"DigiCulTS - Digital Culture for SMEs" is an innovative approach to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) up to 50 employees to find their place in the digital society. Digitalisation as an transformation process meets all aspects of life. It changes our concepts of the individual, of reality, time, the possibility of representation, the archives of memory. It influences our attitude to hierarchies, community, transparency and work life balance. In this societal shift "digital competence is a key transversal competence that means being able to use digital technologies in a critical, collaborative and creative way" (DigComp into Action, 7). To intensify this reflexive perspective on the digital transformation this project links basic digital skills to a more philosophical, cultural studies point of view. In the context of the scientific "cultural turn" transversal competences will be re-embedded in culture and society (Karl Polanyi: The Great Transformation). DigiCulTS will put the emphasis on the cultural and educational aspects of our digital society focused on SMEs up to 50 employees. In reference to the "Digital Education Action Plan" COM (2018)22 and to the "European Digital Competence Framework" of "JRS science Hub" (e.g. Dig Comp, DigComp in Action, DigCompOrg, DigCompEdu, EntreComp, DigCompConsumers) we will point out, that "digital skills development is inherent to the success, employabilty, creativity and prosperity of every individual" (DigComp into Action (2018), 7), if it is cultural reflected. SMEs up to 50 workforces are challenged by the "Digital Revolution" in a very specific way: on the one hand new technologies offer new business opportunities, (almost) independent of size and place to any enterprise. On the other hand resources for change processes and research activities to implement competitive products and services often are lacking. Changes, chances and challenges are obvious. But how to find the right way to digital future? Results Against this background our project will support SMEs by the "DigiCulTS_Package for SMEs" comprising 3 Intellectual Outputs: O1 - DigiCulTS_Diagnosis (assessment tool); O2 - Digital_Culture (online course: curriculum; learning platform); O3 - DigiCulTS_Guide (OER and content development).They will help to reach following Objectives 1) Identification of digital skills by an assessment tool, 2) Improving awareness of digital culture by an online course and 3) Finding a pathway to strengthen the strength or improve weaknesses in digital competences through a digital guide with access to Open Educational Resources (OER) Target groups A) Management - individual level (competences)and organisational level (structure & strategy); B) Staff - individual level (competences) C) Job candidates, seasonal workers (individual level); D) Stakeholders. Methodology O1 - DigiCulTS_Diagnosis is an assessment tool including an automatically generated report describing transversal (including digital) competences. The methods used are: desk research, matrix analysis, qualitative interviews, online questionaire; programing,testing, feedback loop. The innovation is to use the framework of DigiComp 2.1 and other "European reference framework"-tools for a taylored "Package Digital Culture for SMEs". DigiCulTS_Diagnosis will define the digital profile of a business as an organisation and for individuals. Managers as employees get a SELFIE of themselves. For job seekers and seasonal workers the results of DigiCulTS_Diagnosis can be part of their portfolio or Europass enhancing their chances on the job market. O2 - Digital_Culture will develop a curriculum for an online course, accessable by the DigiCulTS_website. Implementing a learning platform (e.g. moodle) it is open for future developments. Modular learning units will be created as creative commons in different designs (text, audio, video ...). O3 - DigiCulTS_Guide will offer E-Learning Courses (MOOCs, OER) related to the results of O1 and O2. Next to making use of already existing open educational ressources and online education programs, the project consortium will add to the pool of already existing open education resources. They will create several open educational resources based on project results. The overarching goal of the DigiCulTS OER is to support a digital culture and digital competences among SMEs. Benefit and Impact "DigiCulTS_Package for SMEs" will be accessable by the projects and partners website and can be used by social partners and other associations for free. It fosters participants digital competences and raises awareness for digital culture. Partnership SMC Study and Managment Center Saalfelden (AT) www.studienzentrum.at; Sea Teach (ES) www. sea-teach.com, Danmar Computers (PL) www. danmar-computers.com.pl, Danube University Krems (AT ) www.donau-uni.ac.at and Militos Consulting (GR) www. militos.org are well-experienced in projects at different levels (SMEs, ICT, Edu).
DigiCulTS aims to show SMEs their current digital skills and make them aware of the challenges, opportunities, and risks. How fit are they for the digital future? What transversal digital key competencies do they already possess? Which digital technologies can be used collaboratively and creatively and should be critically considered in the cultural context? Our goals are: - to increase awareness of and motivation for digital transformation, - to strengthen digital competencies through application-oriented learning units and Microlearning, - to support the transformation of business models, - to reflect on and shape digital transformation, - the integration of the developed outputs into learning arrangements of education providers and companies. Besides the overarching objective to upskill SMEs for the digital age and to foster practical digital skills, we emphasise the cultural aspects. The term "digital culture" is intended to express that the "digital revolution" is not only a technological revolution but also a cultural one. With this approach, we want to motivate SMEs to use their chances to implement new business models without resistance to a transformation, changing all aspects of life and business.
Why DigiCulTS? The starting point of our project was the idea to promote SMEs in Digital Transformation. Many European and national studies showed 2019 a deep gap between SMEs and large companies in the digital transition. A strategy paper of the European Commission confirmed this research-based observation (2020): Only 17% of SMEs successfully apply digital technologies in their companies, compared to 54% of large companies. ("An SME Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe" 2020). Especially small enterprises without their own IT department need support, so we decided to focus on SMEs with up to 50 employees, which are challenged in this transformation process in a particular way: On the one hand, new technologies offer new business opportunities in a global market - almost independent of time and place. But on the other hand, many SMEs cannot make the most of digital technologies, restricted by financial and personal resources to be competitive. DigiCulTS provides an innovative approach to learning about "Digital Culture" and digital competencies through a package of tools and courses to fit into the digital world.