Effects of the Pandemic on the Supply Chain in the Construction Industry

Abstract

The present study focuses on digitalization strategies within the realm of supply chain management, wherein the focus is set on the specific economic environment of companies in the supply chain of critical infra­structure providers. Digitalization strategies are within this paper discussed concerning supply chain management and its relevance to the ongoing and influential COVID-19 crisis, where digital strategies of collaboration and management became imperative. To address the research question about the state of implementation of digital strategies within this specific indus­try, a qualitative empirical study was conducted. Experts from companies acting as suppliers of critical infrastructure were interviewed in an online setting regarding their own experiences with the implementation of digital strategies and according to challenges. Within the analysis of these inter­views, it became obvious that digital strategies pre-crisis were only rarely implemented, with only one out of seven experts reporting about more ad­vanced strategies. The COVID-19 crisis is described to be an accelerator re­garding digitalization, although specific challenges resulting from unclear legal situations and frameworks are reported.