The importance of business models for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in terms of their competitiveness and sustainability is undoubtedly growing. The global Covid-19 pandemic even strengthens this trend. The degree of digitalization of corporate processes becomes the SME stability and development limitation. The paper submitted presents the results of research focused on the issue of digital transformation of business models on a test sample of 496 SMEs (out of which 214 operate in the manufacturing sector and industry and 218 are included in the services sector) using the method of dimensionality reduction and logit regression. The main output from the solution valid for both tested sectors is considered insufficient setting, management and evaluation of corporate processes. This applies to the main value-creating processes (input and output logistics, production, marketing and sales, service and other ancillary services) and supporting processes (purchase, scientific and technological development, human resources management and company infrastructure). In terms of the achieved degree of process digitization, an imbalance was found between the main value-creating processes and supporting processes. Investment in value-creating and supporting corporate processes are not considered an important factor for any of the sectors due to the high sensitivity of investments to the size and specialization of companies. In contrast, the higher perceived need for value chain digitization in both tested sectors, especially in the case of manufacturing and industry, is considered a very positive output. This proves the need for the digital transformation of companies and its positive impact on their profitability and competitiveness.

The world’s economy has been significantly affected by the ongoing pandemic crisis. Its logical reflection is a deteriorating condition of national and regional economies and their vehicles—enterprises. Negative effects of the crisis have influenced both the manufacturing sector and the services sector, where some segments have been hit fatally. In the corporate sphere in general, including in the services sector, there has been a growing need to change the approach to corporate strategy. The strategy should be generated based on management of value-creating processes with the objective to maximize satisfaction of customers while minimizing costs. This is also the topic of this paper. A representative sample of small and medium enterprises from the services sector have been surveyed about their size, using mathematical statistics and models that have been proposed to maximize profit probability. The objective was to propose models that maximize probability of profit and, at the same time, minimize costs for each combination of value chain activities (input logistics, provision of services, output logistics, marketing and sale, servicing, and other accompanying activities, purchasing material management, science-technical development, human resources management and company infrastructure). The main outcome of this paper is the fact that we have been able to prove the functionality of the tested model, which has demonstrated the growing importance of value stream management in relation to the size of enterprises. Such a universal and structured model provides a practical tool for the definition of economic-financial, investment and personnel policies in enterprises.

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies

Development trends in management and organizational structures are considered one of the limitations of the ongoing transformation of the company architecture of enterprises in the Czech Republic. This study is based on the survey data of over 450 enterprises in different sizes and sector categories conducted in 2016–2019. Statistical dependence between the type of organizational structure and size of an enterprise is confirmed with a trend of transition to a department-based organizational structure at the expense of a division-based structure. A high degree of statistical dependence is found between the number of management levels and size of a company. However, a low level of statistical dependence is found between the number of management levels and the sector type. Dependence between management structure/size of an enterprise and its profitability is not confirmed. A critical strategic task for companies is acceleration of the transformation of the company architecture, including the organizational framework, and intensification of the innovation and digitalization based on a transfer of new knowledge into corporate practice. If enterprises accomplish this strategic task, they will generate higher value and they can be more profitable and sustainable. A transfer from classical management structures to departmental structures is demonstrated, which creates preconditions for transformation in process and project management. A new finding is an independent relationship between management structure/size of an enterprise and its profitability; and an opposite trend considering the number of management levels compared to the prediction, i.e., their decrease.

Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues is a peer-reviewed journal which publishes original research papers and case studies

The business architecture, whose integral part is an organizational and management company structure, will be playing more important role in the future while pursuing its business goals. As a matter of fact, the organization and management of business processes that constitute its organizational and management structure demonstrate significant changes as a result of the changeable business environment. These issues are discussed in this article. The testing data set 381 SMEs (from which 114 were micro-enterprises, 141 small-scaled enterprises and 126 mid-scale enterprises, including without limitations enterprises from South Bohemian Region) analyzed applied organizational and management structures in separate scale categories of enterprises including degrees and stages of management. Pearson’s chi-squared test was used as a statistical method; p-value was employed to test zero and alternative hypotheses. SMEs manifested a transition from linear and line-staff structures to matrix and functional ones; mid-scale enterprises used strategic business units. Microenterprises and partly small-scale enterprises employed degree of management, mid-scale 3 and more degrees of management. The conclusion of the article specifies the estimated development of the organizational architecture in SMEs in the Czech Republic in relation to expected changes in the external business environment in particular.