ABSTRACT
During Covid-19, some innovative start-ups not only absorbed the shock but also improved afterwards through the development of capabilities related to antifragility. Drawing on the antifragility literature we have selected a set of internal capabilities that influence the survival of start-ups. Then, we applied qualitative benchmarking of the fuzzy-set to examine which interactions between the aforementioned internal capabilities affect the survival of innovative start-ups. We used a unique dataset of 37 innovative start-ups that survived in Italy after the Covid-19 lockdown. Our results suggest the interaction between some specific capabilities (creativity, flexibility and collaboration) are antecedents of antifragility. The interaction between these capabilities enables start-ups to survive during a crisis. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
The Covid-19 pandemic impacted the tourism industry worldwide. Measures taken by Governments to contain the contagion and limit social relations have had a significant impact also on foodservice. Starting in May 2020, Italian restaurants can only operate by reservation and tracking the identity of customers. ICT plays a fundamental role in supporting these changes, transforming barrier into opportunity and allowing the collection of a large amount of data on consumer behavior. Such data should be managed through a strategic approach to better optimize management. This paper presents a longitudinal study on the use of ICT platforms by Italian restaurant managers. The findings reveal how new rules imposed by Government changed restaurant managers’ attitude towards technology. In 2017 they showed reticence towards technology, not employed in a strategic way;today everyone uses ICT to improve business. The pandemic fostered a technological leap of many foodservice managers. Theoretical and practical implications for researchers and restaurateurs are discussed. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
Exceptional situations seem to activate particular mechanisms in organizations to safeguard their survival. These mechanisms seem to diverge from what is claimed in managerial theories. The Covid-19 emergency allows us to observe this phenomenon both at the level of institutions and at the level of people. Looking at the institutions it seems that managers have overcome the “bureaucracy trap” produced by automatic and impartial procedures. On the other hand, workers in emergency situations seem to be motivated by factors other than those contemplated in the theoretical models. The motivational factors seem to be personal, such as altruism, reinforced by the pursuit of an interest clearly perceived as common. These observations allow us to hypothesize further ways of managing human resources that managers can grasp through their leadership. Copyright © FrancoAngeli.