THE DIGITALISATION OF BUSINESS MODELS
OPPORTUNITY OR DANGER FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES
99 percent of the companies in Germany are medium-sized enterprises.
It is not for nothing that medium-sized companies are also considered the heart of the German economy. The spectrum of business areas ranges from small craft enterprises and start-ups to the well-known "hidden champions", who are world market leaders in their sector. Not only large corporations, but also small and medium-sized businesses are subject to strong digitalization pressure today.
Under the newly established conditions of digital transformation, many medium-sized companies have to rethink their business models and their positioning on the market from a strategic point of view and reinvent themselves. Digitization in the SME sector is more important than ever.
The current economic environment in which SMEs operate shows that the competitive pressure from globalization and digitization has increased considerably in recent years. The changes in the market and competition triggered by this began as early as the 1990s. Since the turn of the millennium, they have clearly gained momentum.
Critical factors for small and medium-sized enterprises in digitisation
Due to the ever better networking of global markets and rapid technical progress, the competitive situation for a production country like Germany is becoming increasingly critical. Earlier geographical advantages and unique selling propositions are dwindling and competition from low-wage countries is increasing.
While people like to dream in old memories about technological leadership, quality leadership and export records, they ignore significant social and economic changes. However, ignorance of digital progress does not stop it and the digitisation of SMEs is a fundamental part of economic performance.
More than 50% of SMEs are not or only poorly prepared for digitalisation!
You have been reading this sentence in the newspapers every 2-3 months for over 2 years. Since 2 years!
Basically this means, you know that you have to do something, you know it will be vital for the future and you do it: Nothing. The digitalisation of the middle class is practically non-existent.
Politics will not save the companies, their employees will not do it, there is only one person who can do something NOW and that is you. You can decide whether you want to actively shape the digital future of your company or passively. Act or react. Who acts determines - who reacts can be determined - it is as simple as that.
You can't "oversleep" digitalisierung - because that inevitably means the death of the company. Other companies and other countries will take over the freed-up market capacities with kissing hands - without regard to their 100-year tradition, their life's work or the like.
Especially the middle class is in demand here. In contrast to large corporations, medium-sized companies have the necessary flexibility and agility to react quickly to changes and to adapt or implement new things. But you also have to do it.
At the start-up fairs and congresses, however, you see very few representatives of medium-sized businesses, but it is precisely there that innovative problem solutions can be found or created for the customer problems of tomorrow with the help of high-tech start-ups. It is up to your own commitment and foresight whether the company benefits from digitalization or whether you are pushed out of the market.
