ARE PORTUGUESE SMEs PREPARED FOR A WORLD IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION?

Tempo de Leitura 5 minutos

Before we talk about how to prepare SMEs for the digital world we need to step back and answer another question: Why should my company invest in the digital world? To be more competitive, reliable and sustainable in a rapidly changing world. The SME Digital project aims to train more than 3,000 SMEs from north to south of the country with digital skills, contributing to its strategic, planned and evolutionary organizational change. In February and March there will be a national tour in the North, Center and Alentejo with a view to the debate of this theme and the presentation of results of the project.  SMEs are the backbone and foundation of most economies and Portugal is no exception. However, in order to remain competitive, they must constantly adapt their products and services to markets that are constantly changing and accelerating due to technological advances and consumer behaviors. In addition, SMEs have the potential to be the foundation for sustainable economic growth if they are provided with the right tools and support. However, in the context of i4.0, SMEs are often faced with constraints mainly linked to the high costs/risks associated with the necessary investment and the little information available on the subject. This leads to a lack of clarity on the part of entrepreneurs regarding the benefits of the adoption of I4.0 methodologies, technologies and tools. Concerns about the lower operating costs of SMEs and the need to create differentiated products for greater competitiveness in a global market are too clear, particularly in small enterprises. In these companies the minimization of operating costs is essential for a sustained permanence in the current market. In this context, the digital transformation of SMEs is one of the main drivers of business competitiveness, proving to be a highly effective response to the adoption of new management practices. Digital Transformation is, therefore, a continuous process of strategic, planned and evolutionary organizational change, throughwhich the digital skills of the technology platform and innovation are enhanced to achieve certain business objectives. This is a shift from strategy to more reliable, more sustainable and competitive businesses in a world in Digital Transformation.   WHAT IS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION? ISQ, in partnership with TICE.PT (Pole of Information, Communication and Electronic Technologies) and ESMAD (School of Media, Arts and Design of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto), developed the Digital SME Project. The project supports the digital transformation of SMEs in the automotive, materials, raw materials and trade sectors and the promotion of disruptive changes in business models, products and production processes. This initiative aims not only to support digital transformation in companies and to empower, provide information and increase the business skills of SMEs for the adoption of i4.0 measures, technologies and tools, but also to promote the acceleration of the Portuguese economy to a digital economy. The project integrates a methodology that, in a first phase, aims to establish a current diagnosis of the digital maturity of SMEs, as well as the degree of use of i4.0 tools, in order to later identify possible digital solutions and demonstrate the benefits of the adoption of methodologies or technologies of the fourth digital revolution. Through a mapping of the situation and departure in relation to Digital Transformation, evaluation of the maturity level of Portuguese Companies, survey of good practices and lessons learned national and international, the SME Digital Project leaves as testimony the Hub Digital Accelerator Platform (https://hub.pme-digital.pt), with a diversity of content and tools. The Platform is a powerful tool to support the Digital Transformation of Companies since it proposes a path to start the discovery of Digital Transformation consisting of 3 phases: Phase 1- BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION (Knowing the current context) Phase 2 – DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION (Preparing and executing the migration to processes, tools and digital concepts of the business) Phase 3- DIGITAL EVOLUTION (Go further and better in the digital transformation of the business with innovation accelerators and migration to the 3rd platform) Sílvia Vara SV Sílvia Vara, responsible for the Project Pme Digital TOUR NACIONAL | SMS DIGITAL During the months of February and March, the consortium, consisting of ISQ, TICE.PT and ESMAD, promotes a National Tour to present the results of the SME Digital project, passing through the North, Center and Alentejo regions. These events are aimed at entrepreneurs (administrators, managers, CEOs) and technicians (administrative, human resources, commercial, marketing, operational, maintenance, production, information technologies, project management, software development, automation and robotics, R&D and innovation), who wish to join Digital Transformation and who are interested in knowing the Digital SME project, which integrates content useful for their activity and that will promote a strategic, planned and evolving organizational change to empower SMEs with digital skills with the ultimate goal of boosting their competitiveness in the market. In addition to the presentation of results, content, tools and the HUB Digital Accelerator platform, the National Tour will promote interaction dynamics with reference entities in the national theme, as well as the opportunity for Companies to present technological challenges and organizational barriers or become aware of forms of financing for their Digital Transformation projects. Registration and Program at the link: https://hub.pme-digital.pt/pme-digital-national-tour/ National Tour Locations

  • 12 February 2020 | Technology Center of Ceramics and Glass | Coimbra
  • February 19, 2020 | ISEP Congress Center | Harbor
  • March 12, 2020 | College of Espírito Santo- University of Évora

CONVITE PME

ABOUT ISQ

ISQ is a private, independent entity that delivers value through integrated and innovative engineering, inspection, testing, testing and training services solutions.

Present in 14 countries and with 7 offices in Portugal, ISQ supports its customers in reducing risk, improving operational performance and increasing competitiveness. multidisciplinary teams that help clients to align their business objectives with applicable regulations and standards and in meeting their goals in the areas of quality, safety, asset management and environmental and social responsibility.

Industry, Technology and Innovation are the premises that guide the work developed by ISQ, which already has more than 500 international Innovation projects and more than 17,000 professional training courses.

ISQ supports industry development and innovation on a global scale, with service solutions for the Oil & Gas, Energy, Aeronautics and Aerospace, Process Industry, Health, Mobility and Smart Cities, Transport and Infrastructure and Agribusiness sectors.

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Carla Guedes      | cmguedes@isq.pt          | +351 919 211 647