Digital and sustainable competitiveness study of MSMEs in the province of Córdoba
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70453/2344.9195.v12.n1.45155Abstract
The main objective of this work is to offer a comprehensive vision of the MSMEs in the province of Córdoba in terms of the degree of digitalization and sustainability, which highlights virtues and/or imbalances, with the purpose of serving as a reference in the adoption of timely measures to enhance its virtues and adjust its weaknesses. For this, a study was carried out on a sample of 577 MSMEs from different sectors of the economy and located in the province of Córdoba. The data was collected through a questionnaire directed at the highest level of the company. The questionnaire was structured in two blocks. In the first, respondents are asked about the general features of their companies, such as the sector of activity, geographical location, number of employees, gender of the manager, family control of the company, growth expectations of employment and sales, and the degree of internationalization. In the second block, information is collected on the degree of development of digitalization (strategies and barriers) and also on the entrepreneur's perception of the application of sustainable development (derived benefits and barriers or obstacles to achieving business sustainability). The data were collected between the months of March to May 2022, which were then analyzed using a descriptive statistical analysis. Among the main findings we find that the main drivers of digitalization are knowledge of the possibilities and advantages of digitalization, the destination of resources and the training and qualification of managers. While the main barriers are insufficient broadband connection, high investment costs and lack of well-qualified personnel. Meanwhile, in terms of sustainability, its main benefits are the improvement of image and reputation, the generation of advantages over the competition and the increase in the degree of customer satisfaction.
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