Challenges for SMEs on their Path to Smart Production

Marc Gebauer*, Diana Zeitschel, Maria Stoettrup Schioenning Larsen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are said to struggle with several challenges when transforming parts of their value chain to smart production with the means of digitalization. [1] Since SMEs are the backbone of our economy it is important to understand those challenges to cope with them accordingly. [2] This book chapter provides an overview of SME-specific digitalization challenges including possibly challenging SME characteristics and necessary prerequisites from a literature review as well as deeper insights about singular companies from the region of Brandenburg in Germany. Those insights are derived from semi-structured interviews with SME managers. None of the identified obstacles is a showstopper for our interviewees but some of them are more severe than others. This chapter contributes to the existing literature by showing an overview of challenges for SMEs when transforming their value chain to smart production. Additionally, we provide insights with less abstract depictions about the process of SMEs coping with those challenges. This chapter is of interest for SME managers when defining the transformation process of their own SME under consideration of the digitalization challenges. The overview, as well as the insights, help researchers defining their approaches for finding solutions from their perspective on realizing smart factories in SMEs.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Future of Smart Production for SMEs : A Methodological and Practical Approach Towards Digitalization in SMEs
EditorsOle Madsen, Ulrich Berger, Charles Møller, Astrid Heidemann Lassen, Brian Vejrum Wæhrens, Casper Schou
Number of pages10
Place of PublicationCham
PublisherSpringer
Publication date2023
Pages29-38
ISBN (Print)9783031154270, 9783031154300
ISBN (Electronic)9783031154287
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Challenges
  • SME
  • Smart production

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