Opportunistic media and information literacy: A case study of the implementation of E-Commerce in the food retail sector in Italy.

Abstract

Based on a case study conducted in Italy in 2021, this case study examines the process of media and information literacy (MIL) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the transformation of entrepreneurial culture among practitioners. It focuses on the transformation of the food retail sector that occurred during the first and second coronavirus lockdowns in Bra, a city in northwest Italy famous for its food culture. By examining the pattern related to the use of digital resources in the city food retail sector, this study shows that the acquisition of MIL in the spring of 2020 did not lead to a structural change in the local firms’ entrepreneurial culture. Thus, this longitudinal analysis shows an opportunistic approach toward MIL that contextualized it as a resource only for emergencies. Thus, it clarifies the aspects of the entrepreneurial culture that delay deeper implementation and understanding of MIL.