DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SCALE ENTERPRISES IN NIGERIA

Author

DR. MAXWELL UGIAGBE, DR. PAUL CHINEDU AGU


Abstract

 This study explored the relationship between the selected dimensions of digital transformation and the outcomes of the organisation in small and medium scale businesses (SMEs) in Nigeria. The aim of the study was to look at the relationship between digital infrastructure and organisational performance, the relationship between digital process integration and organisational resilience and the relationship between digital skills development and organisational innovation capabilities. The study employed the quantitative survey research design and the data provided was 180 usable responses from SMEs in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States. There was a 100% response rate as all 180 questionnaires were reported as retrieved and usable. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson product-moment correlations, and the characteristics of the respondents and their scores on the constructs were summarised through descriptive statistics. The scores were 4.18 for digital infrastructure implementation, 4.28 for digital process integration, 4.17 for digital skills development, 4.28 for innovation capability, 4.22 for organisational resilience and 4.23 for organisational performance. Positive and statistically significant correlations were found between each of the following: infrastructure implementation and organisational performance (r = .980, p < .001); process integration and organisational resilience (r = .975, p < .001); and skills development and innovation capability (r = .962, p < .001). The three null hypotheses were all rejected at 5% level of significance. The study results indicate that there are strong associations between the dimensions of digital transformation and the outcomes of digital transformation among the SMEs surveyed. These results did not indicate a cause and effect relationship, and the extremely high scores were confirmed with the original respondent-level data and scoring process.


Keywords

digital transformation, SMEs, digital infrastructure, organisational performance, resilience, innovation capability.



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References


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