Assessment of the Level of Digitalization of Polish Enterprises in the Context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract

Due to the dynamic development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the operation of enterprises, and the increasing demands of customers, more and more companies have taken and continue to take action to increase the level of digitalization. The implementation of innovative solutions contributes to the sustainability development of enterprises in various areas (economic, environmental, and social), streamlining processes and increasing effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of work. Such activities also contribute to the effective use of new opportunities by companies and strengthen their competitiveness and market position. The use of digital technologies increases the capacity of companies to innovate and grow, which brings significant benefits in terms of efficiency and competitiveness. The authors attempted to analyze and assess the level of digital transformation in enterprises in Poland. This study aimed to review the current state of digitization of companies, which made it possible to diagnose the level of digital maturity of Polish enterprises and to identify areas that will determine the activities of companies to quickly increase their competitiveness or improve internal processes. Qualitative and comparable methods were used in the analysis. The results show that the degree of digitization of Polish enterprises is increasing, and, in particular, was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly half of the companies analyzed declared that they are increasing their budget for digitalization. The presented study has cognitive value regarding the assessment of the level of digitization of Polish enterprises. Both managers and decision-makers can benefit from the results of the study because decision-making regarding the development of SMEs is crucial to the effectiveness of the industrial strategy.