The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new reality for consumers all around the globe. To cope, users of digital technologies have faced the necessity of adopting and using specific technologies practically overnight. They are doing this under the condition of social isolation, all while facing the fear of catching the disease. The purpose of the paper is to study the way unexpected circumstances cause disruptions in existing theoretical models and their implications for the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, the paper examines the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation, and it identifies herd behavior as a possible new mechanism affecting behavioral intention under these unique decision-making circumstances. Behavioral intention toward online shopping was analyzed using data from 420 individuals aged 60 and older who present an increasingly important potential market for electronic commerce and who are particularly affected by COVID-19. The main results show that performance expectancy still has the most important influence on behavioral intention, whereas the impact of social influence was not supported under these conditions. Rather, herd behavior was identified as particularly influential for behavioral intention. Based on the study results, the option to reconsider the social influence factor in the UTAUT model and its possible complementary mechanisms are discussed.

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Purpose A poor relationship between top management and IT personnel is often denoted as a business–IT gap. In an era of digital transformation, bridging this gap and establishing a strong relationship between business and IT are more important than ever before. The purpose of this paper is thus to examine a particular link between business and IT managers – a partnership relationship – together with the factors facilitating it. Design/methodology/approach A partnership construct is developed based on interdisciplinary studies and transferred to the business–IT context since it is not generally used in IT disciplines. The model was empirically tested with structural equation modelling using data obtained from 221 IT managers in Slovenian companies. Findings The results show that both the perceived value of IT and the business orientation of the IT department exert a positive influence on the partnership, while a mere technology-oriented IT department has a negative effect on the partnership relationship. Furthermore, the paper also presents the prerequisites for a business-oriented IT department. Originality/value In this digitalisation era, IT is becoming even more important for its strategic role in organisations. There is thus a strong need to bridge the business–IT gap. Despite significant efforts made to close this gap, it remains a major issue. This research contributes to understanding the business–IT gap and presents the key factors for ensuring a partnership relationship is in place. The study also combines the views of social exchange theory and knowledge-based theory and upgrades findings concerning the influence of social facilitators on collaboration outcomes.