Intelligent and Complex Systems for Digital Business Transformation

A Special Issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954) belonging to the section "Systems Practice in Social Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 1189

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Department of Arts, Communications and Social Sciences, University Canada West, Vancouver, BC V6B 1V9, Canada
Interests: business management; e-commerce management; knowledge management; blockchain
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on how complex and intelligent systems are reshaping digital commerce, enterprise strategy, and operational efficiency. The goal is to explore advanced models, algorithms, and frameworks that enable businesses to thrive in fast-evolving digital ecosystems.

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Complex adaptive systems for digital platforms and marketplaces;
  • Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data-driven decision systems in commerce;
  • Predictive analytics, optimization, and risk management in business processes;
  • Blockchain, distributed ledgers, and trust mechanisms in business networks;
  • Cyber–physical and socio-technical systems driving innovation in e-business;
  • Digital twins and simulation models for strategic business management;
  • Sustainability, ethics, and governance considerations in complex business systems;
  • Future directions, including integrating quantum computing, edge AI, or next-gen architectures.

This Special Issue aims to attract original research, case studies, and review articles that advance both the theoretical understanding and practical deployment of intelligent and complex systems in modern business environments.

Dr. Mitra Madanchian
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • complex systems
  • intelligent system
  • digital business
  • business processes
  • e-commerce management

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

33 pages, 2167 KB  
Article
Adaptive Reconfiguration in Complex E-Commerce Systems: Flow and Stock Adjustment Under the COVID-19 Shock
by Maria Carmen Huian and Mihaela Curea
Systems 2026, 14(6), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14060692 - 17 Jun 2026
Viewed by 563
Abstract
E-commerce has reshaped short-term financial management by altering transaction speed, payment structures, and supply chain coordination. This study examines how large publicly listed e-commerce firms, viewed as complex digital business systems, adjusted their working capital policies during and after the COVID-19 shock. The [...] Read more.
E-commerce has reshaped short-term financial management by altering transaction speed, payment structures, and supply chain coordination. This study examines how large publicly listed e-commerce firms, viewed as complex digital business systems, adjusted their working capital policies during and after the COVID-19 shock. The sample is based on the 100 largest e-commerce companies worldwide by market capitalization, as reported by CompaniesMarketCap (February 2026), and is reduced to 76 firms from 23 countries due to data availability, yielding 802 firm-year observations. Firm-level data are obtained from LSEG Datastream, while macroeconomic variables are sourced from the World Bank. The analysis distinguishes between two dimensions of working capital: flow-based operational adjustment, measured by the cash conversion cycle (CCC), and stock-based balance-sheet adjustment, captured by net working capital relative to total assets (WC/TA). Fixed-effects models with firm-clustered standard errors are employed. The results indicate a substantial contraction of the CCC during the pandemic, followed by partial persistence of that contraction rather than a return to pre-pandemic norms. In contrast, WC/TA remains broadly stable during the crisis but declines in the post-pandemic period, suggesting a delayed balance-sheet adjustment. Business-model heterogeneity is not statistically significant, which may reflect a common system-level response across e-commerce firm types. Leverage and supply-chain pressures are associated with working capital intensity (WC/TA), while inflation shapes operate cycle duration (CCC). The findings are consistent with a two-stage adaptive response to systemic disruption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intelligent and Complex Systems for Digital Business Transformation)
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