Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-08T14:53:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 1228003 bytes, checksum: ecee90ab4abb959d946fe2e48d182219 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This thesis evaluates the use of production planning and control (PCP) in a sample of five small business apparel clothing based in Fortaleza. This is a descriptive and exploratory character. The research was done in small businesses, in accordance with the criteria of similarity of the productive process and organizational structure as well as the willingness to respond with any information necessary for the preparation of the work. Collecting information and data provided through structured interviews, questionnaires, covering topics related to the object of study. The results showed that: a) the companies structure their production system formally, using a "mix" of techniques involving those related to JIT and MRP system, strategically tailored to their realities; b) as regards the commercial area, the studied organizations are required to produce various collections during the year, each absorbs a portfolio of products with differentiated participation in the composition of production, considering color, size, accessories, and other, resulting from fluctuations in demand generated by natural aspects such as seasons, fashion trends and competitive actions that work directly or indirectly in setting up a business strategy that has the CFP a technique of rare importance in competitive reality, interfering so in production scheduling; c) companies use the faction and outsourcing in some stages of the production process, in order to meet the demand, in fact, there are large interference in production scheduling. Finally, the garment segment has specific features that require a robust PCP that can adjust to the characteristics of the sector, the lack of this technique generates consequences in bulk or in the diversification of products. The companies studied, although using the CFP system, some already computerized, not yet freed from manual control planning and production scheduling. / Esta dissertação avalia a utilização do Planejamento e Controle de Produção (PCP) em uma amostra de cinco pequenas empresas de confecções de vestuário sediadas em Fortaleza. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de caráter descritivo e exploratório. A pesquisa foi feita em empresas de pequeno porte, segundo os critérios de similaridade do processo produtivo e estrutura organizacional, bem como a disponibilidade em responder as informações necessárias para a confecção do trabalho. A coleta de informações e dados deu-se através de entrevistas estruturadas, mediante a aplicação de questionário, abordando temas relacionados ao objeto de estudo. Os resultados demonstraram que: a) as empresas estruturam o seu sistema de produção formalmente, utilizando um mix de técnicas envolvendo aquelas relacionadas ao sistema JIT e MRP, estrategicamente adaptadas às suas realidades internas; b) no que se refere ao atendimento à área comercial, as organizações estudadas são obrigadas a produzir várias coleções durante o ano, cada uma absorve um portfólio de produtos com diferenciada participação na composição dos lotes de fabricação, considerando cor, tamanho, acessórios, e outros, resultante das oscilações da demanda gerada por aspectos naturais, como estações do ano, tendências da moda e ações da concorrência que atuam direta e indiretamente na configuração de uma estratégia comercial que tem no PCP uma técnica de rara importância na realidade competitiva, interferindo assim na programação da produção; c) as empresas utilizam a facção e a terceirização em algumas etapas do processo de produção, para atender à demanda, com efeito, há grande interferência na programação da produção. Por fim, o segmento do vestuário possui especificidades que exigem um PCP robusto que possa se ajustar às características do setor, a inexistência desta técnica gera consequências no volume ou na diversificação dos produtos. Nas empresas estudadas, embora utilizem o sistema de PCP, algumas já informatizadas, ainda não se libertaram do controle manual do planejamento e da programação da produção.

