Relationship Between Digital Transformation and Organizational Competitiveness in Colombian Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: A Correlational Study

  • Johon Gutierrez Fundacion Universitaria Antonio de Arevalo UNITECNAR
Keywords: Digital transformation, organizational competitiveness, business innovation, SMEs, technological adoption

Abstract

Digital transformation has become a strategic factor for organizational sustainability and
competitiveness in dynamic business environments. The objective of this research was to analyze the
relationship between the level of digital transformation and organizational competitiveness in
Colombian small and medium-sized enterprises. A quantitative research study with a correlational
scope and a non-experimental cross-sectional design was conducted. The sample consisted of 180
managers and administrators from SMEs belonging to the commercial, service, and industrial sectors. Data collection was carried out through a structured questionnaire composed of 24 items organized
on a Likert scale. The results revealed significant positive correlations between technological
adoption, process digitalization, innovation capabilities, and business competitiveness. A strong
relationship was identified between process automation and organizational productivity (r = 0.79), as
well as between digital culture and business innovation (r = 0.74). Likewise, companies with higher
levels of digital transformation showed better indicators of operational efficiency and market
adaptability. It is concluded that digital transformation constitutes a determining factor in
strengthening SME competitiveness in contexts characterized by high uncertainty and technological
evolution. 

References

Bharadwaj, A., El Sawy, O., Pavlou, P., & Venkatraman, N. (2013). Digital business strategy:
Toward a next generation of insights. MIS Quarterly, 37(2), 471-482.
• CEPAL. (2022). Transformación digital de las pymes en América Latina y el Caribe. Comisión
Económica para América Latina y el Caribe.
• Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests. Psychometrika, 16(3),
297-334.
• Hernández Sampieri, R., & Mendoza, C. (2018). Metodología de la investigación: las rutas
cuantitativa, cualitativa y mixta. McGraw-Hill.
• Kane, G., Palmer, D., Phillips, A., Kiron, D., & Buckley, N. (2018). Coming of Age Digitally:
Learning, Leadership, and Legacy. MIT Sloan Management Review.
• Matt, C., Hess, T., & Benlian, A. (2015). Digital transformation strategies. Business &
Information Systems Engineering, 57(5), 339-343.
• MinTIC. (2023). Informe de transformación digital empresarial en Colombia. Ministerio de
Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones.
• Nambisan, S., Lyytinen, K., Majchrzak, A., & Song, M. (2017). Digital innovation management:
Reinventing innovation management research in a digital world. MIS Quarterly, 41(1), 223-238.Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance.
Free Press.
• Verhoef, P., Broekhuizen, T., Bart, Y., Bhattacharya, A., Dong, J., Fabian, N., & Haenlein, M.
(2021). Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda. Journal of
Business Research, 122, 889-901.
• Vial, G. (2019). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda. The
Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 28(2), 118-144.
• Westerman, G., Bonnet, D., & McAfee, A. (2014). Leading Digital: Turning Technology into
Business Transformation. Harvard Business Review Press.
• OECD. (2021). The Digital Transformation of SMEs. Organisation for Economic Co- operation
and Development.
• Teece, D. J. (2018). Business models and dynamic capabilities. Long Range Planning, 51(1), 40
49.
Published
2026-05-21
How to Cite
Gutierrez, J. (2026). Relationship Between Digital Transformation and Organizational Competitiveness in Colombian Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: A Correlational Study . Sustainability, Technology and Humanism, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.25213/2216-1872.124
Section
Artículos Originales

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Obs.: This plugin requires at least one statistics/report plugin to be enabled. If your statistics plugins provide more than one metric then please also select a main metric on the admin's site settings page and/or on the journal manager's settings pages.