SME Internationalisation through Digitalisation in the EMR

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According to international studies regional SMEs tend to lag behind international developments regarding digitalisation in relation to internationalisation. Consequently little effort is made or no knowledge is at hand in order to improve their competitiveness. This not only wastes opportunities on the domestic market, but also on growth prospects abroad. Anyone who has recognised that digitalisation and internationalisation are two sides of the same coin will digitise and at the same time open up international markets that were previously out of reach. Apart from exceptions generally large(r) companies seem to have the understanding that digital performed activities lead to international customers, new sales channels, a fast time-to-market and lower transaction costs, but also have the facilities and capacities to stimulate digitalisation to comply with ever changing demands.   Especially the study Internationalisation through digitalisation (2016 – see annexes 1) shows the correlation between both topics.  There is a lack of priority, knowledge or information on data on the basis of which they are able to improve their cross border cooperation, international sales volume and competitiveness.   This project focusses on the strengthening of the competitiveness or the euregional SMEs, by helping them in getting ready to respond to global developments which directly affect their business. Digitalisation in relation to internationalisation makes the world literally smaller en therefore competition larger, also for regionally operating entrepreneurs/SMEs. Therefore a more cross border or digital mindset, embedded in the entrepreneurs’ business cases is necessary.   The goal of this project is therefore to create a focus of SMEs on digital marketing for internationalisation. This results in more sales and cross border cooperation for the SMEs. As such the partnership strengthens euregional SMEs in the digital and global age by creating a shift to digital business cases through this project.   In the first step in what the partners call a funnel approach SMEs are supported to map their digital and international maturity through sensibilisation actions. The SMEs score is shown in a matrix (see annex 2) on the basis of which they see their position towards other SMEs and their most urgent digitalisation topics (e.g. business model innovation, digital supply chain, e-commerce/e-business, internet of things, omni channeling etcetera).   That will be the starting point for step 2: the creation of cross border clusters (problem based/topics) of companies and knowledge institutes (and other stakeholders) who jointly develop (international/euregional) business cases in the participating SMEs. The actual implementation will be the effect of other thinking models and the awareness of necessary change. Based on the capacity of the partner organisations, the partners start with the sensibilisation in step 1 of 500 SMEs, of which 150 will be part of the clusters in step. 2. At the end of the funnel 50 entrepreneurs/SMEs are assisted/coached in making the shift towards digitalization in relation to internationalization.   With this approach the partners ensure generic support to SMEs: the individual uptake is left to the companies themselves in order to avoid state aid issues. All participating SMEs are monitored on actual implementation, which is used for the revolving approach in order to reach a broad coverage in the EMR and to trigger ‘followers’ to closely look at their own organisation and take up the challenges they are facing with respect to all internationalisation related digitalisation issues after the project period.   It needs to be emphasized that aforementioned approach does not include activities with respect to digitalisation of production and/or organisational processes. All other initiatives in the field of digitalisation focus on industry or innovation. Marketing and internationalisation is an item which is not addressed to in relation to digitalisation in any project.   Output of the project: 150 supported SMEs, 10 publications, 1 tool for sensibilisation, 5 cross border clusters, 50 business case sessions, 10 ambassadors, 10 cross border company visits and 1 digital manual.   The current partnership comprises all competences to realise the objectives which are laid down in this project proposal. Nonetheless they will fine tune with other stakeholders, such as RWTH Aachen and, PXL Hogeschool,. CCI Liège-Verviers-Namur and LIOF have stated to participate as associated partners.

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