DigiBEST launches a survey to assess SMEs current status of digital transformation
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Latvia in cooperation with the University of Latvia is launching a survey of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) which is being implemented within the framework of the project “Digital transformation of the Business Ecosystem (hereinafter – DigiBEST)”. The aim of the project is to identify situation in regions of Europe, to find solutions to support entrepreneurs in digital transformation using modern technologies and innovative business model usage.
Juris Puce, minister of the Ministry of Environmenal Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia: “This is a time of great challenges not only in Latvia bus also in the whole world. The crisis of Covid-19 has rapidly accelerated the processes of digital transformation around the world. Conditions of the crisis has encouraged society to switch to digital environment and non-contact businesses between individuals, companies, governmental organizations or cross-border partnership more than ever. We must continue to realize innovative ideas for society and economics digitalization to ensure non-stop access to people to important public services under any circumstances.”
The survey will help the business leaders to evaluate their companies level of the digital transformation and clarify answers to main questions of the survey – how their SMEs enterprises moves towards digital transformation, what solutions are used and why, why entrepreneurs don`t use specific IT solutions or technologies, as well as - how governmental organizations can help entrepreneurs to promote the processes of their digital transformation.
In Latvia, the survey of the SMEs business are part of the regional research project which has been realized in five more project DigiBest member states – Austria, Italy, Norway, Portugal and Spain. Questions of the survey have been created by the University of Latvia and they are projects Digibest mentors, in cooperation with Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of Republic of Latvia who is leading partner in this project.
The survey results will be used for research purposes to develop recommendations for planning politics in order to promote digital transformation. It`s planned that results, analysis and recommendations for planning politics will be prepared until the end of the july in this year.
The aim of the project DigiBEST is to stimulate competitiveness of SMEs businesses by using advanced technologies and new innovative business methods, therefore to implement digital transformation in regions of Europe. It`s planned to realize project until 31 July, 2023. The project is financed by European Regional Development Fund and the Norwegian National Fund from programme “Interreg Europe”. The total amount of the project finances are 1.5 million euros.
The DigiBEST project is realized from European Structural and Investment fond aim “Europe`s territorial cooperation” for the period 2014 – 2020 INTERREG EUROPE interregional cooperation programme.
