Short answer

Leverage digitalization to not only streamline operations but also to actively preserve, transmit, and celebrate a company's unique history and craftsmanship, thereby strengthening its market position.

Field
Innovation & Markets
Source
The TQM Journal (2020)
Method
Exploratory qualitative study using interviews.
Sample
9 participants
Evidence
Moderate effect

By integrating digital tools, established companies can improve operational efficiency, deepen customer understanding, preserve and transmit artisanal knowledge, and leverage their heritage to foster innovation. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2020 study published in The TQM Journal. Using Exploratory qualitative study using interviews. with 9 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Leverage digitalization to not only streamline operations but also to actively preserve, transmit, and celebrate a company's unique history and craftsmanship, thereby strengthening its market position.

Study
Innovation & MarketsHigh ImpactModerate effect

Digitalization enhances long-lived firm competitiveness through knowledge transfer and heritage appreciation.

By integrating digital tools, established companies can improve operational efficiency, deepen customer understanding, preserve and transmit artisanal knowledge, and leverage their heritage to foster innovation.

The TQM Journal · 2020

01

Key Findings

  • 01Digitalization improves business process efficiency and effectiveness.
  • 02Digital tools enhance understanding of customer experiences.
  • 03Digitalization supports the transmission of craftsmanship and tacit knowledge.
  • 04Digital platforms increase awareness of a firm's cultural heritage value.
  • 05Digital experimentation fosters advanced design skills.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Leverage digitalization to not only streamline operations but also to actively preserve, transmit, and celebrate a company's unique history and craftsmanship, thereby strengthening its market position.

How to apply

When advising established businesses, consider how digital tools can be used to document and share artisanal techniques, create digital archives of historical products, or enhance customer engagement with the brand's legacy.

Project actions

  • 01Consider how digital tools can be used to preserve or enhance traditional crafts in your design project.
  • 02Explore how a brand's history can be communicated effectively through digital media.
03

Method & Evidence

AimHow can digitalization contribute to the long-term competitiveness and development of established firms?
MethodExploratory qualitative study using interviews.
ProcedureInterviews were conducted with nine long-lived Italian firms to explore how digitalization impacts their operations, customer engagement, knowledge management, and heritage appreciation.
Sample9 participants
ContextEstablished businesses in Italy

Variables

IVDigitalization implementation
DVFirm competitiveness and development
CVFirm age, industry sector, geographical location (Italy)
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities for long-lived firms.
  • +Provides empirical insights into the practical application of digitalization.

Limitations

The findings are specific to the interviewed firms and may not apply universally to all long-lived businesses.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity is enhanced by its focus on specific dimensions of longevity, but its reliability might be limited by the small sample size and qualitative nature of the interviews.

Think critically

To what extent can digitalization truly preserve traditional craftsmanship, or does it inevitably lead to its standardization?

05

Design Principles

"Integrate digital transformation with the preservation and active use of organizational heritage and tacit knowledge to foster sustained competitiveness."

For enduring businesses, digitalization is not merely about adopting new technologies but about strategically enhancing core competencies. It offers a pathway to maintain relevance, adapt to market shifts, and cultivate a competitive edge by building upon existing strengths and historical value.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Old companies can use digital tools to get better at what they do, understand customers more, keep their special skills alive, and make their history a selling point.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this study when discussing how digital integration can support the continuity and evolution of established brands or products.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights that digitalization offers established firms a strategic avenue for enhancing competitiveness by improving operational efficiencies, deepening customer understanding, facilitating knowledge transfer of artisanal skills, and leveraging their cultural heritage. Integrating digital tools can thus be crucial for ensuring the sustained relevance and market position of long-lived businesses.

09

Source

The TQM Journal

The contribution of digitalisation to business longevity from a competitiveness perspective

journal · 2020

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about digitalization enhances long-lived firm competitiveness through knowledge transfer and heritage appreciation?
Leverage digitalization to not only streamline operations but also to actively preserve, transmit, and celebrate a company's unique history and craftsmanship, thereby strengthening its market position. Evidence: The TQM Journal (2020).
Why does "Digitalization enhances long-lived firm competitiveness through knowledge transfer and heritage appreciation." matter for design?
For enduring businesses, digitalization is not merely about adopting new technologies but about strategically enhancing core competencies. It offers a pathway to maintain relevance, adapt to market shifts, and cultivate a competitive edge by building upon existing strengths and historical value.
How can designers apply this research?
Leverage digitalization to not only streamline operations but also to actively preserve, transmit, and celebrate a company's unique history and craftsmanship, thereby strengthening its market position.
What were the main findings?
Digitalization improves business process efficiency and effectiveness.. Digital tools enhance understanding of customer experiences.. Digitalization supports the transmission of craftsmanship and tacit knowledge.. Digital platforms increase awareness of a firm's cultural heritage value.
What research method was used?
Exploratory qualitative study using interviews. with 9 participants.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2020 journal from The TQM Journal.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When advising established businesses, consider how digital tools can be used to document and share artisanal techniques, create digital archives of historical products, or enhance customer engagement with the brand's legacy.
What are the limitations?
The study is based on a small sample of Italian firms, limiting generalizability to other regions or industries.