The digitalization of products and services is now a fundamental element of business processes. However, its impact on company performance is still not fully recognized. In this study the Italian startup population is studied to understand their digital behaviour. In particular, the adoption of intra-organizational and inter-organizational digital infrastructures is examined. The results of the manual analysis (Steps 3 and 4) are compared to the computer-aided analysis of Steps 4 and 5, to determine the factors that affect the digital behavior of Italian startups.
The data analysis shows that on average Italian startups adopt 1,23 inter-organizational and 1,75 intra-organizational infrastructures. It is also evident that the use of digital infrastructures by Italian startups is not extensive. On average only two inter-organizational infrastructures are utilized and 68% of all analyzed startups have only one intra-organizational technology.
These findings suggest that the large majority of Italian startups adopt a follower mindset rather than Italy’s M&A deals an advanced digital leader style. This could be due to the fact that, despite being enrolled in the Startup Act initiative, they haven’t yet reached the point where they can implement digital leadership strategies. It is for this reason that it is suggested to the government that they adopt new policies aimed at increasing the digitalization of Italian Startup Ecosystem. This could include among other things, public financial incentives to help digitalize startups.
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