The Significance of Digitalization and Business Process Innovation as SME Assets in the US Pre-Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Business Environment

Cyrus Ogunsola (), Sandra Filipe () and Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira ()
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Cyrus Ogunsola: Doctoral School, University of Aveiro, Doctorate in Business Innovation, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Sandra Filipe: Rua Associação Humanitária Bombeiros Voluntários de Aveiro (BV), GOVCOPP, ISCA-UA
Manuel Au-Yong-Oliveira: INESC TEC

Chapter Chapter 24 in New Perspectives in Economics and Management, Vol 1, 2026, pp 355-368 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Digitalization and business process improvement took an added significance for SMEs during the pandemic period. Economic realities set in such that revealed that SMEs must transition to and accelerate their adoption of digital strategies to remain competitive. This study explores the significance of these strategies as assets for SMEs in a pre- and post-pandemic business environment. Our research reveals that digital transformation and business process innovation enable SMEs to enhance operational efficiency, improve customer engagement, and increase resilience in the face of economic and technological disruption. The work utilized qualitative research methodologies of IFRes and autoethnography. Results revealed that personal characteristics of business managers, business attributes such as geographical locations of SME businesses, are scenarios that affect the adaptability of SMEs to incorporate digital transformation and business process innovation in their business. This study contributes to knowledge by highlighting the vulnerability of mature industries to technological disruptions. It also reveals ethnic variations in SME ownership and in the workforce, identifying the underrepresentation of some ethnic minorities in SME ownership. Our findings provide valuable insights for SMEs seeking to navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic and its aftermath.

Keywords: Digital transformation; Process innovation; SME (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-032-29260-5_24

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-29260-5_24

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