Different Approach of the Digital Transformation at SME

Abstract

The spread of Industry 4.0 technological solutions is fundamentally transforming the value creation processes of for-profit organisations in technology-intensive and non technology-intensive industries alike. An analysis of the transition (digital transformation) from Industry 3.0 to Industry 4.0 requires understanding the various factors that come into play in the establishment of the ICT infrastructure and the inter-relatedness of the various infrastructural elements of Industry 4.0 and its previous generations. Since in Hungary, digital transformation processes were previously only assessed with qualitative means, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted among Hungarian profit-oriented for-profit organisations in 2018 with the involvement of 498 respondents. The aim of the research presented here is to show that the ICT infrastructure in the life of a business organisation is not simply the result of an internal decision, but is also influenced by external factors. Furthermore, the article shows that, on the one hand, a well-functioning ICT infrastructure is perceived by top management as an operational, tactical and strategic benefits that can motivate innovation, and on the other hand, it provides the technological background for innovation. A research model has been set up and validated by descriptive and inferential statistical procedures to process the data from the questionnaire responses. The result is a model that explains under which boundary conditions a supportive role of ICT infrastructure can be expected to stimulate further innovation in business organisations