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International Journal of Management and Business Development

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Methodological Foundations of Digital Transformation of SMEs: Applicability of an Integrated Model for the Implementation of BPMN, CRM, and ERP in the US Economy

DOI https://doi.org/10.55640/ijmbd-v03i01-01
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KOVALCHUK ANDRII 1 ,
4 Business Development and Entrepreneurial Consultant Boryslav, Ukraine

Abstract

This article looks at how a combined methodological approach — one that brings together BPMN for process mapping, CRM for managing customer relationships, and ERP for tying core operations together — can strengthen digital-transformation efforts in U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The aim here is to bring together what recent studies have been saying about these methods and to get a sense of whether a combined BPMN–CRM–ERP approach can actually help with the digitalization issues SMEs keep running into. The study looks at peer-reviewed work published between 2021 and 2025 and mixes it with insights from an established consulting methodology, focusing on the barriers, enablers, and integration points that seem to matter most in practice. What comes out of this review is that several pieces need to move together. Readiness diagnostics, BPMN-based process improvements, CRM tools that support customer engagement, and ERP systems that knit operations together — when these elements are combined, SMEs tend to see better productivity, more room to scale, and a digital setup that’s a lot more stable. The major result is that digitalization for SMEs is not limited to adding new software. In practical terms, meaningful digitalization requires a certain degree of internal coherence — the operational processes, the firm’s leadership routines, the capabilities of the workforce, and the systems meant to coordinate these areas must be reasonably aligned. When these elements move independently of one another, the introduction of new technologies tends to produce only limited or short-lived improvements. Seen from that perspective, the discussion offered here is relevant to several groups: SME owners and managers who are planning the next stage of their digital development, consultants who build or oversee integrated transformation initiatives, and policymakers interested in designing support measures that strengthen the longer-term competitiveness of small firms.

Keywords

SMEs, digital transformation, BPMN, CRM, ERP, process optimization, enterprise integration, readiness assessment, scalability, consulting methodology

References

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