Supporting Digital Transformation in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: A Procedure Model Involving Publicly Funded Support Units

Abstract

Digital Transformation (DT) considers the continuous digitalization process of a company, which uses digital and data-driven innovation to improve existing processes, change distinct business model (BM) elements, or reinvent its BM entirely. Large companies position themselves at the frontline of the DT, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are challenged by resource constraints and missing guidance on realizing benefits of DT. This situation threatens SMEs as big players increasingly utilize DT to enter markets that have been traditionally reserved to SMEs. Extant research on the ways SMEs can effectively participate in DT is limited. Against this background, this article builds upon prior research and a focus group discussion to propose a procedure model, which enables DT in SME by involving publicly funded support units. These units help SMEs in understanding and structuring the potentials of digital and data-driven innovation.

Transformação Digital

“…Posteriormente, aprofundamos as discussões sobre cada aspecto. (Arkan, 2016;Barann et al, 2019;Legner et al, 2017;Mahraz, Benabbou, & Berrado, 2019;Pelletie & Cloutier, 2019). As dez subáreas de Legner et al(2017) indicam o que melhorar.…”

“…Conforme Legner et al, (2017) a TD vem ocorrendo desde a década de 60, com o avanço da ciência da computação, que de forma incremental impactou diversas outras áreas do conhecimento. No entanto, o termo TD passou a se popularizar na mídia e no mundo acadêmico aproximadamente a partir de 2012 (Barann, Hermann, Cordes, Chasin, & Becker, 2019). Se excluirmos seu uso em áreas como a matemática, eletrônica, e telecomunicações, que tratam de transformações digitais como operações matemática, e incluirmos as áreas de gestão, sistemas de informação, e ciências sociais, os termos TD e digitalização aparecem mais frequentemente em artigos internacionais a partir dos anos 2000, dobrando a partir de 2011 (Henriette, Feki, & Boughzala, 2015).…”

“…: sensores e aprendizagem de máquina) (Erbert & Duarte, 2019). Além disso, estas mudanças, se alinhadas a claros requisitos de negócio (Demirkan, Spohrer, & Welser, 2016), devem aumentar as chances das organizações de se inserirem ou de criar novas cadeias e nichos de mercado; chamadas de cadeias digitais (Barann et al, 2019; Choi e Sethi, 2010).…”

Introduction to the Minitrack on Making Digital Transformation Real

“…Considering the SME relevance in the global economic context and the difficulty of this type of organization to access the required resources for DT, some authors focused their research in this sector. Barann, Hermann, Cordes, Chasin and Becker [17] analysed strategies to foster digital transformation of SME, by involving publicly funded support units. Authors mention "that while larger companies may be able to experiment with different innovation projects, smaller companies require a more practical approach focusing on feasible and tangible goals.…”

“…SMEs require an approach that wraps the underlying complexity of DT projects into manageable and easily understood action items, rather than abstract frameworks." (Barann et al, 2019).…”