Author(s)

Zhuoying You ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ Business School, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom

Corresponding Author

Zhuoying You

ABSTRACT

The outbreak of Covid-19 in December 2019 in China brought a huge shock for the digital transformation of Chinese Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The different impacts of Covid-19 on digital transformation are distinguished, being a result of different periods. It was found that Covid-19 had immediately brought about negative impact on supply chain of the digital transformation, including the disruption of cash flow, dilemma of logistics and low demand. Covid-19 also emphasized the significance of digital technologies and exerted the new mode of value chain, enabling digital transformation on a stable path in post Covid-19. This paper argues that Covid-19 likes a double-edged sword to affect digital transformation of SMEs and provides policy recommendations to promote digital development of Chinese SMEs.

KEYWORDS

Covid-19, Digital transformation, Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Supply chain, Value chain

CITE THIS PAPER

Zhuoying You, The Double-Edged Sword: the Impact of Covid-19 on Digital Transformation of Chinese SMEs. Journal of Sociology and Ethnology (2022) Vol. 4: 56-59. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/jsoce.2022.040112.

REFERENCES

[1] Bellandi, M., De Propris, L. and Santini, E., 2019. Industry 4.0+ challenges to local productive systems and place based integrated industrial policies. In Transforming Industrial Policy for the Digital Age. Edward Elgar Publishing.
[2] Bogner, E., Voelklein, T., Schroedel, O. and Franke, J., 2016. Study based analysis on the current digitalization degree in the manufacturing industry in Germany. Procedia Cirp, 57, pp.14-19.
[3] Cenamor, J., Parida, V. and Wincent, J., 2019. How entrepreneurial SMEs compete through digital platforms: The roles of digital platform capability, network capability and ambidexterity. Journal of Business Research, 100, pp.196-206.
[4] China Industry Research., 2020. 2020 China's SME market status survey and development trend forecast analysis report https://www.cir.cn/R_JinRongTouZi/08/ZhongXiaoQiYeDeFaZhanQuShi.html
[5] Garzoni, A., De Turi, I., Secundo, G. and Del Vecchio, P., 2020. Fostering digital transformation of SMEs: a four levels approach. Management Decision.
[6] Henriette, E., Feki, M. and Boughzala, I., 2016, September. Digital Transformation Challenges. In MCIS (p. 33).
[7] Huang, Y., Lin, C., Wang, P. and Xu, Z., 2020. Saving china from the coronavirus and economic meltdown: Experiences and lessons. Available at SSRN 3570696.
[8] Juergensen, J., Guimón, J. and Narula, R., 2020. European SMEs amidst the COVID-19 crisis: assessing impact and policy responses. Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, 47(3), pp.499-510.
[9] Martin, D., Romero, I. and Wegner, D., 2019. Individual, Organizational, and Institutional Determinants of Formal and Informal Inter‐Firm Cooperation in SMEs. Journal of Small Business Management, 57(4), pp.1698-1711.
[10] Matarazzo, M., Penco, L., Profumo, G. and Quaglia, R., 2020. Digital transformation and customer value creation in Made in Italy SMEs: A dynamic capabilities perspective. Journal of Business Research, 123, pp.642-656.
[11] Blackburn, S., LaBerge, L., O’Toole, C. and Schneider, J., 2020. Digital strategy in a time of crisis. McKinsey Digital, April, 22.
[12] Zhu, W., Liu, J., Wei, W., Ouyang, L., 2020. Covid-19 and Impacts on SMEs: Survey Evidences. CEIBS Business Review.

Sponsors, Associates, and Links

---

• Journal of Language Testing & Assessment
  
  
• Information and Knowledge Management
  
  
• Military and Armament Science
  
  
• Media and Communication Research
  
  
• Journal of Human Movement Science
  
  
• Art and Performance Letters
  
  
• Lecture Notes on History
  
  
• Lecture Notes on Language and Literature
  
  
• Philosophy Journal
  
  
• Science of Law Journal
  
  
• Journal of Political Science Research
  
  
• Advances in Broadcasting