Avec les orientations prises en 2002 par la Commission Bancaire de l’Afrique Centrale (COBAC) en vue de développer les activités microfinancières, le métier de la microfinance s’est transformé dans sa forme organisationnelle (en passant de l’informel au formel) mais aussi dans sa relation avec son environnement. L’observation du terrain met en lumière que cette perspective est largement déterminée par la coopération entre les très petites entreprises (TPE) et les établissements de microfinance (EMF) dont les pratiques managériales sont soumises à l’épreuve de la réglementation. A ce titre, la réglementation conditionne les pratiques des acteurs, et donc devrait contribuer au développement du marché et assurer la pérennité des EMF et TPE à travers leur coopération. Par rapport à ce qui précède, quels enseignements peut-on tirer de l’expérience gabonaise afin de générer une meilleure compréhension du problème de l’impact de la réglementation sur les acteurs du marché de la microfinance? Ce travail révèle qu’en environnement institutionnalisé, les EMF sont partagés entre deux attitudes : financière ou sociale. Il fait apparaître que plusieurs TPE, porteuses de projets, n’arrivent pas à bénéficier de l’offre du marché microfinancier. Ce paradoxe nous amène alors à interroger les différents comportements que la réglementation du marché de la microfinance traduit et induit. Nous avançons que ces comportements, de même que leur interaction, agissent sur la coordination des acteurs, c'est-à-dire sur la manière dont les EMF et les TPE sont gérés, ainsi que sur la coopération EMF/TPE. Ce travail participe ainsi à une meilleure compréhension du marché de la microfinance au Gabon. / With the direction taken in 2002 by the Banking Commission of Central Africa (COBAC) to develop microfinance activities, the business of microfinance has turned in its organizational form (moving from informal to formal), but also its relationship to its environment. Our field observation shows that this perspective is largely determined by the cooperation between the very small enterprises (VSE) and microfinance institutions (MFIs) whose management practices are put to the test of regulations. As such, the regulation affects the behavior of actors and thus should contribute to market development and the sustainability of MFIs and VSE through their cooperation. Compared to the above, what lessons can be learned from the Gabonese experience to generate a better understanding of the problem of the impact of regulation on the market of microfinance? We show that in an institutionalized environment, EMF have two options: a financial attitude and a social attitude. We show that many small businesses, with projects, are unable to benefit from the offer of the microfinance market. This paradox then leads us to question the different behaviors that the regulation of the microfinance market translated and induced. We induce that these behaviors as well as their interaction affect the internal organization of tasks (coordination) of the actors, that is to say on how EMF and VSE are managed, as well as the cooperation between EMF and VSE. This work opens up new areas of understanding of the microfinance market in Gabon.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:53:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SergioLP_DISSERT.pdf: 3492648 bytes, checksum: 87b7013e07146805fd1e0cec42fb8477 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-05-27 / Small businesses are experiencing growth scenario in emerging countries by the prospect of economic development, these countries, including Brazil, have a booming economy before the world crisis in the last five years, especially with the participation of small and medium enterprises. These factors generate increased competition and the need to expand market share through management actions in the quest for acquiring new customers. Moreover, these changes increase the need to properly use the information and organizational performance. Some national and international studies show the existence of peculiarities in small organizations, especially in environments of family management. Such particularities raise a scenario with several organizational deficiencies regarding the evaluation of their performance. In some cases, when there are static systems, traditional and focused only on the financial perspective, especially short term. Alternatively, the tools encourage strategic planning and observance of medium and long term, in many ways, whether financial, internal processes, customers, suppliers, and innovation, among others. Therefore, this study aims to identify and analyze the applicability of the system performance evaluation with emphasis on strategic and BSC - Balanced Scorecard. Regarding the research method, is classified as exploratory, with the participation of 25 companies, whose research was conducted between 2012 and 2013. Therefore, the research included the construction process and a structured questionnaire on practices and interest for the use of strategic tools, with emphasis on the Balanced Scorecard. Whose main result presented a high degree of interest in the applicability of the BSC by most of the participating institutions. Furthermore, It was observed the growing interest in using the Balanced Scorecard when it increases the company size, regardless of the area of market action. Participating companies have shown an outline of the strategic objectives and the establishment of indicators for assessing the performance due to their correlations with the BSC / As pequenas empresas est?o vivenciando um cen?rio de crescimento nos pa?ses emergentes, mediante essa perspectiva de desenvolvimento econ?mico, esses pa?ses, incluindo o Brasil, apresentam uma economia em expans?o perante o cen?rio de crise mundial nesses ?ltimos 5 anos, em especial com a participa??o das pequenas e m?dias empresas. Tais fatores geram aumento de concorr?ncia e a necessidade de ampliar a participa??o de mercado por meio de a??es gerenciais na busca pela conquista de novos clientes. Al?m disto, estas mudan?as aumentam a necessidade de usar adequadamente a informa??o e o desempenho organizacional. Alguns estudos nacionais e internacionais apresentam a exist?ncia de particularidades nas pequenas organiza??es, especialmente, em