Crisis-Proof Or Crisis-Prone? A Pilot Study On The Resilience Strategies Of Romanian Companies In The Age Of Ai And Polycrisis

In today s unstable world, marked by global pandemics, economic crises, geopolitical conflicts, accelerated technological transformations, etc., the traditional business environment and companies, as an integral part of it, are forced to adapt. Besides the overlapping of several types of crises (the so-called polycrisis phenomenon) that they must deal with, Romanian companies are also faced with the problem of assimilating digitalization and integrating artificial intelligence. This research highlights how Romanian companies respond to these challenges and what strategies they adopt to maintain their functionality, internal cohesion, and competitiveness or, in other words, to develop and demonstrate their resilience to crises and technological transformations. The research methodology involves a qualitative approach based on interviews. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers, team leaders, and directors from various Romanian companies selected to represent diverse industrial contexts and organizational capacities. The large corporations in the selected sample demonstrated sophisticated frameworks for integrating artificial intelligence and implemented crisis management protocols. However, these benefits were offset by institutional rigidity, which rendered strategic changes problematic. SMEs presented significant resource constraints and technological gaps but demonstrated greater adaptability and innovative problem-solving strategies in response to uncertainty. Therefore, resilience requires integrated approaches that combine technological investments with organizational agility, considering that optimal configurations vary significantly depending on the company profile. The implications of the study indicate the need to revise traditional crisis management frameworks to allow firms adapt to polycrises.