Three years later – The integration and continuity of digital solutions at subsidiaries in Hungary after the COVID-19 pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2025.12.02Keywords:
multinational companies, Covid-19 pandemic, corporate digitalisation, resilience, HungaryAbstract
The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated widespread adoption of digital solutions, including applications, intranets, social media, online communication platforms, and other online and remote business solutions. While some of these practices persisted in the post-COVID era, others were modified or abandoned. This study investigates the digital practices of six automotive and electronics subsidiaries in Hungary during the pandemic and over the subsequent three years. The authors’ findings indicate that practices beneficial to companies, such as technological innovations, online training, or meetings, remained integral to operations even after the pandemic. However, the continuity of other practices, such as working from home or remote work, depended on the nature of the position (whether it is related to physical production) and the company’s organizational and business culture (in both home and host countries).
Downloads
References
Abidi, N., Herradi, M.E., & Sakha, S. (2023). Digitalization and Resilience: Firm-level Evidence During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Telecommunications Policy, 47(4), 102522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2023.102522
Acciarini, C., Boccardelli, P., & Vitale, M. (2021). Resilient companies in the time of COVID-19 pandemic: a case study approach. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 10(3), 336-351. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEPP-03-2021-0021
Almeida, F., Duarte Santos, J., & Augusto Monteiro, J. (2020). The Challenges and Opportunities in the Digitalization of Companies in a Post-COVID-19 World. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 48(3), 97-103. https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2020.3013206
Amankwah-Amoah, J., Khan, Z., Wood, G., & Knight, G. (2021). COVID-19 and digitalization: The great acceleration. Journal of Business Research, 136, 602–611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.08.011
Andrews, D., Charlton, A., & Moore, A. (2021, September 22). COVID-19 and the continued labour reallocation to productive and tech-savvy firms. Centre for Economic Policy Research. VoxEU.org, https://voxeu.org/article/covid-19-and-continued-labour-reallocation-productive-and-tech-savvy-firms
Apedo-Amah, M.Ch., Avdiu, B., Cirera, X., Cruz, M., Davies, E., Grover, A., Iacovone, L., Kilinc, U., Medvedev, D., Maduko, F.O., Poupakis, S., Torres, J., & Tran, T.T. (2020). Unmasking the Impact of COVID-19 on Businesses Firm Level Evidence from Across the World. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 9434. World Bank Group.
Archibugi, D., Filippetti, A., & Frenz, M. (2013). Economic crisis and innovation: Is destruction prevailing over accumulation? Research Policy, 42(2), 303-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2012.07.002
Bai, J., Brynjolfsson, E., Jin, W., Steffen, S., & Wan, C. (2021). Digital Resilience: How Work-From-Home Readiness Affects Firm Performance. NBER Working Paper No. w28588. https://doi.org/10.3386/w28588
Ben-Zvi, T., & Luftman, J. (2022). Post-Pandemic IT: Digital Transformation and Sustainability. Sustainability, 14(22), 15275. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215275
Bettiol, M., Capestro, M., Di Maria, E., & Micelli, S. (2021). Reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic through digital connectivity with customers: The Italian experience. Italian Journal of Marketing, 4, 305–330. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43039-021-00031-y
Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. WW Norton & Company.
