December 2024

IZA DP No. 17516: Small Enterprises' Digital Competencies and Financial Performance

In the contemporary business landscape, digital competencies have become a crucial factor for small enterprises to remain competitive and thrive. The present study examines how a business applications training, aiming to boost small enterprises' digital competencies, affects their financial performance. The business applications training took place in Greece, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom. Longitudinal data were collected between 2021 and 2023. The study revealed a positive association between digital competencies and the revenue growth rate of enterprises. Moreover, it was observed that following business applications training, the impact of digital competencies on the revenue growth rate strengthened compared to before the training. This pattern persisted across all three regions, underscoring the robustness of the estimated outcome. The study indicates that training that boosts enterprises' digital competencies could facilitate their ability to adapt to changing market conditions and stay competitive, contributing to increased financial performance. Small enterprises that develop and leverage digital competencies could be better positioned to seize growth opportunities, enhance efficiency, and adapt to the evolving business landscape.