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The window of opportunity brought by the COVID-19 pandemic : an ill wind blows for digitalisation leapfrogging

Author

Listed:
  • Jie Xiong

    (ESSCA - Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Commerciales d'Angers)

  • Ke Wang

    (HUST - Huazhong University of Science and Technology [Wuhan])

  • Jie Yan

    (EESC-GEM Grenoble Ecole de Management)

  • Lu Xu

    (CleRMa - Clermont Recherche Management - ESC Clermont-Ferrand - École Supérieure de Commerce (ESC) - Clermont-Ferrand - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne)

  • Han Huang

    (HUST - Huazhong University of Science and Technology [Wuhan])

Abstract

We analyse how the COVID-19 pandemic crisis created the window of opportunity (WOP) in the digital industry and digital applications. These led to the leapfrogging of digital transformation in China. This was considered a major contribution to the pandemic recovery in early to mid-2020. By exploring this phenomenon, we examine alternatives for sustainable development during such turbulent circumstances mediating the destruction arisen from the crisis. We unveil the mechanisms that reveal the large-scale digitalisation that emerged as part of the response to managing the crisis. We find that during this crisis in China, the WOPs from policy, technology and demand perspectives facilitated the leapfrogging of the digital transformation in numerous social and economic areas. More importantly, we also discover that the WOPs are unevenly distributed among firms, time, and locations. Based on these results, we put forth that the COVID-19 pandemic brings a relative window of opportunity (RWOP) to society, impacting industries and firms. However, these impacts are disproportionately distributed. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to illustrate how a social crisis leads to WOPs enhancing digital transformation. Furthermore, this also ultimately provided a coping mechanism to deal with the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Xiong & Ke Wang & Jie Yan & Lu Xu & Han Huang, 2021. "The window of opportunity brought by the COVID-19 pandemic : an ill wind blows for digitalisation leapfrogging," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-03395445, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:gemptp:hal-03395445
    DOI: 10.1080/09537325.2021.1979212
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.uca.fr/hal-03395445
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Regina Diaz & Raul Montalvo, 2022. "Digital Transformation as an Enabler to Become More Efficient in Sustainability: Evidence from Five Leading Companies in the Mexican Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Gigauri Iza & Djakeli Kakhaber, 2021. "Remote working challenges for Georgian social enterprises in the context of the current pandemic," HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration, Sciendo, vol. 12(3), pages 39-53, December.
    3. Yu Gao & Xiuyun Yang & Shuangyan Li, 2022. "Government Supports, Digital Capability, and Organizational Resilience Capacity during COVID-19: The Moderation Role of Organizational Unlearning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, August.
    4. Xiong, Jie & Zhao, Shuyan & Meng, Yan & Xu, Lu & Kim, Seong-Young, 2022. "How latecomers catch up to build an energy-saving industry: The case of the Chinese electric vehicle industry 1995–2018," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).

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