Applied Research on Strategic Management of SMEs in Romania in the Digital Age

Technological social and cultural changes generated by the digital age have a significant impact on both individual and society as a whole [1]. Is the context in which our research aimed at revealing the extent to which SMEs in our country are prepared to cope with these changes and can adapt to an environment increasingly turbulent and unpredictable [2]. Based on the three hypotheses of our scientific approach, the method used was the quota for proportional distribution by counties, respectively the optimal-layered model for the distribution by fields of activity. As a means of investigation we used a questionnaire with 26 questions answered by 598 SMEs, the purpose being represented by identifying, on the one hand, the used methods of strategic management and, on the other hand, the uptake of digital means by them. The responses from the distribution of the questionnaire were analyzed by various statistical and econometric methods. In a first stage we used descriptive statistics to identify peculiarities of respondents to compare different homogeneous groups. In the second stage of analysis to determine statistical deductive conclusions, we used the analysis of variance, correlation and linear regression and ANOVA using SPSS software for Windows 16.0. Following validation of the research hypotheses, in the end of the work we formulated a series of proposals to improve the strategic management of SMEs in Romania in the digital age.