Adapting emerging digital communication technologies for resilience: evidence from Nigerian SMEs

Folajimi Ashiru, Franklin Nakpodia () and Jacqueline J You
Additional contact information
Folajimi Ashiru: Coventry University
Franklin Nakpodia: Durham University
Jacqueline J You: University of York

Annals of Operations Research, 2023, vol. 327, issue 2, No 10, 795-823

Abstract: Abstract Drawing on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, this study explores how emerging digital communication technologies (EDCT) affected SMEs’ resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. We employed an inductive and qualitative approach to investigate 42 SME operators in a weak institutional developing country—Nigeria. Our findings show that EDCT played a critical role in activating SMEs’ resilience during the crisis through four drivers: facilitating connections and bonding with staff, clients, and suppliers; enabling collaborations; activating process diversification; and enhancing supply chain flexibility. Furthermore, we highlight the distinct ability of Nigerian SMEs to buffer themselves against misinformation arising from the use of EDCT. This study sheds light on an EDCT Diffusion Model for resilience.

Keywords: Emerging digital communication technologies; Diffusion of innovation; Disruptions; COVID-19; Nigeria; Weak institutional environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10479-022-05049-9 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:annopr:v:327:y:2023:i:2:d:10.1007_s10479-022-05049-9

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/journal/10479

DOI: 10.1007/s10479-022-05049-9

Access Statistics for this article

Annals of Operations Research is currently edited by Endre Boros

More articles in Annals of Operations Research from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().