Study: 70 percent of SMEs managing data say digital technology improves innovation

Newsroom 17/01/2017 | 12:05

A total of 70 percent of SMEs that manage data say that digital technology improved their ability to innovate, a study commissioned by Microsoft and conducted in 2016 by Ipsos Mori shows. The study, conducted among SMEs across several European countries, tackled topics connected to the use of data and state-of-the-art technologies to attract new customers, increase productivity and innovate in their sector of activity.

At a European level, almost 99 percent of companies are SMEs. The majority of Romanian respondents, namely 84 percent, active in the IT sector and employed in SMEs answered they feel ready to use applications and appliances available in the company – compared with only 59 percent in Western Europe. At the same time, less Romanian companies have a website (55 percent) or an online area dedicated to customers (16 percent), compared to the western average (69 percent respectively 21 percent).

At the other end of the spectrum, overall, Romania is ranked according to the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), second to last in the European Union when it comes to digital skills, and one of the factors that prevent the country from being ranked last is the large number of IT experts in the economy. However, when it comes to integrating technology in the business environment, however, Romania is ranked 28th out of the same number of countries.

According to the study, 79 percent of Romanian companies have a positive attitude towards the digital age, compared to those in Western Europe, respondents believe that technology will improve operational and strategic decisions, compared to 59 percent of EU respondents. Additionally, 67 percent of companies say they will reveal relevant data about clients, compared to 53 percent.

Mobility of Romanian employees included in the survey remains low. Specifically, 7 out of 10 say they must come to the office in order to perform their work duties. However, compared to 2015, mobility among employees increased.

Very few information workers believe digital technology had a negative impact on their activity. Eight out of ten (80 percent) say it had a positive impact on their abilities. Three quarters say the technology had a positive impact on their capacity to innovate (75 percent), as well as when it comes to teamwork (76 percent) and innovation at the workplace (74 percent).

Most Romanian employees, namely 80 percent, feel that their information are protected wherever they are, compared to 67 percent in western Europe. Among managers, 79 percent believe their data is protected, while in western Europe only 58 percent agree. A total of 72 percent of Romanian managers say that their business enjoys advanced data protection, compared to the western European average of 54 percent.

Georgeta Gheorghe

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