JDMP 00 (00) pp. 00–00 Intellect Limited 2022 Journal of Digital Media & Policy Volume 00 Number 00 www.intellectbooks.com 1 © 2022 Intellect Ltd Article. English language. https://doi.org/10.1386/jdmp_00096 Received 21 July 2021; Accepted 28 November 2021 BRIGHTON NYAGADZA Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology Digital disruption and global businesses’ viability under COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic ABSTRACT The purpose of this conceptual article is to explore the drivers behind digital disruption that have taken the whole globe by storm as a result of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Motivation of the researcher in constructing the article was to logically alert the present-day and future-world business leaders on how to respond to the digital disruptive forces attributed to deadly viral pandemics like COVID-19. The current article is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) of secondary data sources, mainly peer-reviewed journal articles, the purpose being to draw conclu- sions and identify research gaps. It is based on a structural analysis methodology to frame the categories of the major analyses in combination with scientific rigour to a broad and complex problem. Research results proved that the primary forces driving digital disruption in pandemic ravages include technology dynamics, globalization and demographics. They evolve in successive waves. It is these waves that generate novel digital and technological disruptive megatrends. Implications to contemporary business leaders include bringing in present-day digital technolo- gies, incubating survival plans of actions or strategies so as to fully operationalize KEYWORDS COVID-19 digital disruption business viability globalization leadership global business organisations JDMP pp. 1–19 Intellect Limited 2022 © 2022 Intellect Ltd Article. English language. https://doi.org/10.1386/jdmp_00096_1 Received 21 July 2021; Accepted 28 November 2021 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. JDMP_FT_art_Nyagadza2.indd 1 JDMP_FT_art_Nyagadza2.indd 1 28-Jan-22 22:05:19 28-Jan-22 22:05:19