Bürgel, T.R.; Hiebl, M.R.W., & Pielsticker, D.I. (2023). Digitalization and entrepreneurial firms’ resilience to pandemic crises: Evidence from COVID-19 and the German Mittelstand. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 186(Part A), 22135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122135
Castillo, S., & Shah, K. (2020). ICT’s pivotal role in post-COVID-19 “new normal”. Roland Berger. https://www.rolandberger.com/publications/publication_pdf/roland_berger_icts_pivital_role_in_post-covid-19_new_normal.pdf
Cardoso, A., Figueiredo, J., Oliveira, I., & Pocinho, M. (2025). From Crisis to Opportunity: Digital Transformation, Digital Business Models, and Organizational Resilience in the Post-Pandemic Era. Administrative Sciences, 15(6), 193. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci15060193
Dyba, W., & Di Maria, E. (2024). Assessment and support of the digitalization of businesses in Europe during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Regional Science Policy & Practice, 16(1), 12717. https://doi.org/10.1111/rsp3.12717
Endrődi-Kovács, V., & Stukovszky, T. (2022). The adoption of industry 4.0 and digitalization of Hungarian SMEs. Society and Economy, 44(1), 138-58. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2021.00024
Fejes, B., & Stocker, M. (2024). Impact of additional IT investments on firm-level competitiveness. Vezetéstudomány/ Budapest Management Review, 55(11), 2-15. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2024.11.01
Foss, N.J. (2021). The Impact of the Covid‐19 Pandemic on Firms’ Organizational Designs. Journal of Management Studies, 58(1), 268-272. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12643
Foudup-Kouan, A.W. (2025). Toward Digital Transformation: Insights into Chinese Cross-Border E-Commerce SMEs During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Post-Pandemic Era. SAGE Open, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251318792
Grijalba, M.A., Hernández, Y.B., Perez-Encinas, A., & Urda, B.S. (2024). Does the use of digital tools improve a firm's performance? Review of Managerial Science, 19, 2193-2210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-024-00750-4
Gyimesi, Á., & Fejes, B. (2023). A digitális transzformáció vállalati adaptációját irányító tényezők hatásmechanizmusának koncepciója a hazai KKV-k percepciói alapján. Marketing & Menedzsment, 57(3), 36-46. https://doi.org/10.15170/MM.2023.57.03.04
Hassoun, A., Marvin, H.J.P., Bouzembrak. Y., Barba, F.J., Castagnini, J.M., Pallarés, N., Rabail, R., Aadil, R.M., Bangar, S.P., Bhat, R., Cropotova, J., Maqsood, S., & Regenstein, J.M. (2023). Digital transformation in the agri-food industry: recent applications and the role of the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7, 1217813. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1217813
Hausman, A., & Johnston, W.J. (2014). The role of innovation in driving the economy: lessons from the global financial crisis. Journal of Business Research, 67(1), 2720-2726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.03.021
Heinonen, K., & Strandvik, T. (2021). Reframing service innovation: COVID-19 as a catalyst for imposed service innovation. Journal of Service Management, 32(1), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-05-2020-0161
Jibril, A.B., Amoah, J., Panigrahi, R.R., & Gochhait, S. (2024). Digital transformation in emerging markets: the role of technology adoption and innovative marketing strategies among SMEs in the post – pandemic era. International Journal of Organizational Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-05-2024-4509
Khalil, A., Abdelli, M.E.A., & Mogaji, E. (2022) Do Digital Technologies Influence the Relationship between the COVID-19 Crisis and SMEs’ Resilience in Developing Countries? Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(2), 100, https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8020100
Khan, N., Gilliar, W., Bamrah, J.S., & Dave, S. (2023) Post-COVID-19: can digital solutions lead to a more equitable global healthcare workforce? BJPsych International, 20(1), 18-23. https://doi.org/10.1192/bji.2022.12
Kim, R.Y. (2020) The Impact of COVID-19 on Consumers: Preparing for Digital Sales. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 48(3), 212-218. https://doi.org/10.1109/EMR.2020.2990115
Kirton, M. (1976). Adaptors and innovators: A description and measure. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61(5), 622-629. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0021-9010.61.5.622
Kiss-Dobronyi, B., Czakó, E., & Losonci, D. (2024). Menedzsmentgyakorlatok és a hazai vállalatok árbevétel- változása a COVID-19 jelentette gazdasági sokk idején. Közgazdasági Szemle, 71(3), 229-254. https://ojs.mtak.hu/index.php/kszemle/article/view/17685
