What is the level of adoption of digital technologies, in Wallonia, in small to intermediary-sized enterprises? Is it Digitalization of business processes or Digital Transformation?

For several years now, the concept of Digitalization is a recurring theme in our business world. Alongside that, new digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Cloud Computing, and so on, considered as exponential are increasing in power, democratization as well as continuously becoming cheaper. Besides that, when implementing these technologies, companies can be classified thanks to three levels. The first one is Digitization which is the fact of changing an analog process into a digital form of it. The second one is Digitalization which is the process of using digital technologies in order to transform business processes. The last one is Digital Transformation which is the fact of implementing digital technologies in order to drive performance and organizational changes by the use of new business models. This research will answer the following research question: “What is the level of adoption of digital technologies, in Wallonia, in small to intermediary-sized enterprises? Is it Digitalization of business processes or Digital Transformation?”. To do so, we managed to interview 12 persons from various companies as well as received 37 answers from different companies having already started their Digitalization or Digital Transformation thanks to the use of exponential technologies. In the end, we came to the conclusion that Walloon companies were, currently, digitalizing their business processes rather than digitally transforming themselves. Furthermore, the analysed companies that were digitally transforming started by implementing one of several exponential technologies and then, capitalized on these competences and knowledges in order to be ahead of the curve. Finally, the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of Walloon companies towards Digitalization and Digital Transformation will also be discussed.