The Sustainability Performance of SMEs in Industry 5.0: A Proposal for a Synergetic Digital Sustainable Development Maturity Model (SDSDMM)
Adriana Tiron‐Tudor, Delia Deliu
Abstract
This paper explores the intersection of digitalization and sustainability for SMEs in Eastern Europe (EE), recognizing the challenges in their awareness, understanding, and resource constraints. It introduces an innovative Maturity Model (MM) tailored to SMEs, capturing both digitalization and sustainability dimensions. Validated through focus group sessions, the proposed Synergetic Digital Sustainable Development Maturity Model (SDSDMM) provides a user-friendly tool for SMEs to assess and enhance their sustainable digital development. Acknowledged by experts as transparent and practical, the proposed MM fills a gap in the SMEs’ literature, offering strategic insights and promoting continuous improvement in their digital sustainability journey.