IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/poicbe/v18y2024i1p3465-3475n1048.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Use of Information Technology in SMEs: Advantages and Main Challenges

Author

Listed:
  • Jercan Emilia

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

  • Nacu Teodora

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

From the beginning of the 20th century, a lot of research has been conducted on how SMEs contribute to the development of innovative activities and vice versa, on how new technologies and innovation have the potential to influence small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Nowadays, given the highly competitive and dynamic business environment, SMEs are constantly and actively trying to find ways to keep up with the latest developments, which is not always an easy task. Digital technologies and innovation in business administration and other related fields are key attributes that can be seen as essential elements in the field of entrepreneurship. Thus, digitization has become a crucial factor in the business world, and its impact on SMEs cannot be neglected. Nonetheless, company size, capital and resources seem to limit SMEs’ ability to adopt digital technologies. However, countless studies argue that a smaller firm size allows SMEs to be more flexible to change. Therefore, both digital progress and innovation have become highly relevant tools for businesses to improve their performance, reduce their costs and increase their efficiency, and are seen as key factors for competitiveness, development and economic growth. With this paper we understand how Romania, with its expanding economy and support for entrepreneurs, has the potential to be a relevant player in the digital economy, although its current ranking on the level of digitization and innovation is considerably lower than the EU average.

Suggested Citation

  • Jercan Emilia & Nacu Teodora, 2024. "The Use of Information Technology in SMEs: Advantages and Main Challenges," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 18(1), pages 3465-3475.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:poicbe:v:18:y:2024:i:1:p:3465-3475:n:1048
    DOI: 10.2478/picbe-2024-0281
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2024-0281
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/picbe-2024-0281?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. J. Piet Hausberg & Kirsten Liere-Netheler & Sven Packmohr & Stefanie Pakura & Kristin Vogelsang, 2019. "Research streams on digital transformation from a holistic business perspective: a systematic literature review and citation network analysis," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 89(8), pages 931-963, December.
    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. Marco Cioppi & Ilaria Curina & Barbara Francioni & Elisabetta Savelli, 2023. "Digital transformation and marketing: a systematic and thematic literature review," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2023(2), pages 207-288, June.
    2. Fernando Almeida & José Morais & José Duarte Santos, 2022. "A Bibliometric Analysis of the Scientific Outcomes of European Projects on the Digital Transformation of SMEs," Publications, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Flávio Horita & João Baptista & João Porto Albuquerque, 2023. "Exploring the use of IoT Data for Heightened Situational Awareness in Centralised Monitoring Control Rooms," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 275-290, February.
    4. Fandel, Günter, 2023. "Application of Input Output Analysis to the Production of Services - An Overview," EconStor Preprints 298116, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    5. Teresa Riso & Carla Morrone, 2023. "To Align Technological Advancement and Ethical Conduct: An Analysis of the Relationship between Digital Technologies and Sustainable Decision-Making Processes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, January.
    6. Issam A. R. Moghrabi & Sameer Ahmad Bhat & Piotr Szczuko & Rawan A. AlKhaled & Muneer Ahmad Dar, 2023. "Digital Transformation and Its Influence on Sustainable Manufacturing and Business Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-35, February.
    7. Gong, Cheng & Ribiere, Vincent, 2021. "Developing a unified definition of digital transformation," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    8. Blanka, Christine & Krumay, Barbara & Rueckel, David, 2022. "The interplay of digital transformation and employee competency: A design science approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    9. Chun-Liang Chen & Yao-Chin Lin & Wei-Hung Chen & Cheng-Fu Chao & Henry Pandia, 2021. "Role of Government to Enhance Digital Transformation in Small Service Business," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-24, January.
    10. Maurizio Comoli & Patrizia Tettamanzi & Michael Murgolo, 2023. "Accounting for ‘ESG’ under Disruptions: A Systematic Literature Network Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-32, April.
    11. Tijan, Edvard & Jović, Marija & Aksentijević, Saša & Pucihar, Andreja, 2021. "Digital transformation in the maritime transport sector," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    12. Alnoor Bhimani, 2020. "Digital data and management accounting: why we need to rethink research methods," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 9-23, April.
    13. Hamann-Lohmer, Jacob & Bendig, Miriam & Lasch, Rainer, 2023. "Investigating the impact of digital transformation on relationship and collaboration dynamics in supply chains and manufacturing networks – A multi-case study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    14. Mydyti Hyrmet & Kadriu Arbana & Pejic Bach Mirjana, 2023. "Using Data Mining to Improve Decision-Making: Case Study of A Recommendation System Development," Organizacija, Sciendo, vol. 56(2), pages 138-154, May.
    15. Emanuel Galyarski & Nadia Mironova, 2021. "Digitalization And Its Impact On Business Processes," Economics and Management, Faculty of Economics, SOUTH-WEST UNIVERSITY "NEOFIT RILSKI", BLAGOEVGRAD, vol. 18(1), pages 81-89.
    16. Michaela Wrede & Vivek K. Velamuri & Tobias Dauth, 2020. "Top managers in the digital age: Exploring the role and practices of top managers in firms' digital transformation," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(8), pages 1549-1567, December.
    17. Marija Jović & Edvard Tijan & Doroteja Vidmar & Andreja Pucihar, 2022. "Factors of Digital Transformation in the Maritime Transport Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-18, August.
    18. Elias G. Carayannis & David F. J. Campbell, 2021. "Democracy of Climate and Climate for Democracy: the Evolution of Quadruple and Quintuple Helix Innovation Systems," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(4), pages 2050-2082, December.
    19. Sabrina Hoessler & Claus-Christian Carbon, 2024. "Digital transformation in incumbent companies: a qualitative study on exploration and exploitation activities in innovation," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-31, December.
    20. Fabio Nappo & Alessandra Lardo & Maria Teresa Bianchi & Federico Schimperna, 2023. "The impact of digitalisation on professional football clubs," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2023(2), pages 117-136.

    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:vrs:poicbe:v:18:y:2024:i:1:p:3465-3475:n:1048. 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: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.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.