The Impact of Digital Transformation and Automation in Shaping B2B Marketing: A Comparison of Opportunities, Challenges, and Risks between SMEs and Large Industry

Abstract

As the world becomes increasingly digital, companies must continuously adapt to technological developments to remain competitive. Digital transformation and automation play a significant role in business-to-business (B2B) marketing since they change not only internal processes, but also the way companies interact with their customers. Given the broad scope of the topic, the research mainly focuses on the areas of cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), email marketing, and social media management. This thesis examines the impact of digital transformation and automation on B2B marketing, with the empirical part focusing on the industrial automation sector. Additionally, it explores the opportunities, challenges, and risks arising from these developments and compares how they differ between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large companies. While there are existing studies on these developments in either large enterprises or SMEs, there is a lack of research that directly compares them. The research in this thesis aims to fill this gap by examining how company size influences the opportunities, challenges, and risks of digital transformation and automation. To explore this in detail, the following research questions were developed: (1) How does B2B digital marketing differentiate in SMEs and large companies and how will it develop in the future? (2) What opportunities and values do digital marketing and automation offer to SMEs and large companies, as well as to their customers? (3) What challenges and risks do SMEs and large companies face in the digital transformation of B2B marketing in terms of scalability, costs, and organizational culture? To address these questions, secondary research was conducted through an extensive literature review, combined with primary research that used a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews, according to Mayring. The interviews were conducted with marketing experts from eight companies in the industrial automation sector, consisting of four SMEs and four large companies, and analyzed using the software MAXQDA. The results suggest that both SMEs and large companies recognize the potential of digital tools to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer targeting and personalization. However, SMEs face limited financial and human resources and tend to rely on marketing agencies, which prevents the development of internal knowledge. While large companies have a larger budget and use more advanced tools, they struggle with internal complexity and less personal customer contact. The biggest challenges include outdated systems, poor data quality, and difficulties with lead qualification. The risks include cybersecurity concerns, legal uncertainties regarding AI generated content and misinvestment. This study is limited by the short time frame and small sample size, which makes it difficult to generalize the findings. The focus on a single sector limits broader applicability, and due to the wide scope of the topic, only selected aspects could be explored. Although cloud computing was a theoretical focus, it did not emerge in the interviews, because it is handled more by IT departments than marketing.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Supervisor	Markus Vorderwinkler (Supervisor)