ambientes de gest?o familiar. Tais particularidades suscitam um cen?rio organizacional com diversas defici?ncias acerca da avalia??o de seu desempenho. Em alguns casos, quando existem, s?o sistemas est?ticos, tradicionais e focados apenas na ?tica financeira, principalmente de curto prazo. Alternativamente, as ferramentas estrat?gicas incentivam o planejamento e a observ?ncia de m?dio e longo prazo, em diversos aspectos, sejam financeiros, processos internos, clientes, fornecedores, inova??o e, dentre outros. Portanto, este estudo tem o prop?sito de identificar e analisar a aplicabilidade do sistema de avalia??o de desempenho com ?nfase estrat?gica e o BSC - Balanced Scorecard. Quanto ao m?todo de pesquisa, ? classificada como pesquisa explorat?ria, com a participa??o de 25 empresas, cuja investiga??o foi realizada entre 2012 e 2013. Para tanto, a pesquisa contemplou o processo de constru??o e aplica??o de question?rio estruturado sobre as pr?ticas utilizadas e interesse para a utiliza??o de ferramentas estrat?gicas, com ?nfase no Balanced Scorecard. Cujo resultado principal apresentou-se um alto grau de interesse na aplicabilidade do BSC pela maioria das institui??es participantes. Al?m disto, observou-se o crescente do interesse de usar o Balanced Scorecard ? medida que o porte da empresa aumenta, independente da ?rea de atua??o no mercado. As empresas participantes mostraram ter um delineamento dos objetivos estrat?gicos e estabelecimento de indicadores para avalia??o de desempenho com suas devidas correla??es com o BSC

Este estudo tem por objetivos analisar as variáveis do Ambiente Organizacional Externo, à luz das Teorias da Organização Industrial e da Visão Baseada em Recursos, reconhecidas pelo dirigente como adequadas à administração estratégica da pequena empresa. As relações das Pequenas Empresas com o Ambiente Organizacional Externo (EOE) é menos investigada proporcionalmente do que os aspectos do dirigente e da estrutura dessas empresas. Não são encontrados portanto estudos sobre pequenas empresas industriais, de comércio e de serviços e suas relações com seu Ambiente Organizacional Externo principalmente no meio científico, com o enfoque dado nessa pesquisa. Por Ambiente Organizacional Externo compreende-se o entorno externo imediato da organização, composto por fatores como clientes, concorrentes, fornecedores, marcos legais, regulatórios e variáveis macroeconômicas. Esses fatores são abordados com diferentes enfoques pelas duas teorias de referência nessa pesquisa. A compreensão do EOE pode significar para as PE sobrevivência e competitividade tanto quanto as decisões internas do dirigente com respeito a custos e gestão de empregados. Para aprofundamento desses aspectos 154 pequenas empresas dos setores de indústria, comércio e serviços das regiões de São Carlos-SP e de Ribeirão Preto-SP, no Estado de São Paulo, foram objeto de levantamento de dados. A pesquisa é de natureza quantitativa, utilizando-se das 37 questões do instrumento \"Diagnóstico Empresarial\" do Programa ALI - Agente Local de Inovação do Sebrae (Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio às Micro e Pequenas Empresas). Constatou-se a não relevância para o dirigente dos fatores: da missão e da visão, do registro de informações e para a variável clientes. Já para os fatores gestão dos empregados e fornecedores os resultados da relevância para o dirigente não foram conclusivos. Para o fator exigências legais e marcos regulatórios constatou-se que há relevância para o dirigente. Os resultados apontam para necessidade de complementos qualitativos de investigação mas sinalizam que, para essa amostra, os dirigentes não \"percebem e não dão atenção\" a fatores muitas vezes julgados como essenciais para sobrevivência e competitividade das pequenas empresas, como clientes, fornecedores e registro de informações. / This study aims at analysing the variables of the External Organizational Environment (EOE) in the light of the Theory of the Industrial Organization and Theory of the Resource-Based View, acknowledged by the owner as suitable for the strategic administration of the small business (SB). The relations between Small Businesses and the External Organizational Environment is less investigated when comparing with the managers aspects and the businesses structure. Therefore, there are not studies, on small industrial, commerce or service businesses and their relations with the External Organizational Environment, and even less in the scientific field, that would focus on the issues the present research brings. For External Organizational Environment one understands the immediate external surroundings of the organization, composed by factors as customers, competitors, providers, legal and regulatory marks, macroeconomic variables These factors are approached with different foci by two the referential theories of this research. Understanding the External Organizational Environment can mean for the SB survival and competitivity as much as the internal decisions of the owner regarding costs and the management of collaborators. In order to deepen this perspectives, one took as the data base for this investigation 154 small businesses of industry, commerce and service sectors around the regions of São Carlos - SP and Ribeirão Preto - SP, in the State of São Paulo. The investigation is of quantitative nature, using the 37 questions of the instrument \"Business Diagnosis\" of the pro Programme ALI Local Agent of Innovation from Sebrae. It was confirmed the non relevance for the Owner of the practices of mission and of vision; it was confirmed the non relevance for the Owner of the practice of information registry; it was confirmed the non relevance for the Owner for the variable costumers. As for the factors management of collaborators and providers the relevance results for the Management were not conclusive; for the factor legal demands and regulatory marks it was found that there is relevance for the Owner. The results point to the necessity of qualitative complements of investigation. But they signal that, for this sample, the Owners do not notice and do not pay attention to factors many times considered as essential for the survival and the competitiveness of the small business, factors such as costumers, providers and registration of information.

