The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations around the world to make full use of a variety of emerging online communication platform technologies. Universities are among the organizations that have asked students, tutors, and lecturers to use a number of different online communication platforms to ensure the education process remains uninterrupted. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated considerable challenges for the global higher education community while using such emerging technologies. This research has two main goals. First, this paper will begin by investigating whether the online learning platforms used by university students during the COVID-19 period have presented any challenges to their learning. Second, the paper will then go on to address proposed solutions by developing a conceptual model to reduce the impact of such challenges. This research uses an exploratory qualitative research approach, supported by literature content analysis techniques. The data set for this study was collected during the first peak of the pandemic period in Malaysia, between the 16th of May 2020 and the 5th of June 2020. We used SPSS to conduct a descriptive analysis and NVivo12 to analyse data collected from 486 students from different universities in Malaysia. These students disclosed various obstacles they encountered when they used IT platform applications for online learning. These obstacles include (a) work and information overload received from instructors, (b) inadaptability and unfamiliarity of the new online learning environment, and (c) personal health challenges related to stress and anxiety. Based on previous relevant research, this study introduced a set of motivational factors and developed a conceptual motivational model for sustainable and healthy online learning.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the main green marketing approaches and their impact on consumer behavior towards the environment in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We reviewed the current consumption patterns of green products using a questionnaire approach. For this study, 359 consumers that used any type of green product were selected in various shopping malls in the UAE. For the assessment of questionnaire responses, measurement models, such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) approaches were applied. The findings of the study suggest interesting inferences regarding eco-labeling (EL), green packaging and branding (GPB), green products, premium, and pricing (GPPP), and the environmental concerns and beliefs (ECB) of consumers that affect their perceptions of the environment. Factor analysis provided a goodness of fit for the selected items. It was found that key factors of green marketing, such as EL and GPPP, have a significant positive influence on consumer beliefs towards the environment (CBTE). In addition, environmental concerns and beliefs (ECB) also have a significant and positive influence on CBTE in the UAE. The practical significance of this study is that it will help the progress of the integration of green marketing and consumer behavior theories about the environment. The managerial implications of this study include the provision of significant findings for both domestic and international firms for the promotion of green products through focusing on consumer behavior towards the environment. This study provides important guidelines to boost positive attitudes in society towards green marketing and helps companies develop effective strategies to promote their green products.

Social media influencers play a role in the beauty industry by making it more accessible and diverse, engaging in cultural acceptance and diversity, and making their lives public through social media. Known as ‘beauty gurus’, these influencers use their makeup skills to work with cosmetics brands, in which they earn substantial remuneration by raising brand awareness among social media audiences. While work was conducted on social media influencers, there was no clear focus on how influencers engage with young millennials regarding the choice of cosmetics products and its use. Hence, this study analysed the beauty ‘gurus’ credibility in influencing young female millennials’ cosmetics brands of choice. A survey method was used to collect data using a judgemental sampling from young females who have subscribed and observed makeup tutorials on social media platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, among many others. Additionally, a total of 271 usable questionnaires were gathered and analysed using AMOS. Credibility traits, such as knowledge, attractiveness, and relatability, were the core elements of an influencer’s capability to influence young millennials. Social media influencers were seen as a new and effective marketing tool in targeting a broad demographic and increasing brand awareness.

The fast fashion market is becoming popular, escalating and aggravating the throwaway culture phenomenon. Thus, it is valuable to understand the factors that influence sustainable fashion consumption and the clothing disposal pattern among young consumers in developing countries like Malaysia. Data were obtained from the online survey of 324 young adults aged 18 to 35 and were analysed using the Partial Least Square using SmartPLS (v.3.3.3i). The findings indicate that personal norms, social norms and environmental awareness were the key influencing factors of sustainable fashion consumption. Consequently, sustainable fashion consumption exhibited a positive and significant relationship towards philanthropic and economic reasons for clothing disposal behaviour. The insights from this study will assist practitioners, green manufacturers, business owners and policy makers in giving a clearer picture of what motivates sustainable fashion consumption and the clothing disposal behaviour of today’s young adults.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations in the world to fully utilize variety of emerging online communication platform technologies. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are among these organizations that obliged students and instructors to use different online communication platforms to insure uninterrupted education process. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated many considerable challenges for the global higher education community while using such emerging technologies. The purpose of this study is to analyze university student’s perceptions on the challenges and hurdles they face during the Covid-19 pandemic when they use IT platform applications for online learning activities. This research used mixed methods research with main emphasis on qualitative research, supported by literature content analysis techniques. The data set for this study was collected during peak time of pandemic period between 16th of May 2020 to 5th of Jun 2020. Based on the descriptive analysis using SPSS and the analyzed results using NVivo12 for the data that was collected from 486 students from different universities in Malaysia, students disclosed various obstacles they encounter when they use IT platform applications for online learning. These obstacles are summarized as follows: (1) Work and information overload received from instructors through online learning platforms (2) Technical challenges related to students’ lack of affordability for having online learning support facilities (3) Personal health challenges related to stress and anxiety problems.

Until now most of the studies concerning eHealth in Saudi Arabia are about the exploration of the national benefits from eHealth and the technical and infrastructural challenges in implementing eHealth rather than finding the factors influencing the users in adopting eHealth services. Further, the eHealth adoption rate in Saudi Arabia is low despite the scope of potential growth for the eHealth market. In this study, the authors added Trust, Privacy and System Quality factors to Technology Acceptance Model by considering the research context to examine the factors influencing eHealth services adoption. The proposed model was empirically tested based on the data collected, through survey questionnaire from 314 responses in Saudi Arabia. Structural Equation Modelling was followed to analysis and validates the proposed model based on partial least squares method using SmartPLS. Based on the findings, Perceived Usefulness in addition to Privacy significantly affect eHealth adoption. Moreover, Perceived Ease of Use factor has indirect effect on people perception toward eHealth services. Furthermore, the results show that System Quality and Trust are not influencing factors. This study is important for the healthcare policymakers for getting direction for future studies to avail the maximum benefits of eHealth in Saudi Arabia.