This report was produced within the framework of the Smart SME’s project funded by the Alpine Region Preparatory Action Fund (ARPAF). The report has been prepared by assist. prof. dr. Aida Kamišalić Latifić, UM-FERI, Slovenia, and it includes summarized results of the desk research and analysis activities conducted under Actions 3.1 (desk research on knowledge transfer on digitalization of SMEs), 3.2 (SWOT analysis of existing good practices and tools for the digitalization of SMEs) and 3.3 (Bottlenecks and constraints).
For the purposes of this report, the farmers or any form of non-government business units formed with intention of making economic activity or producing the raw material for bio-based value chains shall be understood as SMEs and included in the report.

Following the analysis of the current state of digitalization of SMEs in selected regions/countries within the Alpine space, WP3 includes a set of activities aimed at analyzing knowledge transfer activities and practices within each region/country, which help SMEs to receive the necessary information and knowledge on how to digitalize their business.
Overall, different activities were performed in order to achieve the following objectives of WP3 package:
1. Identification and collection of existing good practices and tools for digitalizing SMEs, evaluated by SWOT analysis.
2. Identification of existing bottlenecks and constraints in implementing digitalization into companies.
3. Development of a digitalization plan for SMEs based on discovered good practices and tools.
4. Specification of a methodology for assessing the maturity of the digital value chain (VC).
In order to focus on specific knowledge regarding digitalization most relevant for SMEs, a research methodology has been established, which was followed by all project partners throughout research activities. In addition to identifying examples of knowledge transfer, the desk research also includes the identification of existing good practices and tools, which SMEs in a given region/country used to carry out their digitalization efforts. Special attention is given to how these practices and tools influenced the company’s business in terms of the skills of the staff, methods, technologies and tools, and new value generation.
The collected examples of good practices for knowledge transfer are then analyzed using the SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) technique in order to gain insights into the strengths and weaknesses of various practices developed in given regions/countries.

For more informations about the Smart SMEs project: https://www.alpine-region.eu/projects/smart-smes