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WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY — BARRIERS AND ENABLERS FOR THE TWIN TRANSFORMATION OF SMEs

Martin Leipziger et al.

International Journal of Innovation Management2025https://doi.org/10.1142/s1363919625400043article
AJG 2
Weight
0.44

What the paper says

While research on digital and sustainable transformations in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is well-established, studies on their simultaneous pursuit, referred to as twin transformation (TT), remain scarce. This study explores this underexamined phenomenon through 30 semi-structured interviews with representatives of SMEs in Germany and Austria. The findings identify seven key barriers and enablers, with corporate culture and strategy emerging as critical factors influencing a successful transformation. As both an enabler and a barrier, cultural dynamics significantly shape the trajectory of twin transformation efforts. The study also reveals a perceived asymmetry between digital and sustainable transformations, with interviewees generally viewing digital transformation as a self-reinforcing driver of sustainability. In contrast, they perceived the reciprocal influence of sustainable transformation as less pronounced. These findings advance the theoretical understanding of transformation dynamics while offering practical guidance for scholars, entrepreneurs, and SME managers, particularly in addressing cultural change to enhance TT outcomes.

3 citations

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1142/s1363919625400043

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@article{martin2025,
  title        = {{WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY — BARRIERS AND ENABLERS FOR THE TWIN TRANSFORMATION OF SMEs}},
  author       = {Martin Leipziger et al.},
  journal      = {International Journal of Innovation Management},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1142/s1363919625400043},
}

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WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY — BARRIERS AND ENABLERS FOR THE TWIN TRANSFORMATION OF SMEs

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Evidence weight

0.44

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.32 × 0.4 = 0.13
M · momentum0.57 × 0.15 = 0.09
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.