The study of the capital structure is a subject that is considered by many as one of the high complexities. Several theories, based on the rationality paradigm, were created to explain the decisions about the funding sources' mix of the organizations; however, each theory seeks to present solutions to specific problems on this subject to great corporations. Nevertheless, despite its large contribution to the current economic system, the study on the determinants of the capital structure of micro and small companies is yet widely neglected. This research seeks to study these determinants from a complementary perspective to the traditional approach. We created and validated a model that can entail the variables that are traditionally connected to the companies performance (size, growth, profitability, and life cycle stage) together with the variable bound to the manager s relationships (number of products used), and also seed to associate such as variables to the personality traits of the manager-owner (optimism, overconfidence, sense of control and aversion to debt). In order to solve the research problem, a survey research is suggested with the entrepreneurs in Rio Grande do Sul. The sample to be selected will be of 625 micro and small entrepreneurs. Once the data was collected, all constructs were validated. By structural equation modeling was realized that the firm's performance was the main determinant of capital structure, in which the greatest growth, greatest profitability, the largest asset size and most advanced in the life cycle stage, implies on lesser organizational leverage. From this result, we conclude that to the extent that the company offers the opportunity to use internally generated funds, the entrepreneur tends to prefer them to finance the company's assets, to the detriment of external resources. In another hand, the banking service variable was positively associated with leverage. We conclude that the major number of banking services, used by the firm, contributes to decrease informational asymmetry, increasing access to credit, to the extent that the lender can form a better image of the company. In a complementary way, it was realized that the Managerial Traits has significant importance in decisions about capital structure, in that the positive expectations, the greater confidence of the entrepreneur, the negative attitude towards debt and the lesser locus of control (external) influence the capital structure, promoting as a result, the use of internal resources to the organization. It was also observed influence, though indirect, gender, since the female gender influenced negatively the performance of firms, and the lowest use of banking services. / O estudo da estrutura de capital é um tema considerado, por muitos, de alta complexidade. Diversas teorias, baseadas no paradigma da racionalidade, foram criadas para explicá-la, porém cada uma, por seu turno, busca apresentar soluções à problemas específicos desta temática, perante as grandes empresas. A despeito de sua grande contribuição para o sistema econômico atual, o estudo dos determinantes da estrutura de capital das micro e pequenas empresas ainda permanece amplamente negligenciado. Neste trabalho, buscou-se estudá-los sob uma ótica complementar à abordagem tradicional. Buscou-se criar e validar um modelo capaz de abarcar as variáveis tradicionalmente ligadas ao desempenho das firmas (tamanho, crescimento da participação de mercado, crescimento dos lucros, lucratividade e estágio do ciclo de vida) com o relacionamento do gestor junto aos bancos (serviços bancários utilizados), assim como busca associar a estrutura de capital aos traços de personalidade do proprietário-gerente (otimismo, excesso de confiança, senso de controle e aversão à dívida). Para solucionar o problema de pesquisa realizou-se uma pesquisa survey, junto aos empresários do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A amostra selecionada foi de 625 micro e pequenos empresários. Após o levantamento de dados validou-se os construtos. Mediante a modelagem de equações estruturais percebeu-se que o desempenho da firma foi o principal determinante da estrutura de capital, em que quanto maior crescimento, maior lucratividade, maior tamanho dos ativos e mais avançado o estágio do ciclo de vida, menor era a alavancagem. Conclui-se que, na medida em que a empresa oferece a oportunidade de uso de recursos gerados internamente, o