Food 4.0 for competing during the COVID-19 pandemic: experimenting digitalization in family firms

Abstract

PurposeWithin food industry several changes and innovations are affecting the management of the entire supply chain (production, logistics, etc.). As strategy for the survival and competition, digitalization has assumed a crucial role during the pandemic emergence by causing the reconfiguration of traditional chains and business models. Framed in these premises, the research analyses how digital technologies have innovated the sub-chains of bakery products and pasta within food industry with reference to customers' interactions, delivery and marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic emergence.Design/methodology/approachMoving from a critical literature review about the perspectives of digital technologies within the tradition of food industry, action research has been adopted to analyze in deep a case study of the start-up “ArteBianca Delivery” located in South Italy. Through this method, researchers have been deeply involved within the start-up to face the challenge of transforming the marketing and customer care into digital ones due to the COVID-19 restriction.FindingsFindings provide empirical evidence about the reconfiguration of the traditional business model of a family firm in the food sector into a digital one with the start-up “ArteBianca Delivery”. The marketing, delivery, e-commerce and customer care components of the business models have been supported and enhanced through the adoption of digital tools, such as mobile applications and social technologies useful both for users and for a more urgent digitization of company.Practical implicationsImplications for practice can be identified into the pattern of digital transformation implemented as well as in the opportunity of replication and contextualization of the results to other companies looking for setting up a digital strategy.Originality/valueElements of original contribution can be identified into: (1) the exploration of digital transformation in food family firms caused by the pandemic emergence, (2) the contextualization of the digital transformation to the sub-chains of bakery and pasta and (3) the geographical location of the case.

Digital transformation in family-owned winery SMEs: an exploratory analysis in the South-Italian context

“…Several studies have explored digitalization in the wine industry across nations (Barrágan-Quintero et al ., 2021; Dressler and Paunovic, 2021. However, only few analyze the role of familiness in wine SMEs when approaching digital transformation (Barile et al. , 2022).…”

“…Several studies have explored digitalization in the wine industry across nations (Barr agan-Quintero et al, 2021; Dressler and Paunovic, 2021. However, only few analyze the role of familiness in wine SMEs when approaching digital transformation (Barile et al, 2022). Therefore, a qualitative perspective through the case study approach has been considered an appropriate method for gaining a comprehensive understanding of digital transformation for wine SMEs in the context of family business research (De Massis and Kotlar, 2014).…”

“…, 2018). In the lights of recent economic turbulences, entrepreneurs are in charge of driving the renewal and rejuvenation processes of their companies and the industries in which they operate, through their abilities in discovery processes and in the exploration of market opportunities arising from digital technologies (Barile et al. , 2022; Hsieh and Wu, 2019).…”

“…Consequently, cultural and human variables, such as rigid mental models or emotional ties to existing assets of the family leaders, play a crucial role in SMEs' digital transformation processes (Bouwman et al, 2018). In the lights of recent economic turbulences, entrepreneurs are in charge of driving the renewal and rejuvenation processes of their companies and the industries in which they operate, through their abilities in discovery processes and in the exploration of market opportunities arising from digital technologies (Barile et al, 2022;Hsieh and Wu, 2019). In this perspective, by combining the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) and the dynamic capability view (DCV), Chatterjee et al (2022) have recognized the role played by sensing and seizing abilities of workforce resiliency as driving forces that facilitate the technology adoptions processes, which allow companies to be competitive in hyper volatile markets.…”

Tech, Tradition, and Values: Transformative Paths for Family Businesses

“…A recent Fortune report projected that the global digital transformation market will reach USD 8.9 trillion by 2030 (Fortune, 2023). Family businesses (FBs) are at the forefront of this transformation (Calabrò & McGinness, 2021), particularly after the sudden impact of the pandemic (Barile et al, 2022). To ensure their longevity, FBs' transformative response was largely shaped by increased social responsibility and business transformation, including adopting technologies (Calabrò & McGinness, 2021).…”