Digital adoption in post-pandemic micro and small businesses in Arequipa, Peru

Velásquez Chacón E. · European Public and Social Innovation Review (2025) · DOI: 10.31637/epsir-2025-1849

Resumen

Introduction: Micro and small enterprises (MSEs) face an accelerated process of digital transformation to increase their competitiveness, which has generated advantages and opportunities to increase profits. However, weak knowledge, lack of training and fear of digitalisation have led to the closure of many MSEs, especially in the commerce and services sector, increasing unemployment. Methodology: The objective of the study is to identify the main barriers to the adoption of digitalisation in MSEs in Arequipa in the post-pandemic context. The study is quantitative and an exploratory analysis of the main economic sectors was carried out. A total of 267 surveys were applied to MSEs. Results: The results show the levels of sustainability in growth and the capacity to adopt new technologies. Timely information and speed of implementation are crucial for the development of these enterprises. Discussion and Conclusions: It is concluded that digitalisation is key for the development of MSEs, but barriers of knowledge and training need to be overcome to facilitate the adoption of technologies and ensure their competitiveness in the market.

Instituciones: Universidad Católica San Pablo