empreendedor tende a preferi-los para financiar os ativos da empresa, em detrimento aos recursos externos. Destacou-se também a variável serviços bancários a qual foi positivamente associada à alavancagem. Conclui-se, portanto, que o maior número de serviços bancários, utilizados pela firma, auxilia no decréscimo da assimetria informacional, potencializando o acesso ao crédito, na medida em que o credor pode formar uma melhor imagem da empresa. De maneira complementar percebeu-se que os Traços Gerenciais tem significativa importância nas decisões sobre estrutura de capital, na medida em que as expectativas positivas, a maior confiança do empreendedor, a atitude negativa perante a dívida e a menor crença de descontrole e de incapacidade de gerenciamento da vida dos indivíduos influenciam as decisões sobre estrutura de capital das firmas, promovendo, portanto, o uso de recursos gerados internos à organização. Observou-se ainda influência, embora indireta, do gênero, uma vez que o gênero feminino influênciou de maneira negativa o desempenho das firmas e o menor uso de serviços bancários.

This diploma thesis deals with the analysis of launching a new IT product on the Czech market. It focuses on small businesses and introduces an IT product intended for this specific kind of a clientele. There is no such a product on the market, which leads to an excellent potential in this field. On the basis of experience, the company in which the IT product is introduced finds it crucial to develop a reliable marketing mix as well as strategy because it is difficult to offer these IT products to people owning smalls businesses who do not understand the technological aspects of such products. The theoretical part, therefore, provides the definition of the main marketing terms, B2B market, marketing strategy, marketing mix, SWOT analysis and a detailed description of launching a new product on the market, including the explanation of the differences between launching a product and service. The practical part of this paper gives information about a telephone service provider and its major competitors and it describes the IT products situation on the Czech market. The thesis also recommends a particular marketing mix of the selected product and a sale strategy. The success rate of the product is analysed on the basis of an interview with a small business and the opinion of the manager of a company in which the product is introduced.

The aim of this study is to examine factoring as an option of finance for small businesses to make capital available to the cash account. Small businesses constitutes 99.4 percent of all enterprises in Sweden, and are thereby important actors of the community. Liquidity is the viability of a company; cash flow problems limits growth and is a common reason for bankruptcy. Factoring is a finance option which make capital locked in account receivables available. Through a qualitative study using interviews, the use of factoring has been examined amongst five small businesses in the construction industry. The results showed that factoring is a suitable option of finance for small businesses to attain greater value since it creates the right prerequisites. Companies use factoring when they have liquidity problems and an imbalance in cash flows. Positive aspects of factoring is especially its ability to quickly improve the cash flow. The negative highlighted is the cost, but they are considered reasonable. / Syftet med forskningen är att undersöka factoring som finansieringsalternativ för småföretag för att frigöra kapital till kassan. Småföretag utgör 99,4 procent av allt företagande i Sverige och är därmed viktiga aktörer för samhället. Likviditet är företags livskraft, problem med kassaflödet begränsar tillväxt och är en vanlig anledning till att företag går i konkurs. Factoring är ett finansieringsalternativ som frigör kapital som är låst i kundfordringar. Genom en kvalitativ studie, med hjälp av intervjuer, har nyttjandet av factoring undersökts bland fem stycken småföretag i byggbranschen. Resultatet av studien visade att factoring är ett lämpligt finansieringsalternativ för småföretag att uppnå ett högre värde eftersom det skapar rätt förutsättningar. Företag använder factoring vid likviditetsproblem och obalans i kassan. Det positiva med factoring är framförallt dess förmåga att snabbt förbättra kassaflödet. Nackdelarna som lyfts fram är kostnaderna, men dessa anses rimliga.

