Hasan Tutar

Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey

hasantutar@ibu.edu.tr

Azerbaijan State

University of Economics (UNEC), Baku, Azerbaijan

hasantutar@unec.edu.az

ORCID 0000-0001-8383-1464

Digital innovation in family businesses in the post-pandemic period: A case study

Selçuk Nam

University of Sakarya,

Sakarya, Turkey

snam@sakarya.edu.tr

ORCID 0000-0002-0845-1362

Jaroslaw Korpysa

Institute of Management,

University of Szczecin, Poland 

jaroslaw.korpysa@usz.edu.pl

ORCID 0000-0002-2400-3308

István Drotár

Széchenyi István University, 

Gyor, Hungary

drotar.istvan@sze.hu

Abstract. Businesses must develop appropriate organizational structures and working models to reduce costs and increase profitability. Under the conditions of rapid change, innovation and creativity are critical for business success. Traditional hierarchical and rigid organizational structures are unsuitable for the flexible working conditions of the post-pandemic period and need to be revised to adapt to newly created requirements. This study aims to answer the fundamental question of the importance of digital innovation for businesses in the post-pandemic period. A qualitative research method was the basis for this case study. Data were collected from 15 family business managers operating in Sakarya (Turkey) through semi-structured interviews. The collected data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis technique in the MAXQDA program. According to research findings, developing new organizational structures and business models based on digital innovation is necessary to ensure sustainability and cope with uncertainty in family businesses. This also supports the notion that organizational structures should adhere to organic and flexible arrangements and move away from rigid and mechanical systems.

Received: July, 2023

1st Revision: March, 2024

Accepted: June, 2024

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2024/17-2/5

JEL Classification: O30, O36

Keywords: digital innovation, family businesses, post-pandemic, COVID-19