The COVID-19 pandemic had profound worldwide impacts on businesses, testing their adaptability and sustainable business practices. The pandemic revealed the vulnerability of traditional business models to global disruptions. Companies faced significant operational interruptions caused by lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, and a decline in customer demand. These challenges made it necessary to make business models more resilient and sustainable. Many companies had to rethink and adapt their business models to the new global challenges. This paper examines how companies adjusted their processes as a result of the pandemic and what long-term changes remain. Semi-structured interviews with professionals and process managers were used to develop a broad understanding of the strategic adjustments and their long-term effects. The research process began with a comprehensive literature review on the topics of process management, digital transformation, and resilience in business models. This was followed by the development of the interview guide, based on the research questions. The selection of interview partners was based on established criteria such as industry, company size, and COVID-19-related challenges already experienced. In summary, the pandemic has shown how crucial rapid adjustments and flexibility are for companies. Firms had to change their business models to respond to new market conditions, with many shifting to digital solutions and implementing new ways of customer interaction and remote working. The pandemic dramatically accelerated digital transformation in companies. Investments in cloud technologies, automation, and artificial intelligence increased to meet new demands and enhance operational efficiency. The shift to home office and flexible working models was one of the most striking developments. These changes seem to be permanent and are sustainably influencing work culture. The expert interviews additionally showed that four out of five companies want to permanently retain the changes introduced during the pandemic, such as flexible working models and digital communication tools. These adjustments could not only increase efficiency but also enhance the resilience of companies to future crises. The interviews provide in-depth insights at the local level and are therefore of particular interest.
Prozessmanagement in einer Post-COVID-Welt
Navroschi, M. (Author). 2024
Student thesis: Bachelor's Thesis