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VOL. 13, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Adoption of digital platforms and its influence on firm-level productivity and competitive advantage in SMEs
Authors
Sasikala C, Dr. R Jamuna
Abstract
Digital platforms have fundamentally reshaped the
competitive environment for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), offering
unprecedented access to markets, operational tools and intelligence
capabilities previously confined to large corporations. This paper examines how
the adoption of digital platforms — encompassing cloud computing, e-commerce
marketplaces, AI-driven analytics, and enterprise resource planning (ERP)
systems influences firm-level productivity and competitive advantage among SMEs
in Tamil Nadu. This study surveyed 350 SME owners, managers, and IT
decision-makers across 70 SMEs in Tamil Nadu using structured questionnaires.
Simple percentage analysis, Chi-Square test and ANOVA were employed to examine
relationships between digital platform adoption patterns and firm-level
productivity, cost efficiency, and competitive positioning outcomes. The study
found that SMEs that adopted multiple integrated digital platforms reported
significantly higher operational efficiency and competitive advantage scores
compared to non-adopters and partial adopters. Cloud computing and e-commerce
platforms were identified as the most impactful adoption categories, while
digital skills deficit and cost barriers emerged as the primary obstacles to
sustained adoption.
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Pages:119-124
How to cite this article:
Sasikala C, Dr. R Jamuna "Adoption of digital platforms and its influence on firm-level productivity and competitive advantage in SMEs". International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, Vol 13, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 119-124
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