In the digital economy era, small service business struggle to compete in a rapidly changing and dynamic market. Therefore, through digital transformation (DT), small service business seek to increase their competitive advantage, improve business performance, and achieve business growth. Having limited resources and capabilities, small service business must deal with several barriers and challenges. This study aims to discover the barriers, and the roles of government, for digital transformation in small service business. This study applied a qualitative approach involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with top management of small service business. Then, we employed the content analysis method to examine interview data and construct a model. This research reveals four main barriers to digital transformation in small service business: lack of funding, lack of digital capability, lack of human resources, and technical barriers. We found there are four government roles for supporting digital transformation in small service business: build a digital platform for small service business, promote mobile/digital payment, provide digital training, and build a digital collaboration ecosystem. Additionally, based on this study’s findings, a model for barriers and government support of digital transformation in small service business is presented. This study contributes to the conceptual framework and management implications in the digital transformation field. The study’s findings provide insights to practitioners and suggest that the government could alter the current policies and programs to support digital transformation in small service business.

The aim of this paper was to explore how small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs) employ technology to integrate industrial supply chains and to participate in global supply chains in the context of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). This study chose four textile SMEs from Taiwan, using multiple case studies to explore their participation in global value chains. By focusing on the needs of the SME sector we also discuss why IoT as-a-Service (IoTaaS) might be an appropriate concept in the context of Industry 4.0. We found that textile SMEs can connect to global value chains through the following three roles: original equipment manufacturer of clothing, brand clothing manufacturer, and intermediate trader. They can also participate in global value chains by collaborating with supply chain partners. This participation occurs both vertically and horizontally through value creation models with one of the following four foci: (1) increasing production efficiency, (2) improving negotiation skills for larger and more orders from international suppliers, (3) grasping channel needs and management, and (4) creating novel customer service experiences.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are frequently exposed to a variety of difficulties during global epidemic crises like coronavirus (COVID-19), which may even threaten their lives. The purpose of this study explores the influencing factors of Taiwan’s companies between small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-enterprises on the choice of the cross-border e-commerce platform. The findings are defined as taking into account small and medium-sized businesses and microenterprises when choosing cross-border e-commerce through a literature review and an examination of secondary data among the 10 participating businesses through interviews in various regions and business sectors in Taiwan. In this case we used study-based research, which included five small, medium-sized, and micro-enterprises, as well as five cross-border e-commerce projects and the company’s management senior officers. According to the study’s emphasis on the economic, social, technological, and legal aspects of various firms, these factors lead to a variety of decisions regarding the best cross-border e-commerce platform. The case study approach was utilized in this investigation to confirm the consideration of micro-and small-sized businesses that took part in cross-border e-commerce project counseling. This study summarizes five types of enterprises with different capabilities: product enhancement, marketing enhancement, cross-border potential, knowledge-based enhancement, and cross-border start-up. According to the results, it was found that different enterprise capabilities will affect the choice of cross-border e-commerce platforms. These five capabilities also have different types of consideration factors; among them, SMEs pay attention to marketing, pricing, market analysis, culture, customer service, payment, logistics, certification, taxation, etc. In addition to theoretical implications, this research also gives small and medium enterprises and micro-enterprises practice when choosing cross-border e-commerce platform, as well as suggestions for future research.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Taiwan employ technology to participate in global supply chains so as to respond to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.Design/methodology/approach: This study chose four small to medium textile SMEs using qualitative exploratory multiple case studies to examine their participation in the global value chain (GVC) and under the context of Industry 4.0.Findings: This study proffered a strategic model for the innovative integration of textile manufacturing companies and cultural content industry into the global market. The results identified four types of cross-disciplinary value creation strategies by Industry 4.0-driven technology and cultural content infusion: enhancing digital product display capabilities, integrating cultural content design and online marketing, creative brand marketing with cyber-physical channel integration and emotional marketing incorporated with smart services.Originality/value: The author proposed the following cross-disciplinary value creation strategies for clothing SMEs in Taiwan: (1) enhancing digital product display capabilities, (2) integrating cultural content design and online marketing, (3) creative brand marketing with cyber-physical integration and (4) emotional marketing incorporated with smart services. Using these strategies, SMEs can incorporate cultural and lifestyle aspects into products and services and embed themselves in the global marketing links of GVCs.

Cultural heritage plays an important role in the creation of creative cities, giving them a new lease of life and generating employment opportunities and local economies in the process. The revitalisation and development of cultural heritage and intangible cultural heritage have become a major part of national development policies worldwide. This study adopts a multiple case analysis approach. Four cultural heritages of three destinations in East Asia (Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) were selected as case studies because they have all adopted a public–private partnership approach to the conservation and reuse of historic buildings. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted and secondary data collected from a variety of sources to bring the findings of this study closer to the practical development of cultural heritage. Base on Five Forces analysis, we propose an “Extended Five Forces” model of cultural heritage. The new component, i.e., historical landscapes and cultural sustainability, is proposed to expand the theoretical foundations of the sustainable management of cultural heritage. The findings show how they can collaborate with communities to create value and gain a sustainable competitive advantage on a global scale and contribute to the sustainable management of cultural heritage in Asia.