Implicações da transformação digital nos pequenos negócios do ramo alimentício diante da pandemia COVID-19

Abstract

The economy is undergoing constant changes resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic defined at the end of 2019 and which persists with its variants, even in a vaccination scenario. Aiming to contain the spread of the virus, measures of social isolation and physical distance were adopted by the Federal, State and Municipal governments. With this, the sectors that needed physical contact with the client / known consumer were unable to function regularly. Among the most impacted are companies classified in restaurants and other food and beverage services. In response to this scenario, these companies needed to adapt business rules, adjusting internal manufacturing and delivery processes, expanding communication channels through network technology, and using new strategies to disseminate the services provided. This research sought to analyze the result of network technologies in the business remodeling process and in the digital transformation process of companies in the food industry during the pandemic period in the city of Itabaiana, Sergipe. Among the specific objectives, the identification of digital platforms stands out, as a result of network technologies in the business remodeling process and the understanding of digital transformation processes. It is an applied, explanatory and qualitative research. To achieve the objectives, a semi-structured interview was carried out with seven companies. The collected data were carefully formed using a Thematic Analysis, where the following themes emerged: “Business dance” and “Not so immediate contacts”. Among the results achieved, the expansion of service channels through instant messaging applications, marketplace applications and social networks was identified. In the same way that technology has brought advantages, it has also brought disadvantages to the process of reshaping the digital transformation business. Finally, it was noted that a COVID-19 pandemic acted as an external catalyst influencing the insertion and valorization of technology in the business, with or without the acceptance of the owners.