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

Folajimi Ashiru; Franklin Nakpodia; Jacqueline You

doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-022-05049-9

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

Folajimi Ashiru, Franklin Nakpodia^*, Jacqueline You

^*Corresponding author for this work

The York Management School

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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.

Original language	English
Number of pages	29
Journal	Annals of Operations Research
Early online date	23 Nov 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-022-05049-9
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 23 Nov 2022

Bibliographical note

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-022-05049-9Licence: CC BY

s10479-022-05049-9
© The Author(s) 2022
Final published version, 899 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Adapting emerging digital communication technologies for resilience: evidence from Nigerian SMEs",

abstract = "Drawing on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory, this study explores how emerging digital communication technologies (EDCT) affected SMEs{\textquoteright} 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{\textquoteright} 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.",

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AB - 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.

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