Digital transformation is happening across all industries worldwide, including in Singapore. This book seeks to provide insights on how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) can embark on their own journeys of digital transformation, while at the same time remaining agile in responding to industry and consumer needs. It will outline how firms can foster a culture of business transformation to improve efficiency and productivity; elaborate on how the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation process, and how it has provided new opportunities; present a roadmap on how SMEs can navigate through the artificial and data analytics revolution; and provide recommendations on how SMEs can partner with institutes of higher learning. It concludes by elaborating on the skillsets and capabilities needed to drive digitalisation.
This book provides an integrated overview of key trends in digital transformation, taking into consideration five interrelated dimensions: strategy and business models, society, organization, technology and regulation. As such, it provides a framework for the analysis of digital business transformation and its emerging factors, analyzing twenty-five key trends in terms of their future impact. On that basis, the book then delineates a new approach centered on the mutually accelerating links between multiple value creation spaces. It proposes a new mode of production – accelerated production of links (acceluction) – and analyzes it with respect to the still-dominant concept of lean production. Based on the results of the international CIGREF research program ISD, the book presents a valuable perspective of the expected impact of the abundance of networks and data as critical resources for enterprises beyond 2020.
Despite potentially tremendous benefits, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lag in the digital transformation. Emerging technologies, as diverse as they are, offer a range of applications for them to improve performance and overcome the size-related limitations they face in doing business. However, SMEs must be better prepared, and stakes are high. SMEs make the most of the industrial fabric in many countries and regions, they create jobs (most jobs sometimes) and are the cement of inclusive and sustainable societies.
Digital transformation (DT) has become a buzzword. Every industry segment across the globe is consciously jumping toward digital innovation and disruption to get ahead of their competitors. In other words, every aspect of running a business is being digitally empowered to reap all the benefits of the digital paradigm. All kinds of digitally enabled businesses across the globe are intrinsically capable of achieving bigger and better things for their constituents. Their consumers, clients, and customers will realize immense benefits with real digital transformation initiatives and implementations. The much-awaited business transformation can be easily and elegantly accomplished with a workable and winnable digital transformation strategy, plan, and execution. There are several enablers and accelerators for realizing the much-discussed digital transformation. There are a lot of digitization and digitalization technologies available to streamline and speed up the process of the required transformation. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies in close association with decisive advancements in the artificial intelligence (AI) space can bring forth the desired transitions. The other prominent and dominant technologies toward forming digital organizations include cloud IT, edge/fog computing, real-time data analytics platforms, blockchain technology, digital twin paradigm, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) techniques, enterprise mobility, and 5G communication. These technological innovations are intrinsically competent and versatile enough to fulfill the varying requirements for establishing and sustaining digital enterprises. Enterprise Digital Transformation: Technology, Tools, and Use Cases features chapters on the evolving aspects of digital transformation and intelligence. It covers the unique competencies of digitally transformed enterprises, IIoT use cases, and applications. It explains promising technological solutions widely associated with digital innovation and disruption. The book focuses on setting up and sustaining smart factories that are fulfilling the Industry 4.0 vision that is realized through the IIoT and allied technologies.
Digital technologies not only offer a vast potential to enhance firm productivity, they can also help enhance resilience and support economic recovery in times of war. The government has made significant strides in accelerating the digital transformation and has reinforced support for digitalisation since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. While digital technologies have brought significant benefits to the country, Ukraine’s SMEs are yet to fully tap into the potential of digitalisation. Beyond war-related challenges, lack of awareness, digital skills shortages, sectoral specificities, and financial constraints complicate their digital development. The government aims to further promote SME digitalisation and is currently preparing its SME Strategy 2024-27. Throughout 2023, the OECD provided guidance to Ukraine on how to help SMEs leverage digitalisation for productivity, resilience, and recovery. This report presents an overview of the findings, looking at i) ways to strengthen the national and subnational institutional and policy framework for SME digitalisation; ii) avenues for targeted digitalisation support services for SMEs, building on the OECD’s blueprint; and iii) specific ways digitalisation can help SMEs weather war-related challenges.
The new OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Outlook presents the latest trends in performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and provides a comprehensive overview of business conditions and policy frameworks for SMEs and entrepreneurs. This year’s edition provides comparative evidence on business dynamism, productivity growth, wage gaps and export trends by firm size across OECD countries and emerging economies.
This open access book explores the digital transformation of small and rural towns, in particular, how to measure the evolution and development of digital towns. In addition to access to resources, competition from urban and global markets, and population trends, rural communities present lesser access and use of digital technologies and have lower digital competencies and skills than their urban counterparts. Consequently, they experience less beneficial outcomes from increased digitalisation than urban areas. This book defines what a digital town is and explores digitalisation from the perspective of the four basic economic sectors in towns - individuals and households, businesses, the public sector, and civil society - and three types of enabling infrastructure - digital connectivity, education, and governance. Particular attention is paid to how digitalisation efforts are measured by intergovernmental and international organisations for each sector and enabling infrastructure. The book concludes with a Digital Town Readiness Framework that offers local communities, policymakers, and scholars an initial set of indicators upon which to develop digital town initiatives, and measure progress. For those ready to embrace the opportunity, this book is a pathfinder on the road to a more equitable and impactful digital society and digital economy. Theo Lynn is Full Professor of Digital Business at DCU Business School, Ireland. Pierangelo Rosati is Assistant Professor in Business Analytics at DCU Business School, Ireland. Edel Conway is Full Professor in HRM and Organisational Psychology and Director of Doctoral Studies at DCU Business School, Ireland. Declan Curran is Associate Professor of Economics at DCU Business School, Ireland. Grace Fox is a post-doctoral researcher attached to the Irish Institute of Digital Business. Colm OGorman is Interim Dean and Full Professor of Entrepreneurship at DCU Business School, Ireland.