Less than 30% of Black business owners successfully obtain small business loans to sustain their businesses longer than 5 years when compared to evidence that shows that more than 65% of White small business owners obtain small business loans to sustain their businesses longer than 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the experiences of 3 Black owners of small businesses who successfully obtained small business loans and maintained operations longer than 5 years in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. The conceptual framework for this study was systems theory and contingency theory. The data collection process consisted of conducting face-to-face semistructured interviews with open-ended questions and a review of documents associated with the small business owners’ attempts to remain in business longer than 5 years. Data were analyzed using the modified van Kaam method, transcribing the interview recordings, and coding the data to identify relevant themes. Two primary themes emerged regarding successful strategies for obtaining small business loans: create an effective business plan, and research and prepare for the process of procuring a loan. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to provide Black owners of small businesses with strategies for obtaining small business loans and achieving sustainability of operations. Business success for Black owners of small businesses might contribute to the economic prosperity of the local communities.

The internationalization process is a well-researched and explored topic. However, many older models do not consider digitization as a phenomenon. Nor is any further consideration given to the smaller companies. The aim of this study is to investigate how small businesses feel that they are affected by digitalization during an internationalization process. In order to find an answer to this, a qualitative study has been done where a total of three people have been interviewed from three different companies. Based on these interviews, an analysis has been made which has then been analyzed in the context of the theoretical background. Theories used in the study to be able to fulfill the aim includes theories about Mental distance, Liability of Foreignness, Liability of Outsidership and other theories about growth, internationalization and digitalization. The conclusion drawn is that digitalization has simplified the internationalization process, mainly through progress in how knowledge can be collected and shared over greater distances. Digitalization has facilitated contact with the contact network through simpler and alternative contact channels. / Internationaliseringsprocessen är ett välundersökt och utforskat ämne. Många äldre modeller beaktar dock inte digitaliseringen som fenomen. Man tar inte heller någon vidare hänsyn till de mindre bolagen. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur småföretag upplever att de påverkas av digitalisering under en internationaliseringsprocess. För att kunna besvara detta har en kvalitativ studie gjorts där totalt tre personer har intervjuats från tre olika företag. Utifrån dessa intervjuer har analyser gjorts som sedan har analyserats i kontexten av den teoretiska bakgrunden. Teorier som använts i studien för att kunna uppfylla syftet är bland annat teorier om Psykiskt avstånd, Liability of Foreignness, Liability of Outsidership samt andra teorier kring tillväxt, internationalisering och digitalisering.  Slutsatsen som dras är att digitaliseringen har förenklat internationaliseringsprocessen främst genom framsteg i hur kunskap kan insamlas men även delas över större avstånd. Digitaliseringen har underlättat kontakten med kontaktnätet genom enklare och alternativa kontaktkanaler.

Digitaliseringen erbjuder utmaningar och möjligheter för såväl små som stora företag och driver inom partihandeln effektivisering, stordriftsfördelar och automatisering vilket bedöms leda till fortsatt konsolidering med färre och större företag. Forskning visar att förutsättningarna att hantera utmaningar och möjligheter ser olika ut beroende på olika faktorer som företagsstorlek, ålder, bransch och resurser. Det kan leda till digitala klyftor mellan dem som tar vara på möjligheterna och de som inte gör det. Utvecklingen behöver nödvändigtvis inte betyda att det är de moderna sektorer som förändras mest. Forskning visar på en utmanande situation när småföretag med begränsade resurser skall driva digitalisering till en högre nivå av digital mognad. Med bättre kunskap om hur förutsättningar ser ut kan ny viktig förståelse bidra till att förbättra möjligheten att hantera utmaningarna och ta vara på möjligheterna. För att undersöka detta har en kvalitativ studie genomförts på sex småteknikhandelsbolag i den mogna industrin. Vald teori bygger på Westerman, et al., (2014) digitala mognadsmodell med utgångspunkt i digital förmåga och ledarskapsförmåga.Forskningsresultatet som vald teori grundar sig på är baserad på den mogna industrin, vilket gör den relevant för uppsatsens problemformulering och forskarfråga. Studien i uppsatsen visarpå kundorienterade små teknikhandelsbolag med olika verksamheter som befinner sig i en liknande situation utifrån digitaliseringen. Företagen visar en medvetenhet om sina digitala brister och en ambition att