RPA Experiments in SMEs Through a Collaborative Network

Abstract

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology has been widely applied in many types of organizations. It is embraced in the hope of increased productivity, quality, and employee satisfaction. Intelligent Automation, being its further enhancement will strongly impact Society 5.0, as it drives productivity through digital technologies, contributing to a more human-friendly working environment. Our research describes the implementation of RPA in financial processes at several SMEs in Finland, as well as the construction of a collaborative network for building and sharing expertise on RPA. With our multiple case study, we explored the main drivers of RPA implementation at SMEs. The research was conducted among 12 SMEs and numerous other organizations participating in a collaborative network for RPA. We conclude that the desire to automate routine work to increase satisfaction at work is the main driver behind RPA implementation in SMEs.