Camila Silva de Mattos

The rapidly evolving global business environment, characterized by new regulations, technological advancements, heightened competition, and significant disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, presents numerous challenges and opportunities for organizations. These dynamics compel small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to continuously innovate their production methods and business models (BMs) with the introduction of technologies to remain competitive and survive. Despite the recognized importance of technological transformation, there remains a gap in understanding how SMEs can effectively manage this process.

Against this backdrop, this thesis sets out to address the overarching research question: How can an integrative framework for the technological transformation process be developed to support and guide the organizational transformation that SMEs undergo when introducing new technologies? This research is structured around the following three specific research questions (RQs):
RQ1: What is the state of the art in the literature on technological transformation in SMEs?
RQ2: How do EU agri-food SMEs assimilate new technologies, innovate their business models, perceive performance, and what conditions influence their transformation levels and performance perceptions?
RQ3: How can a conceptual framework be structured to include relevant concepts, phases, and tools to represent the technological transformation process and assist SMEs in understanding and undergoing it, and to what extent does its application validate its logical coherence, enhance understanding of the process, and uncover previously unidentified insights?

In Chapter 2, the thesis examines the current state of the literature on technological transformation in SMEs, addressing RQ1. Through a systematic review of 165 peer-reviewed papers, it identifies key themes and patterns in this fragmented and multidisciplinary field. The chapter outlines the core elements of technological transformation, including drivers, barriers, enablers, controls, processes, and outcomes, and integrates these into a visual and sequential framework. The findings highlight and offer insights on the interconnectedness of technology assimilation and business model innovation (BMI). The chapter concludes by proposing five research avenues for further exploration in subsequent chapters.

Chapter 3 explores the technological transformation of EU agri-food SMEs and addresses RQ2 by analyzing 39 case studies, focusing on their outcomes and the conditions shaping them. It identifies distinct patterns of technological transformation trajectories across 10 SME groups, alongside patterns in technology assimilation, BMI, and performance. The findings show how SMEs modify their business models (including the affected value elements) and assimilate technologies (including the strategies employed and the proficiency achieved) while highlighting the technological, organizational, and environmental conditions that shape both the transformation process and its outcomes. The chapter underscores the importance of aligning technology assimilation, BMI, and the broader business context to enhance performance.

Building on insights from Chapters 2 and 3, Chapter 4 proposes a conceptual framework designed to guide SMEs through the technological transformation process, addressing RQ3. This framework, developed through an exploratory conceptual development approach combining systematic and iterative literature analysis with qualitative empirical validation. The framework is applied to three pilot agri-food SME cases, demonstrating its logical coherence and practical applicability. The chapter also reveals insights into the conditions influencing technological transformation, offering a more detailed and structured approach to managing this complex process.

Chapter 5 synthesizes the findings from the previous chapters, providing a comprehensive discussion of the implications for both theory and practice. The chapter emphasizes the critical role of context in shaping the technological transformation process and highlights the importance of an integrative approach that considers the interplay between technology assimilation, BMI, and the broader organizational environment. The thesis concludes with recommendations for future research.