is low, different variants continue to emerge. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between consumer life orientation and panic buying behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the effect of consumer life orientation on panic buying behaviour through buying impulsivity, temporal focus, and purchasing risk perception variables was also investigated. In this research, a relational research technique was used to examine the relationship between consumer life orientation and panic buying behaviour. The universe of the research consists of consumers who shop in the retail sector. Since it was not possible to reach all of these consumers within the scope of the research, the research was carried out with the convenience sampling method. In this context, using the data of the online study with n=422 participants, the relationships between the variables were tested, and the hypotheses put forward were theoretically tested. In this research, a questionnaire explaining the latent variables of consumer life orientation, buying impulsivity, temporal focus, purchasing risk perception and panic buying behaviour was used. In the analysis of the data, descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were performed using statistical package programs. In line with the research findings, it has been determined that the consumer life orientation variable has a statistically significant and moderate effect on panic buying behaviour through buying impulsivity and purchasing risk perception variables (p<0.001) during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, it was determined that consumer life orientation did not have a statistically significant effect on panic buying behaviour through the temporal focus variable (p>0.005). These findings, which show that life orientation affects purchasing impulsivity and panic buying behaviour through purchasing risk perception, show that there is a positive correlation between consumers' life orientations and purchasing tendencies. In other words, the COVID-19 Pandemic process caused a change in the life orientations of consumers in psychosocial terms; emotions such as stress, anxiety and uncertainty triggered panic buying behaviour. In similar studies to be conducted in this direction, the relationship between consumer decision-making styles and panic buying behaviour can be examined. In addition, research can be conducted on consumer groups other than the retail sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many health systems in European countries, SPA services are currently part of or a supplement to health care. Owing to their natural healing resources and long-standing traditions, the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic are important European SPA countries. In both countries, SPA tourism is also one of the most important types of tourism, and with regard to its evaluation according to the number of overnight stays and income, it constitutes a significant share of the structure of the tourism industry. One of the greatest challenges for SPA businesses was the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused travel restrictions, business closures, and a decrease in demand and revenue. The impact of the pandemic on SPA businesses in the studied countries has not yet been examined in detail. Accordingly, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the innovative activities of SPA companies in Slovakia and the Czech Republic in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research sample consists of 122 SPA enterprises from both republics. Based on the results of previous research, innovation is generally perceived as an important element in the development of society, crisis management, increasing competitiveness and commercial success. The main research method for identifying and classifying the types of innovations and innovation capabilities implemented in SPA enterprises was a questionnaire survey. The results of the conducted research revealed that the origin of SPA businesses does not affect the country or how people perceive trends. The connections between the types of introduced innovations and some benefits from the introduction of innovations as well as the barriers affecting the introduction of innovations were confirmed. It follows, for example, that companies that invest in innovation processes can improve their performance and the competitiveness of their team and reduce their costs for production or service provision. From the analysis of factors related to the introduction of innovations, it emerged that the most important factors are those that have a direct impact on economic results and the competitive advantage of businesses. On the other hand, those factors related to cultural, environmental or technical aspects of innovation are less important. Despite repeated calls, not all SPA companies operating in the SPA industry in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic participated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic was identified in 17 days, and the related enormous economic and social impacts have mobilized the global scientific world in almost all areas of science. The leaders of individual countries have to face a challenge that has been unprecedented for many decades. The global pandemic could lead to profound changes in the balance of power, economical operations, and the labour market. In turn, the accompanying measures have brought a lot of changes to everyday life. Although the government of Romania had taken some measures to avoid the collapse of the economy. However, the experts did not regard these efficient enough. In this time two-thirds of the Hungarian population do not feel that the media exaggerates the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak and the economic consequences of the pandemic are undisputable for the Hungarian people, just like for the Italian and French people who were severely affected by the virus. People have been deprived of the joy of social gatherings, free movement, travel and many of them have even lost their jobs. The primary question at the moment is whether countries could finance the sectors in hardship and whether their inter-dependence regarding the exchange of goods imposes any kind of danger to their citizens. In terms of macro-economy, however, the long-term consequences are much more interesting, and it raises questions like how the countries will be able to handle the situation resulted by the increased unemployment and the different trade relations. This study presents a primary research with the age group of 18-30. The target group is leaders of student unions and academics of four universities. This questionnaire survey aims to examine how the Hungarian and Transylvanian respondents see the prospective economic effects of the current situation on the different sectors of the economy. In addition to the descriptive statistical analysis, the perception of economic impacts was examined with variance analysis concerning different demographic characteristics, and the currently studied subject area. Is the negative attitude prevailing or do the different groups react differently to the state of affairs? The greatest differences in the opinion of respondents could be observed in the area of lifestyle and healthcare. The experts think that the pandemic will result in great changes in the offices, homes, schools, and places of work. Negative aftereffects are not predicted in higher education, sales, and trade. It can be concluded that negative labour market trends are expected, therefore probably the young generation currently studying in higher education will be one of the biggest losers of the virus in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the current issue of 2020 on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry in general, Azerbaijan in particular, and overcoming this crisis, taking into account the main aspects and goals of sustainable development. The primary purpose of the article is to form recommendations for compliance with the goals of sustainable development in the tourism industry of Azerbaijan with the levelling of events caused by the influence of COVID-19. A review of the scientific literature concluded that the issue of tourism marketing in crisis conditions is always complicated and multifaceted. The development of the tourism sector is a positive change for the host countries, which helps to solve problems in other areas of the economy. The article presents the dynamics of development of the tourism industry in recent years in the world, in the group of Middle East countries, which respectively includes Azerbaijan. The leading quantitative indicators of tourism development in Azerbaijan, neighbouring countries, and Ukraine were compared. The relevance of this study is that a systematic restart of the tourism sector after the end of quarantine measures is a necessary condition to take into account all the preferences, requests, and concerns of citizens who are direct participants in the economic component of tourism. During the preparation of the material, a marketing survey of Azerbaijani citizens was conducted to study the potential impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry. The survey was conducted on April 13-21, 2020, by a team of researchers from the University of Northampton (UK), the National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, University of National and World Economy (Bulgaria). The article highlights the main results of this study, based on which the critical inquiries of Azerbaijani citizens regarding the restart of tourism in the country were formed. The analytical method of the article analyzes the goals of sustainable development, announced following the Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 25, and which become most relevant in the context of 2020 and are a challenge for modern society and Azerbaijan in particular. As a result of this study, recommendations were made to restart the tourism sector in Azerbaijan, given compliance with and implementation of sustainable development goals. The results of this study can be useful for the governing institutions of Azerbaijan and other countries in which the tourism industry has developed dynamically and rapidly over the past few years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]