Title: The use of technology among the Omani retailers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: Salim Nasser Salim Alriyami; Mahfooz Ahmed

Addresses: Business Administration Department, Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences, International Islamic University, Malaysia ' Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology, International Islamic University, Malaysia

Abstract: This study examines the implementation and use of technology among Omani retailers supported and sponsored by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was to investigate some of the efforts made by these retailers in using the internet and its related technologies to buy and sell their goods and promote their services during the pandemic. An extensive interview session was conducted with some retailers in the central region of Oman. The study's findings show that the most popular technology device used by retailers during the pandemic to support their business was cell phones with some social media and instant messengers' applications like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. It was also discovered that the pandemic had a negative impact on most SMEs. The pandemic has also made most of them realise how some technological equipment can help them promote their goods and services during the movement restriction period.

Keywords: e-commerce; technology; retailers; COVID-19 pandemic; Oman; social media.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBPM.2023.132325

International Journal of Business Performance Management, 2023 Vol.24 No.3/4, pp.429 - 441

Received: 04 Feb 2022
Accepted: 15 Sep 2022
Published online: 18 Jul 2023 *

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