Développement digital des entreprises sur les plans stratégique et organisationnel - Etude de PME en Wallonie

Abstract

Globalization, and the ongoing developments that it brings in the digital area have massive implications for all citizens in the world, including companies. These companies are faced with rapid changes and need to keep up with new technologies, in order to remain competitive. This is even more true for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), on which this research focuses. Indeed, because of their size and nature, they need to be adaptable and agile. In order to study how Walloon SMEs have led their digital transition, this exploratory study first begins by reviewing existing literature in order to set up a theoretical context about the digitalization of SMEs. Although extensive literature exists about some aspects of digitalization of SMEs, there is a lack of studies scrutinizing digitalization in actual practice. This study then reviews results of eight interviews conducted with Walloon SMEs, from diverse activity sectors, on the path to digitalization. Both of these abovementioned parts aim at answering various questions about how SMEs have altered their interactions with clients through new technologies, how the SMEs’ structures have evolved in accordance with ongoing, increasing digitalization in terms of human resources and infrastructures, how SMEs have modified their internal organization and how they have adapted their external strategy to digitalization, for instance towards competitors. This study moreover discusses how SMEs view advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence. The main findings of this study indicate that the practical reasons for digitalization of SMEs are well depicted in literature, that internal digitalization and its advantages are well understood by SMEs’ managers, and that investments and related costs are one of the main barriers to digitalization of small structures like SMEs, next to data protection obligations. However, there is still a gap between theory and practice in various instances, including the relationship towards competitors. Moreover, it seems that Walloon SMEs do not take full advantage of the tools at their disposal, such as analytical softwares and digital marketing instruments. Nevertheless, the studied SMEs appear to be on the right track to increase their digitalization.