utvecklas, men med en försiktighet och osäkerhet i genomförandet. Det kan kopplas samman med brist på främst relevant digital förståelse. Ambitionen leder till olika digitala insatser inom olika område, men en övergripande digital helhetssyn saknas. Samtidigt uttrycker företagen ingen noterbar oro för situationen, vilket ger en något motsägelsefull bild. Studien visar på ett samstämmigt resultat vilket stämmer överens med tidigare forskning, och kan indikera att tusentals andra småföretag befinner sig i samma båt. Teorin är relevant, men för att de studerade företagen skall kunna omsätta teorin praktiskt på ett sätt som leder dem framåt behöver de nå en högre digital mognad. Därför matchar det valda teoretiska perspektivet inte företagens behov i nuläget. Den enskilt största utmaningen är relaterad till brist på digital kompetens för att strategiskt driva digital omställning. Med en traditionell och relativt digitalt omogen kundsektor blir omvandlingstrycket lågt med för- och nackdelar. Företag inom teknikhandel skapar ett mervärde genom specialistkunnande, lokal marknadskännedom, kvalificerad teknisk rådgivning, lagertillgänglighet och hög service. Det är livsviktigt att fortsätta utveckla detta mervärde för ökad konkurrenskraft mot ökad digital transparens av prisjämförelser och mot resursstarka globala och digitala e-handelsplattformar. Genom att lyfta blicken över den vardagliga situationen bör företagen mer proaktivt fokusera på extern kundnytta och intern effektivitet. Med ökad förståelse om kunders digitala behov, kan företagen kraftsamla inom område med störst behov, vilket kan attrahera nya kunder med högredigital mognad som skapar incitament till att driva den digitala omställningen framåt. För Sveriges tusentals industriföretag är potentialen i dessa frågor stor och avgörande på sikt. / Digitalization offers challenges and opportunities for both small and large companies and drives efficiency, economies of scale and automation within the technical trade sector, which isexpected to lead to continued consolidation with fewer and larger companies. Research shows that the conditions for managing these challenges and opportunities are different depending on different factors such as company size, age, industry, and resources. This can lead to a situation where digitalization divides between those who seize the opportunities and those who don´t. The development does not necessarily mean that it is the modern sectors that are changing the most.Research shows a challenging situation, when small businesses with limited resources want to drive digital transformation to a higher level of digital maturity. With better knowledge of what the conditions look like, important understanding can improve the ability to manage the challenges and seize the opportunities. Therefore, a qualitative study has been carried out on six small technical trading companies in the mature industry. The chosen theoretical framework is based on Westerman, et al., (2014) digital maturity model with two dimensions, digital capabilities, and leadership capabilities. The research results on which the chosen theory is based is the mature industry, which makes the chosen theory relevant to the thesis's problem formulation and research question. The study shows customer oriented small technical trading companies with different businesses that are in a similar situation due to digitalization. Companies show an awareness of their digital shortcomings and an ambition to develop, but with caution and uncertainty in their implementation. This can be linked to a lack of mainly relevant digital understanding. The ambition leads to different digital efforts in different areas, but an overall digital holistic approach is lacking. At the same time, companies do not express any notable concern about the situation, which paints a somewhat contradictory picture. The study shows a consistent result, also with previous research, and may indicate that many thousands of similar small businesses are in the same boat. The theory is relevant, but for the companies studied to be able to put the theory into practice in a way that leads them forward, they need to reach a higher digital maturity. Therefore, the chosen theoretical perspective does not match the needs of the companies at present. The single largest challenge is related to a lack of digital skills to strategically drive digital transformation. With a traditional and relatively digitally immature customer sector, the conversion pressuresare low resulting in both advantages and disadvantages. Technical trading companies create added value through a specialist know-how, local market knowledge, qualified technical consultations, product availability and high service. It is vital to continue to develop this added value for increased competitiveness towards increased digital transparency of price comparisons and towards resource-rich global and digital e-commerce platforms. By looking above, the daily business, the companies should focus more proactively on external customer benefit and internal efficiency. With an increased understanding of customers' digital needs, companies can gather strength in areas with the greatest need, which can attract new customers with higher digital maturity who creates incentives to drive the digital transition forward.