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From a knowledge-management perspective, this paper aims to analyze the digital transformation of the business models of traditional Chinese sporting goods companies in the context of the pandemic crisis and to explore the role of their digital transformation in coping with the crisis.

Using theoretical sampling, typical sporting goods companies are selected for case studies. We provide an in-depth analysis of how these companies achieve high performance levels through the digital transformation of their business models in the post-COVID-19 era and discuss the key role of knowledge management in this achievement.

Focusing on the challenges faced by Chinese sporting goods enterprises during the pandemic crisis from the knowledge-management perspective, we find that through the digital transformation of their business models, enterprises can improve their knowledge-management capabilities, enhance their flexibility to respond to sudden crises and maintain a higher level of corporate performance.

This paper has significant implications for sporting goods companies wishing to achieve high corporate performance through the digital transformation of their business models in the post-COVID-19 era. Future research should address the dynamic mechanism of the digital transformation of business models to improve enterprise knowledge-management capabilities and the impact mechanism of knowledge-management capabilities on interenterprise organizational resilience.

This paper proposes specific strategies in the process of the digital transformation of business models that are essential for improving enterprises’ internal and external knowledge-management capabilities.

This study aims to answer the question of how business models (BMs) maintain stability while coping with environmental uncertainties. This study proposes a dynamic co-evolution of knowledge management and business model transformation based on a comparative analysis of the focal firms’ BMs and their main partners in two e-commerce ecosystems in China.

The open data of listed companies regarding the introduction of emerging topics on the transformation tendency of BMs in the post-COVID-19 business world is qualitatively analysed. The theoretical foundation is based on a critical review of the literature.

Three aspects of the co-evolution between knowledge management and business model transformation are introduced. These three aspects are as follows: knowledge integration helps with multi-system business integration and decision-making collaborations; knowledge sharing helps to enhance cognitive ability and network value based on businesses; and the creation of new knowledge helps enrich the knowledge base and promote the transformation of BMs.

Solely attributing a firm’s ability to cope with environmental uncertainties to its business model weakens the importance of its knowledge management. This study argues that the co-evolution between knowledge management and business model transformation also plays a key role in a firm’s response to issues post-COVID-19.

This study calls for the development of a normative theory of co-evolution between knowledge management and business model transformation, implying uncharted territories of knowledge management based on interaction with business model designs in e-business ecosystems.

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices and green entrepreneurial preference (GEP) have gained increasing attention from academicians; however, their impacts on business' competitive performance (BCP) post-coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) remain unclear. Although SSCM is vital for supporting BCP, the previous publications indicate the absence of significant relationships among GEP, SSCM and BCP. This study tries to fill this literature gap by investigating if GEP and SSCM can shape BCP. This study also suggests the moderation effect of digital innovations such as artificial intelligence and big data analytics (AIBD) on those relationships from a COVID-19 viewpoint.

Data were collected from 245 Halal food firms in Yemen, and the research framework was assessed using structural equation modeling (SEM).

The empirical findings show that there are significant impacts of GEP on SSCM and subsequently on BCP. The findings also reveal that SSCM practice mediates GEP-BCP link. Besides, digital innovations such as AIBD positively moderate the link of GEP-SSCM.

This study is the first attempt that advises Halal food firms to formally adopt GEP, SSCM and digital innovations to boost BCP, especially in uncertain times like post-COVID-19. Unlike earlier studies that observe SSCM usage as a direct predictor of firm performance, this study delivers an innovative insight that digital innovations can assist in GEP and SSCM incorporation in the in-house operations of the firms post-COVID-19.

The purpose of this study is to find out the future workforce’s work values and, based on them, to examine the work environment Generation Z are looking for in the situation of job search. Moreover, this study aims to provide ideas for organizations on how to transform the work environment for the post-COVID-19 era to attract and retain employees, especially the members of Generation Z.

The research design is based on the theory development method. Data were generated and collected from 28 focus groups and a survey (n = 773). First, initial coding was done with an affinity diagram, followed by the intermediate coding phase, when the authors compared the codings’ results and selected the core data. Finally, the advanced coding resulted in a work value model, which presents Generation Z’s core work value categories.

The paper presents a work value theory for Generation Z, which reflects their expectations of the physical work environment and the flexible work arrangements among the work values. To prepare for the post-COVID-19 era, this study suggests organizations applying hybrid working models.

