Scientific Bulletin of Mukachevo State University. Series “Economics”

Vol. 13, No. 1, 2026 01.04.2026 open access Open access

Sustainable business development in the face of turbulence and digitalisation: Strategic approaches to ensuring competitiveness

Alla Okhrimenko, Marharyta Boiko, Mariia Kulyk

DOI https://doi.org/10.52566/msu-econ1.2026.21 Pages 21 –31 Views 222 Views

Abstract

Ensuring business competitiveness in the face of turbulence and digitalisation requires rethinking traditional strategic management. Sustainable development serves as the conceptual foundation for building strategic resilience, combining economic efficiency, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability. The purpose of the study was to substantiate strategic approaches to ensuring business competitiveness in conditions of turbulence and digitalisation of the external environment based on the principles of sustainable development. The study was theoretical and conceptual in nature. It applied methods of conceptual modelling and analytical formalisation, which created prerequisites for further empirical verification of the proposed provisions. Contemporary scientific approaches to interpreting the relationship between sustainable development, digitalisation, and business competitiveness were summarised, and the impact of turbulence on the transformation of business models and management processes was analysed. The paper substantiated the change in the role of digital technologies in the strategic management system, which was manifested in the transition from fragmented use of digital tools to their comprehensive integration into the strategies of sustainable development and adaptation of enterprises. A conceptual model for ensuring business competitiveness was proposed, which reflected the logic of interaction between external challenges of a turbulent environment, strategic tools for sustainable development, digital management decisions, and mechanisms of organisational adaptation. The analytical relationship between the key processes of the model was formulated, which allowed substantiating hypotheses about strengthening the competitive position of business in conditions of a high level of digital maturity and integration of ESG approaches into strategic management. The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the possibility of their application in the process of strategic planning, development of sustainable development programmes, and implementation of digital business transformation strategies in conditions of increased uncertainty

Keywords

business competitiveness; strategic management; digital transformation; business environment

References

  1. Awad, I.M., Nuseibeh, H., & Amro, A.A. (2025). Competitiveness in the era of circular economy and digital innovations: An integrative literature review. Sustainability, 17(10), article number 4599. doi: 10.3390/su17104599.
  2. Bindeeba, D.S., Tukamushaba, E.K., & Bakashaba, R. (2025). Digital transformation and its multidimensional impact on sustainable business performance: Evidence from a meta-analytic review. Future Business Journal, 11, article number 90. doi: 10.1186/s43093-025-00511-z.
  3. Bosovska, M., Boiko, M., Bovsh, L., & Okhrimenko, A. (2023). Artificial intelligence in ensuring the business economic security. In 2023 IEEE 5th international conference on Modern Electrical and Energy System (MEES) (pp. 1-6). Kremenchuk: Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi National University.
  4. Chen, D., & Wang, S. (2024). Digital transformation, innovation capabilities, and servitization as drivers of ESG performance in manufacturing SMEs. Scientific Reports, 14, article number 24516. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-76416-8.
  5. Eisenhardt, K.M., & Martin, J.A. (2000). Dynamic capabilities: What are they? Strategic Management Journal, 21(10-11), 1105-1121.
  6. Elkington, J. (1997). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business. Oxford: Capstone Publishing.
  7. Guo, X., & Pang, W. (2025). The impact of digital transformation on corporate ESG performance. Finance Research Letters, 72, article number 106518. doi: 10.1016/j.frl.2024.106518.
  8. Hamdouna, M., & Khmelyarchuk, M. (2025). Technological innovations shaping sustainable competitiveness – a systematic review. Sustainability, 17(5), article number 1953. doi: 10.3390/su17051953.
  9. Hariyani, D., Hariyani, P., & Mishra, S. (2025). The role of leadership in sustainable digital transformation of the organization. Sustainable Futures, 10, article number 101130. doi: 10.1016/j.sftr.2025.101130.
  10. Kane, G.C., Palmer, D., Phillips, A.N., Kiron, D., & Buckley, N. (2016). Aligning the organization for its digital future. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu.
  11. Khaled, S.B., Azevedo, G., & Oliveira, J. (2025). Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors and firm value: A systematic literature review of theories and empirical evidence. AMS Review, 15, 228-260. doi: 10.1007/s13162-025-00303-2.
  12. Knudsen, E.S., Lien, L.B., Timmermans, B., Belik, I., & Pandey, S. (2021). Stability in turbulent times? The effect of digitalization on the sustainability of competitive advantage. Journal of Business Research, 128, 360-369. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.02.008.
  13. Kong, L., & Chen, J. (2025). Impact of digital transformation on green and sustainable innovation in business: A quasi-natural experiment based on smart city pilot policies in China. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 27, 24629-24657. doi: 10.1007/s10668-024-05643-w.
  14. Kraus, S., Durst, S., Ferreira, J., Veiga, P., Kailer, N., & Weinmann, A. (2021). Digital transformation in business and management research: An overview of the current status quo. International Journal of Information Management, 63, article number 102466. doi: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102466.
  15. Nogueira, E., Gomes, S., & Lopes, J.M. (2022). The key to sustainable economic development: A triple bottom line approach. Resources, 11(5), article number 46. doi: 10.3390/resources11050046.
  16. Porter, M.E., & Kramer, M.R. (2019). Creating shared value. In G. Lenssen & N. Smith (Eds.), Managing sustainable business (pp. 323-346). Dordrecht: Springer.
  17. Sagala, G.H., & Őri, D. (2024). Toward SMEs digital transformation success: A systematic literature review. Information Systems and e-Business Management, 22, 667-719. doi: 10.1007/s10257-024-00682-2.
  18. Simbalari, C. (2023). Sustainable competitiveness – a strategic management shift of businessesManagement Strategies Journal, 60(2), 139-148.
  19. Teece, D.J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509-533. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199708)18:7<509::AID-SMJ882>3.0.CO;2-Z.
  20. United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Retrieved from https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda.
  21. Vial, G. (2019). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28(2), 118-144. doi: 10.1016/j.jsis.2019.01.003.
  22. World Commission on Environment and Development. (n.d.). Our common future. Retrieved from https://dokumen.pub/our-common-future-the-world-commission-on-environment-and-development-0-19-282080-x-z-7977319.html.

Suggested citation

Okhrimenko, A., Boiko, M., & Kulyk, M. (2026). Sustainable business development in the face of turbulence and digitalisation: Strategic approaches to ensuring competitiveness. Scientific Bulletin of Mukachevo State University. Series “Economics”, 13(1), 21-31. https://doi.org/10.52566/msu-econ1.2026.21