Eastern Communications kicks off ‘Access Eastern’ series to assist emerging businesses through digitalization

Access Eastern gathered business leaders based in Bicol to explore tools for business growth.

Digitalization has been deemed necessary for many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). But until today, some may still struggle to fully transform and adapt to digital practices. According to a new study by the World Economic Forum (WEF), many SMEs admitted to having little to no digitalization plans.

Only 23% of SMEs reported that the pandemic accelerated their digitalization goals, showing that considerable barriers still prevent the widespread use of digital technologies. The barriers include limited availability and access to financial resources, lack of a skilled workforce, and infrastructure barriers to support digitization.