How to measure digital maturity in agriculture? Conceptual outline, instrument development and measurement results from German farms

Abstract The aim of the paper is a holistic analysis of the technological, organizational and human capabilities for exploiting the potential of digital technologies for farming. The conceptual background results from maturity models. So far, these have been less pursued in the context of digitalization in agriculture. The paper is therefore dedicated to (1) the development of a digital maturity model for farms based on the state of the art in methodological standards for maturity model development, and (2) a quantitative analysis the current situation of farms (n=123) in Germany, including an evaluation of this developed model. The developed model comprises nine dimensions and is designed as a diagnostic tool for strategic farm management. When applying the tool to the sample, it becomes obvious that the digital maturity of farms is more advanced in the dimensions describing technology and human factors, while organizational dimensions are less developed. The paper ends with implications and limitations of the presented research.