En svær balancegang: Digitalisering i spændingen mellem fornyelse og forbedring i SMV’er
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22439/sis.v41i1.7701Nøgleord:
Digitalisering, fornyelse og forbedring, små og mellemstore virksomheder, casestudieResumé
Mens digitalisering har tiltrukket sig stor opmærksomhed de senere år, er forskningen i hvordan danske små og mellemstore virksomheder (SMV’er) håndterer muligheder og udfordringer ved anvendelse af digital teknologi sparsom. Dette er uhensigtsmæssigt, fordi SMV’er udgør størsteparten af de danske virksomheder, og at øget anvendelse af digitale teknologier forventes at forbedre virksomhedernes konkurrenceevne. Denne artikel bygger på et kvalitativt casestudie i en mindre dansk produktions– og servicevirksomhed, hvor fokus var på investering i nye digitale teknologier på bekostning af forankring af disse i driften. Med afsæt i distinktionen mellem fornyelsesaktiviteter (exploration) og forbedringsaktiviteter (exploitation) viser vores analyse, hvordan spændinger mellem entreprenant ledelsesstil og faglig vurdering samt mellem data-drevet automatisering og ‘det gode købmandskab’ udfordrede virksomhedens digitaliseringsbestræbelser og førte til en skævvridning i retning af fornyelsesaktiviteter. Vi illustrerer hvordan mellemledere og medarbejdere forsøgte at håndtere disse spændinger med henblik på at skabe balance i digitaliseringsinitiativerne. Artiklen bidrager med nye indsigter i, hvordan ubalancer mellem fornyelses- og forbedringsaktiviteter udfordrer SMV-digitalisering, og hvordan de søges navigeret af mellemledere og medarbejdere.
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