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Teleworking during the Covid-19 Crisis in Italy: Evidence and Tentative Interpretations

Author

Listed:
  • Oksana Tokarchuk

    (Faculty of Economics and Management, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, 39100 Bolzano, Italy)

  • Roberto Gabriele

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, 38122 Trento, Italy)

  • Giorgio Neglia

    (Fondirigenti, Fondirigenti G. Taliercio, viale Pasteur, 10-00144 Roma, Italy)

Abstract

The paper investigates the determinants and discusses the consequences of the switch towards Italian high-tech firms’ teleworking due to the COVID-19 crisis. Teleworking is important to reduce traffic congestion and increase the sustainability of cities, and as such, it is important to understand what helps the successful transition of firms to telework. COVID-19 crisis represents a natural experiment that allows studying organizational ability to adapt to unexpected environmental changes rapidly. The study is based on a survey conducted in mid-April 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown among Italian manufacturing firms’ managers in high-tech sectors. The final sample is composed of 179 observations. Using path analysis, we model the organizational e-readiness as a mediator of the firm’s technological and organizational characteristics in the rate of adoption of teleworking. Teleworking is also modeled as dependent on human resources and from the exogenous shock represented by COVID-19 lockdown. While teleworking has been imposed by COVID-19, organizational readiness plays a key role in shaping the rate of teleworking adoption during emergencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Oksana Tokarchuk & Roberto Gabriele & Giorgio Neglia, 2021. "Teleworking during the Covid-19 Crisis in Italy: Evidence and Tentative Interpretations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-11, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2147-:d:500865
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Groen, Bianca A.C. & van Triest, Sander P. & Coers, Michael & Wtenweerde, Neeke, 2018. "Managing flexible work arrangements: Teleworking and output controls," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 727-735.
    4. Birger Wernerfelt, 1984. "A resource‐based view of the firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(2), pages 171-180, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lashitew, Addisu A., 2023. "When businesses go digital: The role of CEO attributes in technology adoption and utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    2. Nadezda Krasilnikova & Meike Levin-Keitel, 2022. "Telework as a Game-Changer for Sustainability? Transitions in Work, Workplace and Socio-Spatial Arrangements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-13, June.
    3. Ed Burton & David John Edwards & Chris Roberts & Nicholas Chileshe & Joseph H. K. Lai, 2021. "Delineating the Implications of Dispersing Teams and Teleworking in an Agile UK Construction Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, September.
    4. Panayotis Christidis & Aris Christodoulou & Elena Navajas-Cawood & Biagio Ciuffo, 2021. "The Post-Pandemic Recovery of Transport Activity: Emerging Mobility Patterns and Repercussions on Future Evolution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Čiarnienė Ramunė & Vienažindienė Milita & Adamonienė Rūta, 2023. "Teleworking and sustainable behaviour in the context of COVID-19: the case of Lithuania," Engineering Management in Production and Services, Sciendo, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, March.
    6. Georgiana-Camelia Georgescu (Cretan) & Rodica Gherghina & Ioana Duca & Mirela Anca Postole & Carmen Maria Constantinescu, 2021. "Determinants of Employees’ Option for Preserving Teleworking After the COVID-19 Pandemic," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(58), pages 669-669, August.
    7. Emelie Mannebäck & Ali Padyab, 2021. "Challenges of Managing Information Security during the Pandemic," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-17, November.
    8. Grégory Jemine, 2023. "Beyond the Storm: an Exploratory Survey on HR Managers' Representations of Epidemic-Induced Telework," Post-Print hal-04080595, HAL.
    9. Andreja Mihailović & Julija Cerović Smolović & Ivan Radević & Neli Rašović & Nikola Martinović, 2021. "COVID-19 and Beyond: Employee Perceptions of the Efficiency of Teleworking and Its Cybersecurity Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-26, June.
    10. Asmussen, Katherine E. & Mondal, Aupal & Bhat, Chandra R. & Pendyala, Ram M., 2023. "On modeling future workplace location decisions: An analysis of Texas employees," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    11. Mihail Busu & Attila Gyorgy, 2021. "The Mediating Role of the Ability to Adapt to Teleworking to Increase the Organizational Performance," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(58), pages 654-654, August.
    12. Magnus Moglia & John Hopkins & Anne Bardoel, 2021. "Telework, Hybrid Work and the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals: Towards Policy Coherence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-28, August.
    13. Jorge De Andres-Sanchez & Angel Belzunegui-Eraso & Mar Souto-Romero, 2023. "Perception of the Effects of Working from Home on Isolation and Stress by Spanish Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-25, January.
    14. Abay Asfaw, 2022. "Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Teleworking Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: A Mediation Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-18, April.

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