International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

search-icon

An Empirical Study of Post Covid19 Pandemic on Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) of Telework

Open access
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of flexible working options (FWO) on telework operations continuity (TOC), work-life balance (WLB), and telework work stress (TWS) in addition to understand the relationships between these constructs in the era of post COVID19. The importance of this study is to understand the way of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Saudi Arabia adapt to telework at post Covid19 pandemics examining the challenges and opportunities of teleworking.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopts a quantitative approach using a survey web-administered to 109 participants who used telework from MSEs. The conceptual model is tested with the partial least squares-based structural equation model (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLS.
Findings: The results indicate that telework flexible working options affect operations continuity, however, it has not directed or indirect relation with work stress and work-life stability. Mainly, the opposite of studies conducted to assess that during the lockdown time. The result indicates that it has a positive relation with continuity of work, advancement creates fastest way of work. Study shows associations embraced telecommute procedure to improve the opportunities of fastest communication between the peers like using online tools so that no one left behind. Further recommended for future research to compare 3 phases: pre Covid, during lockdown and post Covid to understand the entire.
Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the academy of marketing science, 16(1), 74-94.
Beasley, R. E., Lomo?David, E., & Seubert, V. R. (2001). Telework and gender: implications for the management of information technology professionals. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 101(9), 477-482.
Belzunegui-Eraso, A., & Erro-Garcés, A. (2020). Teleworking in the Context of the Covid-19 Crisis. Sustainability, 12(9), 3662.
Carillo, K., Cachat-Rosset, G., Marsan, J., Saba, T., & Klarsfeld, A. (2021). Adjusting to epidemic-induced telework: Empirical insights from teleworkers in France. European Journal of Information Systems, 30(1), 69-88.
Chin, W. W. (1998). The partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling. Modern methods for business research, 295(2), 295-336.
Coenen, M., & Kok, R. A. (2014). Workplace flexibility and new product development performance: The role of telework and flexible work schedules. European Management Journal, 32(4), 564-576.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.
Croasmun, J. T., & Ostrom, L. (2011). Using likert-type scales in the social sciences. Journal of adult education, 40(1), 19-22.
Dawis, R. V., & Lofquist, L. H. (1984). A psychological theory of work adjustment: An individual-differences model and its applications. University of Minnesota press.
de Macêdo, T. A. M., Cabral, E. L. D. S., Silva Castro, W. R., de Souza Junior, C. C., da Costa Junior, J. F., Pedrosa, F. M., ... & Másculo, F. S. (2020). Ergonomics and telework: A systematic review. Work, 66(4), 777-788.
De Vries, H., Tummers, L., & Bekkers, V. (2019). The benefits of teleworking in the public sector: Reality or rhetoric?. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 39(4), 570-593.
Den Dulk, L., Groeneveld, S., Ollier-Malaterre, A., & Valcour, M. (2013). National context in work-life research: A multi-level cross-national analysis of the adoption of workplace work-life arrangements in Europe. European Management Journal, 31(5), 478-494.
Dionisio, C. (2020). Exploring the motivation behind studying for a degree: a cross sectional, qualitative study on third year students using interviews. The IIE.
Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American journal of theoretical and applied statistics, 5(1), 1-4.
Forza, C. (2002). Survey research in operations management: a process?based perspective. International journal of operations & production management.
Fraij, J., & Aburumman, N. (2021). How Does Telework Act As A Solution To The Public Sector In The Time Of Pandemic?. Network Intelligence Studies, (17), 13-24.
Galvez, A., Tirado, F., & Martínez, M. J. (2020). Work–life balance, organizations and social sustainability: Analyzing female telework in Spain. Sustainability, 12(9), 3567.
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European business review, 31(1), 2-24.
Heng, T. B., Hooi, S. C., Liang, Y. Y., Othma, A., & San, O. T. (2012). Telecommuting for business continuity in a non-profit environment. Asian Social Science, 8(12), 226.
Hilbrecht, M., Shaw, S. M., Johnson, L. C., & Andrey, J. (2008). ‘I'm home for the kids’: contradictory implications for work–life balance of teleworking mothers. Gender, Work & Organization, 15(5), 454-476.
