The impact of digital transformation on the business performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Republic of Croatia

Abstract

Digitalna transformacija predstavlja ključan strateški proces koji omogućuje poduzećima prilagodbu dinamičnim promjenama u tehnološkom i poslovnom okruženju. Cilj ovog rada bio je istražiti utjecaj digitalne transformacije na poslovne rezultate malih i srednjih poduzeća, s posebnim naglaskom na njezine učinke na rast prihoda, smanjenje operativnih troškova, povećanje kvalitete poslovnih procesa i poboljšanje korisničkog iskustva. Teorijski okvir rada temelji se na dosadašnjim istraživanjima koja ističu digitalizaciju, automatizaciju, primjenu umjetne inteligencije i analitiku podataka kao ključne faktore uspješne transformacije poslovanja. Poseban naglasak stavljen je na prednosti i izazove digitalne transformacije, pri čemu se ističe da njezina uspješnost ovisi o strateškoj usklađenosti s poslovnim ciljevima, razini tehnološke spremnosti poduzeća i sposobnosti menadžmenta da učinkovito upravlja promjenama. Empirijsko istraživanje provedeno na uzorku od 90 malih I srednjih poduzeća analiziralo je povezanost primjene digitalnih tehnologija s poslovnim performansama. Rezultati su pokazali da digitalna transformacija ima značajan utjecaj na optimizaciju poslovnih procesa i poboljšanje korisničkog iskustva, pri čemu se automatizacija i chatbotovi ističu kao ključni alati za unaprjeđenje operativne efikasnosti. S druge strane, financijski učinci digitalne transformacije nisu pokazali statistički značajnu povezanost s rastom prihoda, dok se utjecaj na smanjenje operativnih troškova pokazao ovisnim o primjeni analitike podataka. Ovi nalazi sugeriraju da digitalna transformacija prvenstveno donosi koristi kroz povećanje produktivnosti i kvalitete usluga, dok njezin financijski učinak može biti dugoročan i posredovan dodatnim čimbenicima.Digital transformation is a key strategic process that enables companies to adapt to dynamic changes in the technological and business environment. The aim of this paper was to investigate the impact of digital transformation on the business performance of small and medium-sized enterprises, with a particular emphasis on its effects on revenue growth, reduction of operating costs, increase in the quality of business processes and improvement of the customer experience. The theoretical framework of the paper is based on previous research that highlights digitalization, automation, the application of artificial intelligence and data analytics as key factors for successful business transformation. Special emphasis is placed on the advantages and challenges of digital transformation, emphasizing that its success depends on strategic alignment with business goals, the level of technological readiness of the company and the ability of management to effectively manage change. Empirical research conducted on a sample of 90 small and medium-sized enterprises analyzed the connection between the application of digital technologies and business performance. The results showed that digital transformation has a significant impact on the optimization of business processes and the improvement of the customer experience, with automation and chatbots standing out as key tools for improving operational efficiency. On the other hand, the financial effects of digital transformation did not show a statistically significant correlation with revenue growth, while the impact on reducing operating costs was shown to be dependent on the application of data analytics. These findings suggest that digital transformation primarily brings benefits through increased productivity and service quality, while its financial impact may be long-term and mediated by additional factors