Johannes Regner – Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Management, Odbojarov 10, Bratislava 820 05, Slovakia
Milan Fekete – Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Management, Odbojarov 10, Bratislava 820 05, Slovakia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/ITEMA.S.P.2021.93
5th International Scientific Conference on Recent Advances in Information Technology, Tourism, Economics, Management and Agriculture – ITEMA 2021, Online/virtual, October 21, 2021, SELECTED PAPERS published by the Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade; Printed by: SKRIPTA International, Belgrade, ISBN 978-86-80194-50-9, ISSN 2683-5991, DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/ITEMA.S.P.2021
Abstract
The present study focuses on digitalization strategies within the realm of supply chain management, wherein the focus is set on the specific economic environment of companies in the supply chain of critical infrastructure providers. Digitalization strategies are within this paper discussed concerning supply chain management and its relevance to the ongoing and influential COVID-19 crisis, where digital strategies of collaboration and management became imperative. To address the research question about the state of implementation of digital strategies within this specific industry, a qualitative empirical study was conducted. Experts from companies acting as suppliers of critical infrastructure were interviewed in an online setting regarding their own experiences with the implementation of digital strategies and according to challenges. Within the analysis of these interviews, it became obvious that digital strategies pre-crisis were only rarely implemented, with only one out of seven experts reporting about more advanced strategies. The COVID-19 crisis is described to be an accelerator regarding digitalization, although specific challenges resulting from unclear legal situations and frameworks are reported.
Keywords
Crisis management; Digitalization; Infrastructure
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