Thesis Defence
Strategic Resilience after Economic Shocks: The Interplay of Digital Transformation, Investment,and Business Model Innovation

Diarmuid Smyth

Yury Pukha will publicly defend his thesis.

December 18, 2024
15:00-16:00 (CET)
Room B1502 at ESCP Montparnasse Campus or online via Zoom

Attend the defence

Abstract

This dissertation investigates how digital transformation (DT) strengthens resilience and enhances performance post economic shocks in capital-intensive sectors, particularly telecommunications, utilities, and energy.

Part 1 explores the challenges of AI implementation, identifying key obstacles such as technological complexity, limited managerial capability, and integration issues within existing processes. Using case studies and the Enterprise Architecture framework, this section highlights the importance of aligning organizational readiness with technology for DT success. Both strategic and operational adjustments are essential to overcoming these challenges and achieving sustainable performance in dynamic environments. The paper “The Sharp-Knife Theory of Artificial Intelligence: Evidence from the AI Productivity Paradox” was presented at the 2024 International Multidisciplinary Conference on Digital Science (DSIC 2024).

Part 2 examines how strategic investments and dynamic capabilities contribute to resilience, during 2020 pandemic economic shock. Leveraging the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities Framework, the research provides empirical evidence from global telecommunications firms, showing that leading investments in infrastructure, combined with adaptive capabilities such as business model innovation, are more resilient in crisis and strengthen performance. This section includes the paper “Resilience Through Strategy: Investment Decisions and Dynamic Capabilities in Capital-Intensive Sectors,” published in the 2024 International Conference on Economics, Finance, and Business conference proceedings.

Part 3 investigates resilience post successive shocks like the 2016 oil price decline and the 2020 pandemic. It introduces the Digital Resilience Capability Maturity Framework, classifying resilience development into four stages: digital groundwork, demand-driven optimization, business model expansion, and ecosystem integration. Applied to telecom firms, the framework shows that higher digital maturity leads to better performance and quicker recovery after economic shocks. The paper “Enterprise Performance Under Successive Shocks: The Role of Digital Resilience Capability Maturity in Capital-Intensive Sectors” was presented at the 2024 Marshall Business Research Conference.

The dissertation integrates AI challenges, strategic investments, and business model innovation, offering managers practical guidance on navigating DT and building resilience for sustained competitive advantage in volatile environments.

Jury

Thesis Director:

  • Prof. Wei Zhou

Referees & Suffragants:

  • Prof. Wendy Duan,
    George Washington University
  • Prof. Sewlyn Piramuthu,
    University of Florida

Location

Organiser: ESCP Business School

Room B1502 at ESCP Montparnasse Campus or online via Zoom -

Map

Date

Start date: 18/12/2024

Start time: 3:00 PM

End time: 4:00 PM