Study goals
To investigate how micro and small businesses with low digital maturity adopt accessible technologies through entrepreneurial DIY, integrating the Technology–Organization–Environment framework to understand impacts on innovation, digital inclusion, and the evolution of technological maturity.
Relevance / originality
This study is relevant because it addresses adaptive digitalization in micro and small businesses with low digital maturity, integrating entrepreneurial bricolage and the TOE model Its originality lies in the unprecedented connection between digital inclusion, technological evolution, and organizational adaptation in restrictive.
Methodology / approach
This qualitative, exploratory approach was conducted through a multiple case study (n=26). Data collection included semi-structured interviews (~40 min), a TOE-based questionnaire, and digital materials. Analysis involved independent thematic coding, triangulation, and cross-case comparison.
Main results
The results show that digital bricolage, combined with the TOE model, favors strategic adaptations in microenterprises with low digital maturity, increasing operational efficiency, process innovation, and resilience, especially in contexts of resource constraints and accelerated technological change.
Theoretical / methodological contributions
The study integrates digital bricolage and the TOE model, expanding the understanding of adaptive digitalization in microenterprises. Methodologically, it combines interviews, questionnaires, and comparative thematic analysis, offering a replicable protocol for investigating innovation processes in contexts of resource constraints and low maturity.
Social / management contributions
It highlights viable adaptive digitalization practices for microenterprises with limited resources, guiding managers in the strategic adoption of technologies. Socially, it contributes to digital inclusion and strengthens competitiveness, supporting public policies focused on innovation and sustainability in small businesses.