Based on impacts and expected transformations in office work in the post-COVID-19 era, the paper calls attention to the critical management issues concerning Generation Z’s preferences and expectations.

The findings propose a broader work value theory approach that highlights the work environment’s convenience features and integrates values that support the employees’ desired lifestyle and well-being.

The COVID-19 outbreak has imposed extensive shocks embracing all stages of the food supply chain (FSC). Although the magnitude is still unfolding, the FSC responds with remarkable speed, to mitigate the disruptive consequences and sustain operations. This paper aims to investigate how operationalising supply chain agility (SCA) practices has occurred amid the COVID-19 crisis and expectations for how those practices could transform the supply chain in the post-COVID-19 era.

Following an exploratory case-based design, this paper examines the various agile responses that three supply chains (meat, fresh vegetables and bread) adopted and elaborate using the dynamic capability (DC) theoretical lens.

First, the findings demonstrate how, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, each affected case pursued various agile responses through sensing and seizing capabilities. Sensing includes identifying and assessing the relevant opportunities and threats associated with the specific supply chain context. Seizing involves acquiring, combining and modifying the tangible and intangible resources at the firm and supply chain levels. Second, supply chain transformation is likely if firms and their supply chain develop the sustaining capability to ensure that the desirable changes outlast the crisis.

This study provides an actionable guide for practitioners to develop agile responses to systemic changes in times of crisis and to sustain favourable changes so as to enable their outlasting of the crisis.

This study provides a novel and unique perspective on the role of SCA in crisis – in this case, the pandemic. This paper synthesises the empirical stories of the agile responses in the FSC and elaborates on the DC framework, to identify theoretical and practical implications. This paper establishes the sustaining capability as the missing DC capability for enabling transformation in the post-COVID-19 era.

The purpose of this chapter is to critically evaluate the development of technological infrastructure and the propensity of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) destinations to adopt digitalisation in their hotel sectors. This paper focuses on technological readiness, the types of digitalisation and its influence on the hotel sector in a post-pandemic environment.

The chapter is a critical and conceptual overview of digitalisation in the Latin America and the Caribbean hotel sectors, the contribution of the hotel sector to tourism economies, and digitalisation in LAC post COVID-19. A comprehensive examination of the academic literature is combined with the Network Readiness Index (NRI) and Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) on several LAC countries focusing on different scopes including ICT readiness, ICT environment and business usage from 2010 to 2020. The paper uses empirical data collected from NRI and TTCI on several LAC countries examining changes in development of information and communications technology (ICT) by conducting a longitudinal analysis over a ten-year period.

The chapter argues that digitalisation in the hotel sector has been given a lot of attention regarding the adoption of digitalisation during the pandemic by a continuation of activities involving check-in and check-out, providing safety for guests and staff and the recovery of the hotel sector by both hoteliers and academics. Yet, LAC have been slow when it comes to the development of ICT. This is shown on the NRI and the TTCI by their position on ICT infrastructure, ICT environment and business usage. Nevertheless, while their positions on the indexes are less than favourable, their scores are improving, but at a very slow rate.

Limited academic literature is available on digitalisation in LAC countries. There is no consistent data on the NRI and TTCI year to year for some of the countries examined in this study.

This study provides a comprehensive review of technological infrastructure development of countries of Latin America and Caribbean countries with an emphasis on digitalisation in a hospitality context. The chapter is a critical examination of digitalisation in the hotel sector in a post-pandemic environment.

This study intends to advance the research on the relationship between high-performance work systems (HPWS) and change readiness by examining the mediating role of positive employee outcomes. Therefore, the streams of strategic human resource management (SHRM) and change management are studied in the context of digital transformation in the post-COVID-19 pandemic scenario.

Primary responses from 409 Information Technology (IT) employees were analysed to investigate the mediating relationship between HPWS, positive employee outcomes and employee readiness to change. Researchers used statistical techniques to analyse the data, such as confirmatory factor analysis, correlations, regression and bootstrapping. In addition, sequential mediation was examined using “PROCESS Macro” and syntax for SPSS.

Results of the study revealed that implementation of HPWS through extensive training and development, performance-based appraisal and compensation, participation in decision-making, flexible work arrangements and rigorous recruitment and staffing results in enhanced employee-level outcomes. Thereby conclusively impacting their readiness to change for digital transformations.

