IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i21p11864-d665796.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Managerial Competencies & Polish SMEs’ Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Insight

Author

Listed:
  • Marek Bodziany

    (Faculty of Security Studies, Military University of Land Forces, 51-147 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Zbigniew Ścibiorek

    (International University of Logistics and Transport, 51-147 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Zenon Zamiar

    (International University of Logistics and Transport, 51-147 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Anna Visvizi

    (Effat College of Business, Effat University, Jeddah 21551, Saudi Arabia
    School of Business & Economics, Deree College, The American College of Greece, 153-42 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and its implications have had a devastating impact on the business sector worldwide, especially on the SMEs’ sector. By highlighting the evolution, and so the specificity, of the Polish SMEs’ sector, by reference to the concept of learning organization, this paper queried the sources of the Polish SMEs’ unsatisfactory response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications. A survey ( n = 147) conducted among a sample of Polish SMEs revealed that the Polish SMEs, in general, did not recognize the salience of managerial skills in building their capacity to withstand a crisis. Creating growth opportunities, rather than accumulating and operationalizing their organization’s knowledge, were stressed as the way of navigating challenges. This paper offers an insight into selected factors that influenced Polish SMEs’ sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, and suggests some ways of addressing problems thus identified.

Suggested Citation

  • Marek Bodziany & Zbigniew Ścibiorek & Zenon Zamiar & Anna Visvizi, 2021. "Managerial Competencies & Polish SMEs’ Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Insight," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:21:p:11864-:d:665796
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/21/11864/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/21/11864/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Radosław Malik & Anna Visvizi & Małgorzata Skrzek-Lubasińska, 2021. "The Gig Economy: Current Issues, the Debate, and the New Avenues of Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-20, April.
    2. D’Angelo, Alfredo & Presutti, Manuela, 2019. "SMEs international growth: The moderating role of experience on entrepreneurial and learning orientations," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 613-624.
    3. Francesco Polese & Antonio Botti & Mara Grimaldi & Antonella Monda & Massimiliano Vesci, 2018. "Social Innovation in Smart Tourism Ecosystems: How Technology and Institutions Shape Sustainable Value Co-Creation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-24, January.
    4. Darek Klonowski, 2010. "The effectiveness of government-sponsored programmes in supporting the SME sector in Poland," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 229-245.
    5. Troise, Ciro & Corvello, Vincenzo & Ghobadian, Abby & O'Regan, Nicholas, 2022. "How can SMEs successfully navigate VUCA environment: The role of agility in the digital transformation era," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    6. Bertrand Moingeon & Amy Edmondson, 1998. "From Organizational Learning to the Learning Organization," Post-Print hal-00465872, HAL.
    7. Ștefan Cristian Gherghina & Mihai Alexandru Botezatu & Alexandra Hosszu & Liliana Nicoleta Simionescu, 2020. "Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): The Engine of Economic Growth through Investments and Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, January.
    8. Daniel A. Levinthal & James G. March, 1993. "The myopia of learning," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(S2), pages 95-112, December.
    9. Grzegorz Zimon & Robert Dankiewicz, 2020. "Trade Credit Management Strategies in SMEs and the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-16, July.
    10. Roman Wosiek & Anna Visvizi, 2021. "The VWRCA Index: Measuring a Country’s Comparative Advantage and Specialization in Services. The Case of Poland," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-12, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Luz Natalia Tobón Perilla & Elena Urquía Grande & Elisa Isabel Cano Montero, 2022. "Economic and Organizational Impact of COVID-19 on Colombia’s Tourism Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-21, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Girang Permata Gusti & Yudis Agustira & Muhammad Rheza Tawakkal, 2021. "The Role Of Financial Literation In Moderating The Relationship Between Access To Financial And The Growth Of Msmes In West Kalimantan Province – Indonesia," Malaysian E Commerce Journal (MECJ), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 5(1), pages 1-6, November.
