The Digital Transformation of Georgia: Economics, Management, and Policy (Progress in IS)

This edited volume discusses the path towards the digital transformation of Georgia from two major viewpoints: First, an economic perspective that includes contributions around economic integration and orientation towards the EU, and an analysis of its implications for a small country like Georgia. Second, various aspects of digital transformation initiatives will be studied from an enterprise and a managerial perspective. In this part, innovative management methodologies are conceptualized such as agile change management and the enterprise transformation cycle to facilitate the shift from the manufacturing and agriculture industry towards an increasing digitalization of companies. 

These concepts serve as fundamental cornerstones to enable the development of a digital transformation roadmap including the analysis of the potential of establishing a digital hub in Georgia and the Caucasus area. Based on a survey of national and international managers, important HR key performance indicators referring to mobility and digitalization of the workplace are discussed. The impact of pandemic (post-Covid) scenarios for future organizational development as well as large-scale labor migration from East to West is also in focus.

The authors present implications for policymakers and business owners as well as top-level executives resulting in a set of recommendations for future actions.

Martin Kupiek works as an independent management consultant and Professor of Management. He holds a Master of Science in Economics and Social Sciences from the TU Dortmund in Germany, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Vermont, USA and a PhD in Management from the University of Innsbruck, Austria. He also belongs to the circle of Fulbright Alumni in Germany. He has published several books and chapter contributions in renowned publications. More than 30 years of professional experience as a consultant and manager enables him to provide consulting services in Organizational Change Management for large and international corporations. His research activities focus on emotions in organizations and their influence on employees and leaders. 

Rupert A. Brandmeier has studied Business & Economics, English, and Archaeology at the Universities of Augsburg (Germany), Moscow (Russia), and Munich (Germany). He has more than 30 years of experience in international businesses, the public sector, and academia. Covering a large area of subjects, his prime interests in management are marketing & operations management, digitalization, corporate strategy, and globalization with a focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). His current research projects deal with the Future of Work (employee attraction and retention in a remote working environment, intercultural leadership), Arts & Culture Management (digitalization in performing arts, museums & exhibitions), and Tourism & Cultural Heritage Protection.

He held managerial positions at global and mid-sized companies (sales, procurement, supply change management, operations & logistics) and worked as an executive management consultant in a number of restructuring and turn-around projects. He has been a visiting professor and a lecturer in EMEA & LATAM. He contributed research papers in the areas of cybersecurity, business intelligence, market entry studies, procurement, benchmarking & innovation management, HR, and cultural management. Besides his management activities, he takes a vital interest in almost all areas of archaeology, including underwater archaeology, and history. Prof. Brandmeier lives in Panama.