This study revisits the elements of HPWS in the post-pandemic work-from-anywhere (WFA) scenario. Thus, it provides adequate indications that investment in designing bundles of change-oriented human resource (HR) practices amplifies the chances of success of a change initiative by creating a favourable mindset and attitude among IT employees in India.

This study is among the earliest to link two major streams of SHRM and change management by establishing HPWS as an essential antecedent of a change-related outcome by introducing multiple mediators in the sequence. This sequence provides new insights for enhancing the probability of organisational change directives succeeding.

This paper, a pathway, aims to provide research guidance for investigating sustainability in supply chains in a post-COVID-19 environment.

Published literature, personal research experience, insights from virtual open forums and practitioner interviews inform this study.

COVID-19 pandemic events and responses are unprecedented to modern operations and supply chains. Scholars and practitioners seek to make sense of how this event will make us revisit basic scholarly notions and ontology. Sustainability implications exist. Short-term environmental sustainability gains occur, while long-term effects are still uncertain and require research. Sustainability and resilience are complements and jointly require investigation.

The COVID-19 crisis is emerging and evolving. It is not clear whether short-term changes and responses will result in a new “normal.” Adjustment to current theories or new theoretical developments may be necessary. This pathway article only starts the conservation – many additional sustainability issues do arise and cannot be covered in one essay.

Organizations have faced a major shock during this crisis. Environmental sustainability practices can help organizations manage in this and future competitive contexts.

Broad economic, operational, social and ecological-environmental sustainability implications are included – although the focus is on environmental sustainability. Emergent organizational, consumer, policy and supply chain behaviors are identified.

The authors take an operations and supply chain environmental sustainability perspective to COVID-19 pandemic implications; with sustainable representing the triple bottom-line dimensions of environmental, social and economic sustainability; with a special focus on environmental sustainability. Substantial open questions for investigation are identified. This paper sets the stage for research requiring rethinking of some previous tenets and ontologies.

The paper evaluates trends shaping the post-pandemic reality. The framework adopted is a case study of the V4 region (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) that illustrates broader trends, their direction of change and their influence on the entire region. This paper aims to identify key trends and analyse how they can facilitate or hinder sustainable development.

The paper is based on a multidisciplinary literature review and an online real-time Delphi study carried out across four European countries.

The results indicate that the influence of negative trends on sustainability is much stronger than that of positive ones. Concerning the trends’ driving factors, the blockers of negative trends have a much higher influence on sustainability than the blockers of positive ones. The study shows that the most significant trends affecting sustainability are distributed throughout various fields of human activity, including geopolitics, social issues, education, the environment, technology and health.

The findings presented below can be used primarily by decision makers from the V4 region, who are responsible for crafting strategies regarding post-COVID recovery. The study illustrates trends that V4 countries and other European Union member states might be facing in the future and analyses how they relate to sustainability. The conclusions indicate that the most effective path to the desired level of sustainability is one that incorporates policies built around the blockers of negative trends.

The importance of this study lies in its focus on countries that had previously received little attention in scientific analyses. The paper shows their possible developmental pathways and sheds light on the framework of integrated foresight and its applications in sustainability-related areas.

Quality assurance (QA) in open and distance learning (ODL) has always become universal concerns of stakeholders. The quality of ODL has been confronted with challenges in terms of the diversity of inputs, processes, the complex supply chain management of ODL and recent paradigm shift into online learning. Assuring the quality of ODL are daunting tasks at individual, institution and system levels. Completed before the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, this study aims to better understand the implementation of QA system in three Asian open universities (OUs), namely University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Universitas Terbuka (UT), Indonesia and Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Pakistan.

A qualitative method was employed involving analysis of documents of the three Asian OUs and focus group discussions and interviews with management and staff. Data collected were then analyzed to draw conclusions and possible recommendations.

Findings of this study presented good practices, challenges and rooms for improvement of the QA system in the three Asian OUs. Focusing on students and stakeholders in their QA effort, this study has revealed that quality begins with inner self and is multidimensional. QA is principally viewed as continuous improvement, as mechanism and assessment and as effort at exceeding expectations of students and stakeholders. The recent challenge for QA is to embrace a delicate process of ODL transformation into online digital system. The recent COVID-19 outbreak has further implications and challenged QA implementation in ODL in higher education into the next level of complexity.

This study revealed the diversities in how OUs met the societal needs of their respective stakeholders and addressed the challenges ahead for QA in ODL.

These findings were expected to enhance the understanding of the theory and practice of QA in ODL and to contribute to quality improvement of ODL programs.