Page 133 - COVID-19: The Great Reset

unimaginable in the foreseeable future (and maybe never in some
cases…). For others, namely manufacturing or food, it is more

about finding ways to adjust to the shock and capitalize on some
new trends (like digital) to thrive in the post-pandemic era. Size
also makes a difference. The difficulties tend to be greater for
small businesses that, on average, operate on smaller cash

reserves and thinner profit margins than large companies. Moving
forward, most of them will be dealing with cost–revenue ratios that
put them at a disadvantage compared to bigger rivals. But being
small can offer some advantages in today’s world where flexibility

and celerity can make all the difference in terms of adaptation.
Being nimble is easier for a small structure than for an industrial
behemoth.

All this said, and irrespective of their industry and the specific
situation they find themselves in, almost every single company

decision-maker around the world will face similar issues and will
have to respond to some common questions and challenges. The
most obvious ones are the following:

1. Shall I encourage remote working for those who can do

it (about 30% of the total workforce in the US)?
2. Will I reduce air travel in my business, and how many
face-to-face meetings can I meaningfully replace by
virtual interactions?

3. How can I transform the business and our decision-
making process to become more agile and to move
faster and more decisively?
4. How can I accelerate the digitization and adoption

of digital solutions?

The macro reset discussed in Chapter 1 will translate into a
myriad of micro consequences at the industry and company level.
We review below some of these main trends before turning to the
issue of who are the “winners and losers” from the pandemic and

its effects on specific industries.

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