The influence of the corporate social responsibility disclosures on consumer brand attitudes under the impact of COVID-19

This study focuses on the use of we-media by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to disclose internal corporate social responsibility (ICSR) under the impact of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Study 1 interprets the catalyst effect of COVID-19 on the externalization of SMEs’ ICSR. The fuzzy grading evaluation method is initially verified. Under the impact of COVID-19, SMEs fulfilling their ICSR can enhance consumer brand attitudes. Study 2 uses a structural equation model and empirical analysis of 946 effective samples and finds that consumers perceive the self-sacrifice of corporations during the coronavirus disease period. SMEs can fulfill their ICSR to enhance the internal explanation mechanism of consumer brand attitudes and the moderating role of enterprise losses.     

Crisis challenges of small firms in Macao during the COVID-19 pandemic

This research develops a framework that combines crisis stages, stakeholder engagement, and crisis challenges. The framework is applied to small firms in Macao during the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic crisis. We conduct a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with the leaders of six small firms in Macao. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned into a “normal” context, which blurs the traditional crisis termination stage. We also find that participating firms engage more with internal stakeholders than external ones. The strategies adopted by small firms include flexible human resource (HR) practices, cost reduction, enhancing customer relations, and using government support schemes. These strategies are effective in the short term; firms need to pay attention to diversity and learning for the long term.     

后疫情背景下金融机构开展服务科技型中小（微）企业融资的探索与实践：以浙江为例

由于新冠肺炎疫情的持续影响，科技型中小（微）企业面临着资金周转和融资难的困境，财务脆弱性风险较为明显。这其中既有企业内部的原因，也有社会经济环境、市场状况和金融服务等外部环境因素。本文将对后疫情背景下金融机构服务和促进科技型中小（微）企业融资问题进行理论溯源，并以浙江为例，分析金融机构服务科技型中小（微）企业融资实践中面临的难题，并提出建立风险偿债基金、构建多层次信息平台、将人力资本作为授信额度担保的重要依据、聚焦创新创业生态体系建设等对策和建议，以期助力科技型中小（微）企业“转危为机”，推动投融资服务转型升级。     

Factors affecting the breadth and depth of e-procurement use in small and medium enterprises

Organizations differ in the range of e-procurement functionalities they use (breadth of use) and in how much they rely on e-procurement (depth of use). Nonetheless, factors affecting the breadth and the depth of e-procurement use have never been studied in a single context. Therefore, it is unclear whether the differences between the effects discovered in past studies are due to the difference between the breadth and the depth of use, or to the difference between contexts. We test the effects of factors potentially affecting the breadth and the depth of e-procurement use in a single context, using data from 151 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector in New Zealand. The results indicate that the breadth and the depth of use of e-procurement in business organizations are influenced by different factors. Perceived relative advantage of using e-procurement, plus external pressure from suppliers and competitors to use e-procurement, result in the use of a broader range of e-procurement functionalities – in a greater breadth of e-procurement use. However, the extent of an organization’s reliance on e-procurement in organizational purchasing (i.e., depth of e-procurement use) is driven by compatibility of e-procurement with organizational values, practices, technology infrastructure, and strategy. Arguing that in order to benefit fully from e-procurement, an organization needs to integrate it deeply into its operations, we conclude that managers evaluating new e-procurement technologies should consider their compatibility with organizational norms and practices.