Digitization for small and medium-sized enterprises is on everyone’s lips today. There is no question that technological changes have a direct impact on an SME, whether positive or negative. In addition, not only do they determine future opportunities, but they also entail risks.
A game on a digital keyboard can make a miniature staccato sound. That is to say: you develop a website with SEO support, place products on Instagram, work with an e-commerce shop solution or recruit employees with the help of social media such as Linkedin. Medium and long-term investments in aspects such as mobile business, state-of-the-art IT security or 4.0 measures for the industry are better understood as individual movements of a challenging symphony of digitization. Finding a well-thought-out strategy on the issue is an increasing source of headaches for decision-makers; the concretization or implementation is so demanding that some people are losing hope. Ultimately, the misconception that digitization is synonymous with automation must be resolutely countered. Technology is – and this must not be forgotten – an instrument – no more, no less. The task of managers is to use it to the best advantage of all the company`s stakeholders and shareholders.
The greatest challenge of digital transformation in an SME is certainly not just technical. Rather, the behavior of the people involved should be the focus of reflection. Management’s decisions to not only consider digital solutions, but also to make them more concrete and to prioritize all aspects correctly, are of a strategic nature. It is not possible to delegate the task of examining all business-relevant options and selecting the optimal one. Moreover, outsourcing to external parties is not only extremely time-consuming, but also resource- and cost-intensive. Therefore, a certain digital competence on the part of the decision-makers is indispensable in order to render the company fit for the future, to further develop its employees and to gain new strengths and corresponding competences. Without certain specific knowledge about digitization, a company’s management cannot develop or implement a digitization strategy.