Kőmüves, Zs., Walter, V., Szabó-Szentgróti, G., Dajnoki, K., Kálmán, B., Tóth, A., Módosné Szalai, Sz., Poór, J., & Pató, G. (2024). A COVID-19 és az orosz-ukrán konfliktus hatása a vizsgált szervezetekre. Vezetéstudomány/ Budapest Management Review, 55(3), 14-28. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2024.03.02
Kuriakose, S., & Tran, T. (2020). Impacts of COVID- 19 on Firms in Malaysia: Results from the 1st Round of COVID-19 Business Pulse Survey. World Bank. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/920721608701630943/Impacts-of-COVID-19-on-Firms-in-Malaysia-Results-from-the-First-Round-of-COVID-19-Business-Pulse-Survey
Madzik, P., & Sieber, J. (2024). The Strategic Path to Success: Key Aspects of Business Digital Transformation in the Post-Pandemic Era. IEEE Access, 12, 65595- 65605. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3398209
Marolt, M., Pucihar, A., Kljajić Borštnar, M., Lenart, G., Vidmar, D., Szabó, I., Fehér, P., Kovács, T., Kő, A., Szabó, Z., & Őri, D. (2024). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on SMEs digital transformation journey: Slovenian and Hungarian experiences. Vezetéstudomány/ Budapest Management Review, 55(11), 29-40. https://doi.org/10.14267/VEZTUD.2024.11.03
Mont, O.; Curtis, S.K., & Palgan, Y.V. (2021). Organisational Response Strategies to COVID-19 in the Sharing Economy. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 28, 52-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.03.025
Obrenovic, B., Du, J., Godinic, D., Tsoy, D., Aamir, M., Khan, S., & Jakhongirov, I. (2020). Sustaining enterprise operations and productivity during the COVID- 19 pandemic: enterprise effectiveness and sustainability model. Sustainability, 12(15), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155981
Pavitt, K., Robson, M., & Townsend, J. (1989). Technological accumulation, diversification, and organization in UK companies, 1945–1983. Management Science, 35(1), 81-99.
Pla-Barber, J., Villa, C., & Narula, R., (2021). Governance of global value chains after the COVID-19 pandemic: A new wave of regionalization? Business Research Quarterly, 24(3), 204-213 https://doi.org/10.1177/23409444211020761
Roe, B.B., & Wood, J.R. (1975). “Adaptive Innovation” and Organizational Security. Sociological Perspectives, 18(3), 310-326. https://doi.org/10.2307/1388432
Santos, A.M., Haegeman, K., & Moncada Paternò Castello, P. (2021). The impact of Covid-19 and of the earlier crisis on firms’ innovation and growth: A comparative analysis. Working Paper 03/2021. JRC Working Papers on Territorial Modelling and Analysis. https://hdl.handle.net/10419/249190
Sass, M., Gál, Z., S. Gubik, A., Szunomár, Á. & Túry, G. (2021). The impact of the crisis on and crisis-handling patterns in foreign-owned companies in Hungary. Institute of World Economics Centre for Economic and Regional Studies. IWE Working Papers, 266.
Schumpeter, J.A. [1942] (1950). Capitalism, socialism and democracy. Harper & Brothers. Sinitsyna, E., Anand, A., & Stocker, M. (2024). The role of internal communication on employee loyalty – a theoretical synthesis. Journal of Asia Business Studies, 18(2), 367-384. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-05-2023-0179
Soto-Acosta, P. (2023). Navigating Uncertainty: Post-Pandemic Issues on Digital Transformation. Information Systems Management, 41(1), 20-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/10580530.2023.2274531
Vo, L., Le, T.H.L., & Park, D. (2022). Digital Divide Decoded: Can E-Commerce and Remote Workforce Enhance Enterprise Resilience in the COVID-19 Era? Asian Developemnt Bank. https://dx.doi.org/10.22617/WPS220332-2
Zia, N.U., Shamim, S., Zeng, J., Awan, U., Chromjakova, F., Akhtar, P., & Orel, M. (2023). Avoiding crisis-driven business failure through digital dynamic capabilities. B2B distribution firms during the COVID-19 and beyond. Industrial Marketing Management, 113, 14-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2023.05.015
Zou, P., Huo, D., & Li, M. (2020). The impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on firms: A survey in Guangdong Province, China. Global Health Research and Policy, 5(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-020-00166-z
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Corvinus University of Budapest, publisher of Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors assign copyright to Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review. Authors are responsible for permission to reproduce copyright material from other sources.
