The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s enterprises: analysis of a pilot case

Abstract Purpose The pandemic has imposed unconventional ways of working, reorganised company structures and significantly altered people’s daily routines. The purpose of this article is to analyse the impact these new flexible working arrangements have had within women’s enterprises and the effects they have had on their business models. Design/Methodology/Approach The study is qualitative in nature and was conducted through a pilot single case study. An unstructured interview was conducted with the CEO and leader of a female enterprise operating in the agri-food sector in a region of Northern Italy. Originality/Value Direct case analysis relates the activities of a female entrepreneur running a business, and the difficulties she encountered during the pandemic period, with a focus on the delicate lockdown phase. From the analysis, organisational skills and resilience emerge in the attempt to reconcile the complexity of business management with family care.