    2. Tulin Dzhengiz, 2020. "A Literature Review of Inter-Organizational Sustainability Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-52, June.
    3. Anna Visvizi & Shahira Assem Abdel-Razek & Roman Wosiek & Radosław Malik, 2021. "Conceptualizing Walking and Walkability in the Smart City through a Model Composite w 2 Smart City Utility Index," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Grzegorz Zimon & Hossein Tarighi, 2021. "Effects of the COVID-19 Global Crisis on the Working Capital Management Policy: Evidence from Poland," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-17, April.
    5. Bashir, Sadaf & Matzat, U. & Sadowski, B. M., 2014. "The adoption of information and communication technologies in the design sector and their impact on firm performance: Evidence from the Dutch design sector," 25th European Regional ITS Conference, Brussels 2014 101389, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    6. Giuliani, Elisa & Martinelli, Arianna & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2016. "Is Co-Invention Expediting Technological Catch Up? A Study of Collaboration between Emerging Country Firms and EU Inventors," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 192-205.
    7. Burt, George & Mackay, David J. & van der Heijden, Kees & Verheijdt, Charlotte, 2017. "Openness disposition: Readiness characteristics that influence participant benefits from scenario planning as strategic conversation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 16-25.
    8. Duniesky Feitó Madrigal & Alejandro Mungaray Lagarda & Michelle Texis Flores, 2016. "Factors associated with learning management in Mexican micro-entrepreneurs," Estudios Gerenciales, Universidad Icesi, vol. 32(141), pages 381-386, December.
    9. Kim, Sang-Joon & Bae, John & Oh, Hannah, 2019. "Financing strategically: The moderation effect of marketing activities on the bifurcated relationship between debt level and firm valuation of small and medium enterprises," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 663-681.
    10. Carolina Rojas-Córdova & Amanda J. Williamson & Julio A. Pertuze & Gustavo Calvo, 2023. "Why one strategy does not fit all: a systematic review on exploration–exploitation in different organizational archetypes," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(7), pages 2251-2295, October.
    11. Patzelt, Holger & zu Knyphausen-Aufseß, Dodo & Fischer, Heiko T., 2009. "Upper echelons and portfolio strategies of venture capital firms," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 558-572, November.
    12. Li, Mingxiang, 2021. "Exploring novel technologies through board interlocks: Spillover vs. broad exploration," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    13. Arie Y Lewin & Silvia Massini & Carine Peeters, 2020. "Absorptive capacity, socially enabling mechanisms, and the role of learning from trial and error experiments: A tribute to Dan Levinthal’s contribution to international business research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(9), pages 1568-1579, December.
    14. Bianco, Federica & Michelino, Francesca, 2010. "The role of content management systems in publishing firms," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 117-124.
    15. Luc Beal & Hugues Séraphin & Giuseppe Modica & Manuela Pilato & Marco Platania, 2019. "Analysing the Mediating Effect of Heritage Between Locals and Visitors: An Exploratory Study Using Mission Patrimoine as a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-15, May.
    16. D'Este, Pablo, 2005. "How do firms' knowledge bases affect intra-industry heterogeneity?: An analysis of the Spanish pharmaceutical industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 33-45, February.
    17. Sirén, Charlotta & Kohtamäki, Marko, 2016. "Stretching strategic learning to the limit: The interaction between strategic planning and learning," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 653-663.
    18. Schilling, Melissa A. & Green, Elad, 2011. "Recombinant search and breakthrough idea generation: An analysis of high impact papers in the social sciences," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(10), pages 1321-1331.
    19. Chen, Jian-xun & Zhang, Bo & Zhan, Wu & Sharma, Piyush & Budhwar, Pawan & Tan, Hui, 2022. "Demystifying the non-linear effect of high commitment work systems (HCWS) on firms’ strategic intention of exploratory innovation: An extended resource-based view," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    20. Justin J. P. Jansen & Gerard George & Frans A. J. Van den Bosch & Henk W. Volberda, 2008. "Senior Team Attributes and Organizational Ambidexterity: The Moderating Role of Transformational Leadership," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5), pages 982-1007, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:21:p:11864-:d:665796. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.