IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jadmsc/v14y2024i11p296-d1517599.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

SMEs in a Digital Era: The Role of Management

Author

Listed:
  • Irena Mladenova

    (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria)

Abstract

This article aims to explore the role of management in translating the external factors’ and internal barriers’ impacts on the level of adoption of digital technologies as a lever for change in business operations and processes in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs face a distinct set of challenges when adopting digital technologies, often lacking resources and knowledge. On the other hand, they have certain characteristics, such as simpler organisational structures and processes, that make them more flexible than larger firms in leveraging technologies into new business models. Data for this study are obtained from 989 SMEs in Bulgaria in the manufacturing and services sectors. A PLS–SEM analysis confirms eight hypotheses raised on the relationships between environmental factors and government support and internal factors (management support, organisational flexibility, and risk-tolerant culture) that impact digital business intensity. Environmental factors’ impact is stronger than government support, while internal barriers are found to have no statistically significant relationship. The research findings highlight the important role of management support in guiding digital transformation through supporting organisational flexibility and promoting a risk-tolerant culture.

Suggested Citation

  • Irena Mladenova, 2024. "SMEs in a Digital Era: The Role of Management," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:14:y:2024:i:11:p:296-:d:1517599
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/14/11/296/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/14/11/296/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tangi, Luca & Janssen, Marijn & Benedetti, Michele & Noci, Giuliano, 2021. "Digital government transformation: A structural equation modelling analysis of driving and impeding factors," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    2. António Cardoso & Manuel Sousa Pereira & José Carlos Sá & Daryl John Powell & Silvia Faria & Miguel Magalhães, 2023. "Digital Culture, Knowledge, and Commitment to Digital Transformation and Its Impact on the Competitiveness of Portuguese Organizations," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-25, December.
    3. André Hanelt & René Bohnsack & David Marz & Cláudia Antunes Marante, 2021. "A Systematic Review of the Literature on Digital Transformation: Insights and Implications for Strategy and Organizational Change," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(5), pages 1159-1197, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. David, Sofia & Zinica, Daniel & Bărbuță-Mișu, Nicoleta & Savga, Larisa & Virlanuta, Florina-Oana, 2024. "Public administration managers' and employees' perceptions of adaptability to change under “the future of work” paradigm," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    2. Mishra, Deepa Bhatt & Haider, Imran & Gunasekaran, Angappa & Sakib, Md. Nazmus & Malik, Nishtha & Rana, Nripendra P., 2023. "“Better together”: Right blend of business strategy and digital transformation strategies," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    3. Jinqiu He & Huiwen Su, 2022. "Digital Transformation and Green Innovation of Chinese Firms: The Moderating Role of Regulatory Pressure and International Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Rizvi, Syed Kumail Abbas & Rahat, Birjees & Naqvi, Bushra & Umar, Muhammad, 2024. "Revolutionizing finance: The synergy of fintech, digital adoption, and innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    5. Cong Cheng & Hongfang Cui, 2024. "Combining digital and legacy technologies: firm digital transformation strategies—evidence from Chinese manufacturing companies," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Ding, Jiantao & Yin, Yingkai & Kuang, Jinsong & Ding, Dezhi & Madsen, Dag.Øivind & Yang, Kunyu, 2024. "The impact of enterprise digital transformation on financial mismatch: Empirical evidence from listed companies in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    7. Papanagnou, Christos & Seiler, Andreas & Spanaki, Konstantina & Papadopoulos, Thanos & Bourlakis, Michael, 2022. "Data-driven digital transformation for emergency situations: The case of the UK retail sector," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    8. Markus Menz & Sven Kunisch & Julian Birkinshaw & David J. Collis & Nicolai J. Foss & Robert E. Hoskisson & John E. Prescott, 2021. "Corporate Strategy and the Theory of the Firm in the Digital Age," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(7), pages 1695-1720, November.
    9. Patrick Spieth & Tobias Röth & Thomas Clauss & Christoph Klos, 2021. "Technological Frames in the Digital Age: Theory, Measurement Instrument, and Future Research Areas," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(7), pages 1962-1993, November.
    10. Deist, Maximilian K. & McDowell, William C. & Bouncken, Ricarda B., 2023. "Digital units and digital innovation: Balancing fluidity and stability for the Creation, Conversion, and Dissemination of sticky knowledge," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    11. Ismael Cristofer Baierle & Francisco Tardelli da Silva & Ricardo Gonçalves de Faria Correa & Jones Luís Schaefer & Matheus Becker Da Costa & Guilherme Brittes Benitez & Elpidio Oscar Benitez Nara, 2022. "Competitiveness of Food Industry in the Era of Digital Transformation towards Agriculture 4.0," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-22, September.
    12. Zhengwei Li & Yadan Zheng & Xin Zhao, 2024. "The impacts of platform owner entry on prospective complementors’ intention to join: Discouraged by deterrent or attracted by good reputation," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 34(1), pages 1-16, December.
    13. Fatih Gurcan & Gizem Dilan Boztas & Gonca Gokce Menekse Dalveren & Mohammad Derawi, 2023. "Digital Transformation Strategies, Practices, and Trends: A Large-Scale Retrospective Study Based on Machine Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, May.
    14. Belhadi, Amine & Venkatesh, Mani & Kamble, Sachin & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul, 2024. "Data-driven digital transformation for supply chain carbon neutrality: Insights from cross-sector supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    15. Bora Ly, 2024. "The Interplay of Digital Transformational Leadership, Organizational Agility, and Digital Transformation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 4408-4427, March.
    16. Yugang He, 2024. "E-commerce and foreign direct investment: pioneering a new era of trade strategies," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    17. Kroh, Julia & Globocnik, Dietfried & Schultz, Carsten & Holdhof, Frederike & Salomo, Søren, 2024. "Micro-foundations of digital innovation capability – A mixed method approach to develop and validate a multi-dimensional measurement instrument," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    18. Yao, Nengzhi(Chris) & Bai, Junhong & Yu, Zihao & Guo, Qiaozhe, 2025. "Does AI orientation facilitate operational efficiency? A contingent strategic orientation perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    19. Ruixin Su & Bojan Obrenovic & Jianguo Du & Danijela Godinic & Akmal Khudaykulov, 2022. "COVID-19 Pandemic Implications for Corporate Sustainability and Society: A Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-23, January.
    20. Long Xu & Yunsheng Zhou & Liang Chen, 2024. "Digital Transformation and Breakthrough Innovation in Chinese Manufacturing Firms: Based on Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) Framework of Human Capital," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:14:y:2024:i:11:p:296-:d:1517599. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.