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Resilience of the International Entertainment Industry in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Strategic Responses of EPS in the Live Events Infrastructure Industry
Colarusso, Michela
Colarusso, Michela
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic generated one of the most severe disruptions in contemporary international business, exposing structural vulnerabilities across global industries.
The international live events sector, dependent on cross-border mobility and large gatherings,experienced an almost complete shutdown.
This thesis investigates how firms in this industry sustained resilience and competitiveness during and after the crisis, focusing on EPS Italia, a subsidiary of the multinational EPS Group and a leading provider of live-event infrastructure.
Using the Dynamic Capabilities Framework (sensing, seizing, and transforming), the study examines how EPS Italia interpreted the evolving situation, mobilized resources to exploit new opportunities, and reconfigured its organization for long-term renewal.
A qualitative single-case study approach was adopted, drawing on a semi-structured CEO interview, company financial statements (2019–2022), internal impact reports, and sector documentation.
The combination of qualitative insights and financial evidence provides a comprehensive view of how the firm navigated extreme environmental turbulence.
Findings show that EPS Italia developed strong sensing capabilities by monitoring international regulations, client expectations, and early signals from foreign markets.
These insights supported decisive seizing actions such as diversification into public-sector projects (e.g., vaccination hubs) and strategic investments in production capacity. Transforming capabilities emerged through organizational restructuring, enhanced cross-border collaboration, and the company’s transition into a Benefit Corporation in 2022, embedding social and environmental objectives into governance.
The study contributes to International Business literature by illustrating how dynamic capabilities function under global shocks and how resilience strategies differ across institutional contexts.
Managerially, it offers guidance for live-events firms aiming to strengthen crisis preparedness, diversify effectively, and build resilience into organizational design.
Although based on a single case, the research highlights mechanisms through which internationally active firms can emerge from crises not only restored but strategically renewed.
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Date
2025
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Keywords
Organizational resilience, Adaptation strategies, International business
Citation
Colarusso, Michela. "Resilience of the International Entertainment Industry in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Strategic Responses of EPS in the Live Events Infrastructure Industry". BA in International Business Capstone, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2025.