Impacts of Digitalization on Small- And Medium-Sized Enterprises — Framework Development Based on a Systematic Review of the Literature From Two Decades

Abstract

There is a special need for a thorough examination of impacts of digitalization on small- and medium-sized enterprises due to their characteristic features. This paper aims to present a detailed picture of the current knowledge through a systematic literature review spanning across two decades and 99 journal contributions. The study results indicate a rather fragmented understanding, a lack of in-depth cause-effect analyses, and a prevalence of techno-centric approaches. By clustering the determinants, a perception shift is revealed. Drawing from critical realism the paper also suggests a definition of SME digitalization and conceptualizes a map of the research area where further avenues may be projected on.