Digital pioneers in the periphery? Toward a typology of rural Hidden Champions in times of digitalization

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Autoren

  • Carsten Rietmann
Forschungs-netzwerk anzeigen

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)281-301
Seitenumfang21
FachzeitschriftJournal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship
Jahrgang36
Ausgabenummer2
Frühes Online-Datum28 Sept. 2021
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 2024

Abstract

We unravel dimensions, conditions, and outcomes of digitalization for Hidden Champions (HCs) in rural areas in Germany. As highly innovative small- and medium-sized market leaders, HCs are challenged to maintain their niche dominance but are endowed with significant resources. However, firms in rural areas face resource constraints related to digitalization and innovation. Based on qualitative interviews with 28 companies, we develop a typology of HCs with four firm types differing in their handling of digitalization: Digital HCs, HCs of Digitalization, Traditional HCs, and Digitalization-Skeptical HCs. Their digitalization-related potential and risk assessment, resource availability, strategy, and innovation types are portrayed. We provide evidence that innovative market leaders in rural areas are not necessarily also digitalization front-runners. We contribute to a deeper understanding of the nexus of digitalization, SMEs, and rural areas. Our findings have managerial and policy implications. Less innovative SME can emulate HCs’ handling of digitalization. Regional policymakers should expand firm type-specific digitalization policy formulation.

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Zitieren

Digital pioneers in the periphery? Toward a typology of rural Hidden Champions in times of digitalization. / Rietmann, Carsten.
in: Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Jahrgang 36, Nr. 2, 2024, S. 281-301.

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Rietmann C. Digital pioneers in the periphery? Toward a typology of rural Hidden Champions in times of digitalization. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. 2024;36(2):281-301. Epub 2021 Sep 28. doi: 10.1080/08276331.2021.1979909
Rietmann, Carsten. / Digital pioneers in the periphery? Toward a typology of rural Hidden Champions in times of digitalization. in: Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. 2024 ; Jahrgang 36, Nr. 2. S. 281-301.
Download
@article{d2775b6ad44c44b38347001bc8c429cb,
title = "Digital pioneers in the periphery?: Toward a typology of rural Hidden Champions in times of digitalization",
abstract = "We unravel dimensions, conditions, and outcomes of digitalization for Hidden Champions (HCs) in rural areas in Germany. As highly innovative small- and medium-sized market leaders, HCs are challenged to maintain their niche dominance but are endowed with significant resources. However, firms in rural areas face resource constraints related to digitalization and innovation. Based on qualitative interviews with 28 companies, we develop a typology of HCs with four firm types differing in their handling of digitalization: Digital HCs, HCs of Digitalization, Traditional HCs, and Digitalization-Skeptical HCs. Their digitalization-related potential and risk assessment, resource availability, strategy, and innovation types are portrayed. We provide evidence that innovative market leaders in rural areas are not necessarily also digitalization front-runners. We contribute to a deeper understanding of the nexus of digitalization, SMEs, and rural areas. Our findings have managerial and policy implications. Less innovative SME can emulate HCs{\textquoteright} handling of digitalization. Regional policymakers should expand firm type-specific digitalization policy formulation.",
keywords = "digitalization, Hidden Champions, qualitative analysis, rural areas, SME",
author = "Carsten Rietmann",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) [grant number 2820FD007A]. The funding source was not involved in the research, writing, and submission process. I would like to thank Ingo Liefner, Lisa Zirbes, Felix Carl Schultz, Leon Worbs, and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and suggestions. ",
year = "2024",
doi = "10.1080/08276331.2021.1979909",
language = "English",
volume = "36",
pages = "281--301",
number = "2",

}

Download

TY - JOUR

T1 - Digital pioneers in the periphery?

T2 - Toward a typology of rural Hidden Champions in times of digitalization

AU - Rietmann, Carsten

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) [grant number 2820FD007A]. The funding source was not involved in the research, writing, and submission process. I would like to thank Ingo Liefner, Lisa Zirbes, Felix Carl Schultz, Leon Worbs, and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and suggestions.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - We unravel dimensions, conditions, and outcomes of digitalization for Hidden Champions (HCs) in rural areas in Germany. As highly innovative small- and medium-sized market leaders, HCs are challenged to maintain their niche dominance but are endowed with significant resources. However, firms in rural areas face resource constraints related to digitalization and innovation. Based on qualitative interviews with 28 companies, we develop a typology of HCs with four firm types differing in their handling of digitalization: Digital HCs, HCs of Digitalization, Traditional HCs, and Digitalization-Skeptical HCs. Their digitalization-related potential and risk assessment, resource availability, strategy, and innovation types are portrayed. We provide evidence that innovative market leaders in rural areas are not necessarily also digitalization front-runners. We contribute to a deeper understanding of the nexus of digitalization, SMEs, and rural areas. Our findings have managerial and policy implications. Less innovative SME can emulate HCs’ handling of digitalization. Regional policymakers should expand firm type-specific digitalization policy formulation.

AB - We unravel dimensions, conditions, and outcomes of digitalization for Hidden Champions (HCs) in rural areas in Germany. As highly innovative small- and medium-sized market leaders, HCs are challenged to maintain their niche dominance but are endowed with significant resources. However, firms in rural areas face resource constraints related to digitalization and innovation. Based on qualitative interviews with 28 companies, we develop a typology of HCs with four firm types differing in their handling of digitalization: Digital HCs, HCs of Digitalization, Traditional HCs, and Digitalization-Skeptical HCs. Their digitalization-related potential and risk assessment, resource availability, strategy, and innovation types are portrayed. We provide evidence that innovative market leaders in rural areas are not necessarily also digitalization front-runners. We contribute to a deeper understanding of the nexus of digitalization, SMEs, and rural areas. Our findings have managerial and policy implications. Less innovative SME can emulate HCs’ handling of digitalization. Regional policymakers should expand firm type-specific digitalization policy formulation.

KW - digitalization

KW - Hidden Champions

KW - qualitative analysis

KW - rural areas

KW - SME

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85115855133&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/08276331.2021.1979909

DO - 10.1080/08276331.2021.1979909

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85115855133

VL - 36

SP - 281

EP - 301

JO - Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship

JF - Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship

SN - 0827-6331

IS - 2

ER -