Finland is estimated to have about 16,000–18,000 strongly digitised businesses. A corporate group as large as this is substantial for building the business life of the future and we should ensure that we understand their operations, operational requirements and factors of success in great depth.
Digitally oriented businesses are pioneers in the Finnish enterprise arena. On the basis of the SME Barometer, we know that digitally oriented businesses are more inclined to renew and grow than other companies. They are also more eager to adopt new technologies than other businesses and show a strong desire to expand internationally. Digital businesses also have a more positive image of the future and economic cycles than other companies and, therefore, they are more willing to hire new personnel.
The Federation of Finnish Enterprises has started a project to examine the factors of success in digitally oriented small businesses. The study is conducted by Owal Group Oy and its objective is to create a review of small digital companies in terms of factors of success and the challenges and opportunities of the operational environment.
The objective is to deepen the information produced by the SME Barometer and to build an in-depth picture of how digitally oriented SMEs function and live. Another purpose of the survey is to increase understanding on the obstacles of digitisation, especially from the perspectives of regulation and the dismantling of norms. The survey will be conducted by interviewing 30–40 businesses operating in trade, construction, services and industry.
