Keeping pace with the digital transformation — exploring the digital orientation of SMEs
研究了中小企业数字化导向与绩效之间的U型关系，发现初期数字化导向提升会带来绩效下降，达到一定阈值后才开始改善，对中小企业资源分配有指导意义。
Abstract In the digital era, organizations strategically adopt digital transformation to thrive and prosper. In particular, they allocate substantial resources to cultivate digital orientation. However, limited research has explored how digital orientation impacts the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Our study sheds light on this relationship, examining it through the lens of a resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capability (DC) perspective. We empirically quantify digital orientation and its subdimensions using textual data extracted from SME websites. Our findings unveil a U-shaped relationship: while high performance is observable at both extremes of the spectrum, an initial increase in digital orientation is associated with performance setbacks until a specific threshold of digital orientation is reached, after which performance once again begins to improve. As a result, SMEs should consider a strategic allocation of resources while pursuing digital orientation to build capabilities during their digital transformation journey.