Resilient Retailing: The effects of sustainability and omnichannel practices on resilience for retailers in Gothenburg

Abstract

The aim of this study is to gain understanding of in what ways sustainability and omnichannel practices could lead to greater organizational resilience in the retail industry. This study contributes to the field by studying the relationship between sustainability management and resilience in an overall retail setting. Furthermore, this study contributes by also examining the relationship between omnichannel and resilience which has not been covered in earlier research. Sustainability is defined through the Triple Bottom Line logic and omnichannel through channel integration. Resilience is delimited to organizational resilience and measured through adaptive capacity of the companies. A systematic literature review is carried out, suggesting positive impact of omnichannel management and sustainability management on resilience. A systematic literature review is carried out, suggesting positive impact of omnichannel management and sustainability management on organizational resilience. The literature review is followed by a quantitative methodology where data is collected from representatives of retail companies in central Gothenburg. The data is analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The results of the analysis show a significant positive relationship between sustainability and resilience, leading to the findings that sustainability management contributes to increased adaptive capacity for retail companies. Digital capabilities are also found to have a positive impact on organizational resilience, suggesting a continued focus on digitalization of the retail industry. No significant relationship is found between omnichannel and resilience from the results of our study. The findings consist of theoretical contributions on the subjects as well as implications for managers within the retail sector.