Abstract
This article explores how representatives of IT Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) understand the Responsible Digitalization (RD). The study is based on 18 in-depth semi-structured interviews and applies an inductive qualitative content analysis to maintain the exploratory character of the research while ensuring analytical rigor and transparency. The results indicate that, although RD is not widely recognized or explicitly used in business discourse, its basic principles are reflected in everyday organizational practices. The analysis revealed a wide range of interpretations of RD, which were subsequently organized into five aggregate dimensions: (1) operational streamlining and resource reduction, (2) human-centered change, (3) inclusion and social value creation, (4) secure and controlled digital environments, and (5) pragmatic business logic. The results suggest that responsible digitalization in SMEs is primarily practice-oriented, performance-driven, and shaped by the specific context in which each enterprise operates.
Paper Type
Short Paper
DOI
10.62036/ISD.2026.154
Responsible Digitalization in SMEs: Insights from Qualitative Research in Poland and France
This article explores how representatives of IT Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) understand the Responsible Digitalization (RD). The study is based on 18 in-depth semi-structured interviews and applies an inductive qualitative content analysis to maintain the exploratory character of the research while ensuring analytical rigor and transparency. The results indicate that, although RD is not widely recognized or explicitly used in business discourse, its basic principles are reflected in everyday organizational practices. The analysis revealed a wide range of interpretations of RD, which were subsequently organized into five aggregate dimensions: (1) operational streamlining and resource reduction, (2) human-centered change, (3) inclusion and social value creation, (4) secure and controlled digital environments, and (5) pragmatic business logic. The results suggest that responsible digitalization in SMEs is primarily practice-oriented, performance-driven, and shaped by the specific context in which each enterprise operates.
Recommended Citation
Józefowicz, B., Makowska, E., Chedotel, F. & Plotnytska, S.(2026). Responsible Digitalization in SMEs: Insights from Qualitative Research in Poland and France. In M. Valenta, B. Mannová, R. Pergl, A. Przybylek, M. Lang, H. Linger, C. Schneider, N. Iivari, & E. Insfran (Eds.), Making ISD Sustainable: Reloaded with AI and Automation (ISD2026 Proceedings). Prague, Czech Republic: Czech Technical University in Prague. ISBN: 978-80-01-07585-2. https://doi.org/10.62036/ISD.2026.154