The impact of digitalisation on local businesses in the retail sector

Abstract

Digitalisation is a relatively new concept which gives retail businesses the space to prosper and grow. Retailers need to keep up with new technological advancements to keep up with the fastgrowing world of international online shopping. Businesses who keep on using traditional business models and do not upgrade to what is required at that time are more likely to fail against the competition. This research aims to highlight the difference between traditional and digital businesses to evaluate the most suitable mode of operation. Further, this study explores the technologies jewellery businesses use and how do they help the business in general. The general findings that arose from this research were that businesses are giving importance to technological advancements even if some are not following them due to several reasons that are also highlighted in this research. This research was able to bring out more the difference between each different mode of operation and the most common technologies used in this sector. These findings suggest that even though these businesses operate in different modes, every one of them has the same goals. Also, these findings help better understand how the local market is reacting to such changes that are happening around us in terms of the use of technologies in businesses. Overall, this research will explore digitalisation from a Maltese perspective up till the writing of this research; there are only a few sources that cover such an important topic.