Small.Com: Capacitação e Transformação Digital de Pequenos Negócios para a Sustentabilidade

Micro and small companies need to start an innovation journey to strengthen their business structures and overcome economy challenges. . While many businesses have survived without digitalization,...

Digital transformation is inevitable; those who do not adapt will struggle to survive in the global market. Digitalization enhance performance, increase reach, and support informed decision-making. However, it involves more than technology; it encompasses people and company culture, making human capital crucial for success. Digital literacy among decision-makers and skills among end-users are essential. Small.Com was launched to unlock human potential and foster the acceptance of digital transformation in micro and small businesses, which are typically resistant to change. Lifelong learning is crucial for maintaining high-performing employees, but traditional training methods are becoming less effective. Small.Com developed a e-learning program that allow flexible learning and content tailored to specific needs, enhancing engagement and relevance. By educating users about digital transformation, Small.Com equips individuals to utilize technologies that have significant business and economic impacts. The project addresses crucial gaps by providing tailored training for business transformation in micro and small enterprises and by preparing well-informed, skilled individuals to guide these companies through digital transitions.

The project was structured to achieve 4 main outcomes: R1: Report on "Digital Transformation: Trends and Needs of Micro and Small Enterprises" R2: Digital Transformation Maturity Assessment Model "Small.com" R3: Small.Com Training Modules (free-access online intensive courses) R4: Small.com e-learning Platform These outcomes involved the execution of activities and specific tasks that culminated in the achievement of those same results. Thus, in summary, for R1, activities included conducting benchmarking and bibliography investigation, collecting primary data through qualitative research (focus group and interviews) and statistical analysis to understand the latest trends in “Digital Transformation” in companies and, based on these results, perceive / identify the technical profiles and the skills needed for workers to be an active and educated part in the process of moving micro and small businesses towards digital transformation. In parallel, to achieve R2 outcomes, it was necessary to investigate and define a diagnostic model to assess the digital maturity of micro and small companies, where companies will be able to identify and compare the degree of digital transformation they are in and what future measures to implement. This demanded the identification of validated questionnaires from existing literature and its adaptation to align with the project's objectives. This results also involved the translation of the diagnosis tool and its validation, both internally and amoung the target group. The final task of this resulst was the analisys of the results of the tool validation and adaptation of the questiionaire. Result 3 concerned the creation of Small.Com's training content, and the activities planned for this result included analysing all the information collected in R1 and R2, and subsequently the development of training content modules, in different formats (PPT/digital slide shows, infographics, video introductions, and practical exercises). This learning content was developed by the partners based on their prior knowledge, having in consideration the research on what the market trends are in terms of digital transformation, and considering the key digital soft skills and digital technical skills necessary to improve digital competencies and literacy to end users. These results involved a thorough validation of all developed materials and the translation of all produced results into Portuguese, Italian, and Polish. In order to reach the target audience with a structured training tool, R4 created an e-learning space where Small.Com has its learning platform. This result implied the execution of programming and computer development activities. This result also demanded the structuring the training contents, and continuous validation of the platform for its improvement during the project execution. R4 also conducted a functional test of all outputs produced within the project for validation by the target group. Finally, although not an financed main Result , the partnership carry out communication and dissemination of results in a targeted manner to reach national stakeholders and potential exploration of results by external partners. The partner had the necessary knowledge and experience to carry out all the activities under the project and benefited from having close daily contact with the target audience of this project, knowing their needs well and being able to involve them in the project's outcomes.

Not so long ago companies used faxes to transfer documentation and digital processes. The shift from an analogue to digital world has taken place at an accelerated rate and is now a reality that has enabled companies to become more competent and global. However, digital technologies have grown at a faster rate when compared to the updating of skills of human resources who, not being educated and trained, cannot implement digital transformation in companies. That is why this process of change in companies is a process that is happening slowly and is not limited to the adoption of new IT tools or operational changes. The digital transformation goes much further and requires new business models and trained and prepared employees from micro and small companies to help implement the change. While it is certain that the skills and knowledge of employees are essential for the digital transformation of SMEs, with the implementation of this project the achieved the following results: • Promotion of Digital Transformation literacy; • Development of digital training tools tailored to the trainees; • Improvement of the level of knowledge of employees of micro and small companies to become more prepared for the implementation of digital technologies in companies; • Improvement of the level of knowledge of end users (for example, students, trainers, teachers, entrepreneurs, the unemployed, retirees, among others) to become better prepared for the implementation of digital technologies in daily life, digital society, and economy; • Promotion of digital transformation in companies and thereby ensure greater business competitiveness, whether through more efficient processes, cost reduction, increased productivity, among others; • Possibility of creating new business models associated with traditional companies, providing them with a greater capacity to respond to new market dynamics; • Promotion of the economic fabric and digital skills of employees, in particular small businesses that find it difficult to find training courses tailored to their needs. In terms of concrete outputs, the Small.Com achieved: • 1 Report on “Digital transformation: trends and needs of micro and small companies”, in English; • 1 e-book “Digital transformation: trends and needs of micro and small companies”, in 4 languages (English, Portuguese, Italian, Polish); • 1 Digital transformation maturity model: Business Enablers (questionnaire) in 4 languages (English, Portuguese, Italian, Polish); • 1 Digital transformation maturity model: Digital Human Skills (questionnaire) in 4 languages (English, Portuguese, Italian, Polish); • 1 Digital transformation maturity model: Digital Human soft skills (questionnaire) in 4 languages (English, Portuguese, Italian, Polish); • 1 report “Digital Transformation Maturity Assessment Model – Main Results”, in English; • 1 MOOC course in English, with 13 content units, 13 introduction videos, 39 presentations (digital slide shows), 39 infographics, 39 practical exercises; • 1 MOOC course in Portuguese, with 13 content units, 13 introduction videos, 39 presentations (digital slide shows), 39 infographics, 39 practical exercises; • 1 MOOC course in Italian, with 13 content units, 13 introduction videos, 39 presentations (digital slide shows), 39 infographics, 39 practical exercises; • 1 MOOC course in Polish, with 13 content units, 13 introduction videos, 39 presentations (digital slide shows), 39 infographics, 39 practical exercises; • 1 e-learning platform with 4 languages available (English, Portuguese, Italian and Polish); • 1 User Manual vídeo, with subtitles in Portuguese, Italian and Polish; • 1 trainer handbook with 13 activities proposal for on site training, in 4 languages (English, Portuguese, Italian, Polish); • 1 Report on funcional testing of self-assessement tool and e-learning platform (Pilot test report) • 1 Exploration Plan In total, this project produced 419 tangible outputs. In short, the results of the project fills a gap related to the lack of training content that can help adults to acquire skills in the Digital area applied to businesses, digital society and economy.