Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37343038›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

Aggressive strategies of the COVID-19 pandemic on the apparel industry of Sri Lanka using structural equation modeling.

Wasantha Rajapakshe, D S M Karunaratna, W H G Ariyaratne, H A Lakshani Madushika, G S K Perera, P Shamila

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Wasantha RajapaksheDepartment of Business Management, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, SLIIT Business School, Malabe, Sri Lanka.ORCID 0000-0002-0757-9030
D S M KarunaratnaDepartment of Business Management, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, SLIIT Business School, Malabe, Sri Lanka.
W H G AriyaratneDepartment of Business Management, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, SLIIT Business School, Malabe, Sri Lanka.
H A Lakshani MadushikaDepartment of Business Management, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, SLIIT Business School, Malabe, Sri Lanka.
G S K PereraDepartment of Business Management, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, SLIIT Business School, Malabe, Sri Lanka.
P ShamilaDepartment of Business Management, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, SLIIT Business School, Malabe, Sri Lanka.ORCID 0000-0002-3066-5850

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

During the COVID-19 crisis, the apparel industry faced many challenges. Aggressive cost-cutting strategies became a top priority, and in turn, these influenced stressors and adversely affected business sustainability. This study examines the impact of aggressive strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic on business sustainability in the apparel industry of Sri Lanka. Further, it investigates whether the relationship between aggressive cost-cutting strategies and business sustainability was mediated by employee stress, considering aggressive cost reduction strategies and workplace environmental changes. This was a cross-sectional study with data collected from 384 employees in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to analyze the direct and indirect effects of aggressive cost reduction strategies and workplace environmental changes on sustainability with mediating effects of stress. Aggressive cost reduction strategies (Beta = 1.317, p = 0.000) and environmental changes (Beta = 0.251, p = 0.000) led to an increase in employee stress but did not affect business sustainability. Thus, employee stress (Beta = -0.028, p = 0.594) was not a mediator in the relationship between aggressive cost-cutting strategies and business sustainability; business sustainability was not a dependent variable. The findings proved that managing workplace stress, particularly improving stressful working environments and aggressive cost reduction strategies, can enhance employee satisfaction. Thus, managing employee stress could be beneficial for policymakers to focus on the area(s) required to retain competent employees. Moreover, aggressive strategies are unsuitable to apply during crisis to enhance business sustainability. The findings provide additional knowledge to the existing literature, enabling employees and employers to predict causes of stress and serve as a significant knowledge base for further studies.

Indexed as

ClothingCOVID-19Manufacturing IndustryPandemicsAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansLatent Class AnalysisMaleMiddle AgedSri LankaYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID37343038
PMCPMC10284376

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.