2021-Maria Balta

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Business model pivoting and digital technologies' use among startups in turbulent environments

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Dr Maria Balta (PI) and Prof Athanasios Papadopoulos (Co-I) University of Kent  - Business model pivoting and digital technologies' use among startups in turbulent environments

Project summary: Over the last years startups have been faced with various disruptions, characterised by, for instance, financial crises, physical catastrophes and pandemics. In such turbulent environments, entrepreneurs are still exploiting new business and market opportunities and develop emergent strategies to survive and grow their businesses.

This proposal aims to identify the process of how entrepreneurs use business model pivoting enabled by the use of digital technologies (technology pivoting) to survive and grow their ventures within turbulent environments and to exploit and explore new opportunities. It draws on the literature of dynamic capabilities and is based on qualitative data (in-depth interviews). The proposed research aims to contribute to the literature of digital entrepreneurship as it sheds light upon the process of technology pivoting, revealing how and why pivoting is enacted within turbulent environments. The research aims to provide 'lessons learnt' and practical guidelines to entrepreneurs on how to survive and prosper through the use of digital technology in turbulent environments.