Digital Transformation for SMES in the Retail Industry
Fernando Diogo Gouveia, Henrique São Mamede
Abstract
Digital transformation is a challenge that many SMEs find difficult to embrace. This difficulty is not due to a lack of will or resources but to the lack of the right strategies for the specific type of organization. It is a common and accepted opinion that many of the digital transformation projects fail or do not achieve the proposed objectives because of the chosen strategy. Digital transformation cannot be seen as a mere evolution of technologies but as a need to shape the entire business of the organization. The increase in e-commerce has forced SMEs to embark on this disruptive process based on globalization and digital business. In this work, we seek to understand which kind of strategy an SME in the retail industry should follow for a correct transformation of its business model. In this work, is proposed a conceptual model for the digital transformation of retail SMEs and explained how to create a prototype script to support the choice of the best digital strategy for retail SMEs. To prove the validity of the prototype, it has been applied in a practical case of a business process in a retail SME.