Vol. 4 (S) Oct. 2022
Article ID. JHSSR-0009-2022
FOREWORD
Pandemic Induced Neo Business Practices: Evidences from South Asia
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We would like to welcome you to Horizon Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research’s special issue of 2022. JHSSR is a peer-reviewed open-access and broad-scope journal that aims at bringing innovative research to both academics and practicing professionals. It is published rapidly by BP Services. The journal is independently owned, and runs on a not-for-profit basis for the benefit of the world-wide social science community
A shift has taken place over the last year that is challenging businesses to take a different approach to every aspect of their enterprise.
The pandemic has radically altered how businesses now approach their digital transformation pathways. Indeed, research reveals that the pandemic has permanently accelerated the digital transformation the way businesses now perform.
The new reality
Business transformation is now about collaboration, wellbeing, education and a new way to use the digital tools that have emerged from the pandemic.
A new technology agenda is coming into focus. New ecosystems are rapidly developing that place the customer at the hub where all other products and services orbit. And businesses are pivoting at speed to become new enterprises that are more crisis resilient and use technologies in new ways. “Technology first” became an entrenched mantra.
Business leaders can see they need a new agile culture with unique methods and practices to meet the demands of this brave new world.
It is often said that the change is the only constant in today’s changing world. We have seen the gradual process of changes and adaption to changes, as part of both evolution and revolution. But during the COVID-19 phase, the very process and the need for ‘change’ was totally unprecedented. While every family, every business and every economy had faced enormous, unfathomable difficulties during COVID pandemic, still we moved on, and we managed to change and do the routine things differently, changing the very ‘process’. We called it the ‘new-normal’ way of functioning. The new economic order changed both globally as well as locally. Many businesses disappeared, many of course survived, but quite a few took the crisis into opportunity and could make significant gains, against all odds. Many researchers have tried to gauge, analyse and decipher the immediate effects and long-term after effects of this unique crisis of the millennium. Research is still on to find the learnings, through evidences from different sectors.
In this context, JHSSR has also attempted to bring out a special issue on a burning theme of academic importance, Pandemic Induced Neo Business Practices: Evidences from South Asia.
We are so happy present 10 interesting articles; of which there are 8 research articles, one concept and a case-study, written by subject experts from allied diverse fields. Selection process for this special issue has been done subjectively, by invitation to senior scholars and professors, those who were studying pandemic-induced economic issues and affected sectors.
Out of the nine articles, covering pandemic-induced socio-economic issues and challenges, the one by Mahapatro and Subudhi, studies ‘Digital Consumption Pattern and Social Impact’, particularly during COVID period. Article by Prof. Braja B Kar and Prof. Piyusha highlights how ‘website design optimization’ was a necessity for effective e-commerce, during pandemic lockdown. Omar Faruq from Bangladesh, with Subudhi, studied the SMEs and their export performance. Article by Saumedra and Venugopal is an interesting study on ‘social media habits of rural consumers. Venugopal has also studied the impact of unorganized selling.
A clinical psychologist from UK, Prof. N Kar (who hails from India), along with Prof. Brajaballav has studied a unique issue of ‘Worry and Information seeking’ by pandemic affected individuals and also the society.
A senior economist and former bureaucrat, Government of India, Prof. Misra, in his article, ‘Income Inequality India’, critically analyses the various challenges and prospects, relating to the Indian economy.
During the pandemic lockdowns, as net-based activities grew, so was the demand for smart-phones and internet consumption. Naveen, Aiswarya and Smruti, in their article, studied the issues of smartphone retail market during the pandemic.
In the next article, we are happy to present the issues faced by regional print media, during pandemic, as a ‘case-study’ of ‘Anupam-Bharat-Media’ by Professor Ratnakar Mishra, a senior faculty from a leading B-School of Bangalore, India.
As the last article, this paper is significant as it examines the concept of due diligence from a human rights perspective which is different from the commonly practiced corporate due diligence. This paper should be of interest to readers in the areas of human rights in the business context, especially in the area of the digital economy and employment law.
We believe this special issue would be intriguing, thought-provoking and useful in reaching new milestones. We would be grateful if you recommend the journal to your peers and students to make this endeavor more meaningful.
All the papers published in this edition underwent the journal’s double-blind peer-review process involving a minimum of two reviewers comprising internal as well as external referees. This was to ensure that the quality of the papers justified the high ranking of the journal, which hopes to be one at par with one of the renowned and heavily-cited journals not only by authors and researchers in Malaysia and America but by those in other countries around the world as well.
While we hope this issue will have particular appeal to new readers across this region and beyond, I am confident that the articles published will raise interest among our regular readership of scholars and postgraduate students elsewhere, thanks to the relevance and diversity of contributions on a region whose future bears central importance to us all.
We would also like to express gratitude to all the contributing authors for their trust, patience, and timely revisions, who have made this issue possible, as well as the reviewers and editors for their professional contribution. Last but not least, the assistance of the journal’s editorial office in Texas, particularly Jessica Whitsitt, Lucy Fernandez, and Judy Meester—staff of JHSSR Editorial Office, is greatly appreciated.
If you are observing other scholarly publishing trends, please do share your thoughts with the Chief Executive Editor! As always, I welcome your feedback and questions at [email protected]