Maturity or readiness? How to measure the levels of digitalisation? The case of Tâmega e Sousa Region

Digitalisation is mandatory for today's companies. Living in the Era of Industry 4.0, the phenomenon of digital transformation cannot be ignored. Intending to support manufacturing companies in their digitalisation processes, the present paper reflects the work that has been carried on, to support the digital transition for manufacturing companies in the region of Tâmega e Sousa. This region is considered to be an industrial region located in the North of Portugal, but lagging in terms of digital technology adoption. In a theoretical framework, it is expected to identify the most relevant factors to promote a successful digital strategy. Supported by a Science Design methodology, a platform was developed to support the measurement of the maturity or digital companies' readiness levels. To collect the necessary data were performed questionnaires. First, in a face-to-face approach and later through the platform developed. The (preliminary) results are based on a sample of 53 companies (pilot test). From this data, it was possible to identify some trends: 1) some behaviours indicate that the region is still in the digitisation phase; 2) the digitisation focus is in the processes dimension; 3) even performing a digital transition, companies do not invest in in-house IT solutions.