Homburg, C., & Baumgartner, H. (1998). Beurteilung von kausalmodellen. Bestandsaufnahme und anwendungsempfehlungen [Evaluation of causal models. A review and advise for users]. Die Kausalanalyse. Instrument der empirischen betriebswirtschaftlichen forschung [Causal analysis: An Instrument of empirical managerial research]. Stuttgart’Schäffer-Poeschel.
Irawanto, D. W., Novianti, K. R., & Roz, K. (2021). Work from home: Measuring satisfaction between work–life balance and work stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Economies, 9(3), 96.
Jaya, G. N. M., Hermina, N., & Sunengsih, N. (2019). CB-SEM and VB-SEM: Evaluating measurement model of business strategy of internet industry in Indonesia. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 10(10), 878-883.
Khan, S. A. R., Godil, D. I., Bibi, M., Yu, Z., & Rizvi, S. M. A. (2021). The Economic and Social Impact of Teleworking in Romania: Present Practices and Post Pandemic Developments. Amfiteatru Economic, 23(58), 787-804.
Kock, N., & Lynn, G. (2012). Lateral collinearity and misleading results in variance-based SEM: An illustration and recommendations. Journal of the Association for information Systems, 13(7).
Maeda, H. (2015). Response option configuration of online administered Likert scales. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 18(1), 15-26.
Messenger, J. (2019). Telework in the 21st Century. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Moon, N. W. (2007). Private sector telework and its implications for economic development: Results of a case survey and policy assessment. Atlanta, GA: Georgia Institute of Technology.
Morgan, R. E. (2004). Teleworking: an assessment of the benefits and challenges. European Business Review, 16(4), 344-357.
Nelson, D. L. (1990). Individual adjustment to information-driven technologies: A critical review. MIS quarterly, 79-98.
Nunnally, J. C. (1994). Psychometric theory 3E. Tata McGraw-hill education.
Ollo-López, A., Goñi-Legaz, S., & Erro-Garcés, A. (2020). Home-based telework: usefulness and facilitators. International Journal of Manpower. 42(4), 644-660.
Peha, J. (2019). Robots, telework, and the jobs of the future.
Pooranam, N., Sushma, P. P., Sruthi, S., & Sri, D. K. (2021, May). A Safety Measuring Tool to Maintain Social Distancing On COVID-19 Using Deep Learning Approach. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1916, No. 1, p. 012122). IOP Publishing.
Ramayah, T. J. F. H., Cheah, J., Chuah, F., Ting, H., & Memon, M. A. (2018). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using smartPLS 3.0. An updated guide and practical guide to statistical analysis.
Ruth, S., & Chaudhry, I. (2008). Telework: A productivity paradox?. IEEE Internet Computing, 12(6), 87-90.
Sarstedt, M., & Cheah, J. H. (2019). Partial least squares structural equation modeling using SmartPLS: a software review.
Stats.gov.sa. (2022). Retrieved 26 June 2022, from
https://www.stats.gov.sa/sites/default/files/mshm_lmnshat_lsgyr_wlmtwst_fy_lqt_lkhs_lrb_lthlth_2019_en_002.pdf.
Tavares, A. I. (2017). Telework and health effects review. International Journal of Healthcare, 3(2), 30-36.
Urbach, N., & Ahlemann, F. (2010). Structural equation modeling in information systems research using partial least squares. Journal of Information Technology Theory and Application (JITTA), 11(2), 2.
Van Doremalen, N., Bushmaker, T., Morris, D. H., Holbrook, M. G., Gamble, A., Williamson, B. N., ... & Munster, V. J. (2020). Aerosol and surface stability of SARS-CoV-2 as compared with SARS-CoV-1. New England journal of medicine, 382(16), 1564-1567.
Vargas Llave, O., Mandl, I., Weber, T., & Wilkens, M. (2020). Telework and ICT-based mobile work: Flexible working in the digital age.
Vilhelmson, B., & Thulin, E. (2016). Who and where are the flexible workers? Exploring the current diffusion of telework in Sweden. New technology, work and employment, 31(1), 77-96.
Wang, J. (2008). Controlling telework: An exploratory investigation of portfolios of control applied to remote knowledge workers. Georgia State University.
Who.int. (2022). Coronavirus. Retrieved 26 June 2022, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1.
Wong, K. K. K. (2013). Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) techniques using SmartPLS. Marketing Bulletin, 24(1), 1-32.
Li, C., & Lalani, F. (2020, April). The COVID-19 pandemic has changed education forever. In World economic forum (Vol. 29). The rise of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic| World Economic Forum (weforum. org).
Yang, H., Zheng, C., Zhu, L., Chen, F., Zhao, Y., & Valluri, M. (2013). Security risks in teleworking: A review and analysis. The University of Melbourne.
Yu, R., Burke, M., & Raad, N. (2019). Exploring impact of future flexible working model evolution on urban environment, economy and planning. Journal of Urban Management, 8(3), 447-457.
Zhang, S., Moeckel, R., Moreno, A. T., Shuai, B., & Gao, J. (2020). A work-life conflict perspective on telework. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 141, 51-68.
In-Text Citation: (Alabdali, 2022)
To Cite this Article: Alabdali, M. (2022). An Empirical Study of Post Covid19 Pandemic on Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) of Telework. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 12(6), 1721 – 1736.