O impacto da Covid-19 nos processos de transformação digital nos centros comerciais

: o caso da Sonae Sierra

Abstract

The digital age has imposed a new strategic planning in organizations, congruent with the needs that the internet has brought, as well as with an optimistic vision about the possibilities that new technologies allow (Porter, 2001). As Michael E. Porter states, digital transformation was not and is not fundamentally about technology, but about strategic thinking, demanding from Leadership the ability to reinvent and adapt a given business to overcome the challenges.With technological advances, the Retail Industry, materialized in this study in the figure of shopping centers, has found a new way to relate with its customers. Through various digital tools and platforms, it has created opportunities to simplify and speed up processes, as well as to analyze in detail the new needs of the consumer, promoting, at the same time, a more personalized and attentive service, and the ability to make decisions based on several scenarios. In essence, digital transformation has made the Retail Industry more responsive and sensitive to constant change.In a transversal and profound way, COVID-19 represents a challenge to Organizations. Shopping Centers have seen, in an initial phase, a clear decrease in the flow of consumers and, consequently, in sales, forcing a more accentuated transformation of their business model in digital.This research therefore focused on the specific context of Sonae Sierra's Shopping Centers. Through the application of semi-structured interviews, it was possible to understand that COVID-19 accelerated the digital transformation processes in the setor, forcing the adoption of digital measures and a restructuring of the business model. In the future, Shopping Centers should take advantage of the possibilities that the complementarity between physical and digital space offers. Not only should the omni-channel strategy be privileged, but the new business model should be based on the new emerging consumer habits. Physical spaces should now provide a unique visiting experience, with room for leisure, entertainment, and remote working. Additionally, all measures that favor consumer safety should be maintained in a post-pandemic scenario

Date of Award	23 Jan 2023
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Carla Ganito (Supervisor)