Abstract:

Manufacturing SMEs are at the center of Europe’s industrial transformation agenda, yet they face persistent challenges in adopting sustainable, digital, and innovation-driven business models. This paper examines 14 transformation-oriented business goals and their associated models, drawn from the SMERF project framework, across three strategic domains: Digital Manufacturing, Open Innovation and Sharing Economy, and Green and Circular Economy & Sustainability. These models reflect practical responses to emerging challenges, including resource efficiency, market expansion, and innovation integration. To assess their feasibility and implementation priorities, the study applies a Readiness and complexity matrix. The findings highlight a strong alignment between the proposed models and the transformation needs of manufacturing SMEs. However, significant variation in complexity reveals critical adoption bottlenecks, especially for models requiring digital infrastructure or cross-sector collaboration. The study concludes with implications for sequencing innovation, designing support mechanisms, and enabling policy that aligns with the operational reality of SMEs.