In a world of constant development and change, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) find themselves in a situation where they must evolve or risk going extinct. This evolution brings both opportunities for significant success and challenges through the implementation of analytics. Previous studies have indicated that SMEs lack the necessary resources and knowledge to undertake this transformation. Therefore, the aim of this study is to utilize a quantitative survey to determine the current state of SMEs in the manufacturing sector regarding their use of analytics and subsequently identify common challenges that may arise along the way.
The main focus of this study is to address the following research question:
"How can Swedish small to medium-sized enterprises in the manufacturing sector adopt analytics to improve their operations and stay competitive?"
By investigating this research question, the study aims to provide insights into the current landscape of analytics usage in Swedish SMEs in the manufacturing sector and identify specific obstacles they encounter. By understanding where these enterprises stand in terms of their analytics adoption, it becomes possible to identify common problems that may hinder their progress. This study intends to shed light on the challenges faced by SMEs and propose a what would be the best way forward for the investigated companies.
The result demonstrates 4 focus areas identified by the data as well as the top 3 most common challenges that SMEs in the manufacturing industry face during their adoption of analytics that would require further studies.