The Role of Digitalization in Cross-Border E-Commerce Performance of Italian SMEs

Maurizio Dallocchio, Marcello Lambri, Emiliano Sironi () and Emanuele Teti
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Maurizio Dallocchio: Department of Finance, Bocconi University, 20136 Milano, Italy
Marcello Lambri: Graduate School, Bocconi University, 20136 Milano, Italy
Emiliano Sironi: Department of Statistical Sciences, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 20123 Milano, Italy
Emanuele Teti: Department of Economics and Management, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: The utilization of digital technologies is rapidly increasing businesses’ capacities for innovation and growth, especially in the case of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with strong benefits in efficiency, competitiveness, and market reach. We aimed to study the impact of digital technologies on cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) in Italian SMEs, with regard to three main ICT areas: e-business, e-marketing, and e-commerce. Using a regression analysis, the study found that e-business tools have an unclear impact on cross-border e-commerce, while e-marketing tools, such as data tracking for medium-sized enterprises and social media for all SMEs, have a positive and significant impact on the online export performance. Finally, we examined the impact of being present on a marketplace rather than having a proprietary e-commerce website, and we found that having a presence on marketplaces such as Amazon or Alibaba is more effective than having a proprietary e-commerce website in terms of cross-border online sales. These results are useful both for policy makers and managers, since making informed decisions to develop SMEs is crucial for industrial strategy effectiveness.

Keywords: digitalization; e-commerce; SMEs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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