Digital Competencies, Human Resource Management, and Culture as Strategic Drivers of Sustainable Digital Transformation in SMEs of Lima

This study examines how digital competencies, digital human resource management, and organizational culture influence the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lima, Peru. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional approach was applied to a sample of 307 entrepreneurs and managers through a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Findings indicate that digital competencies significantly affect both digital human resource management and digital transformation, explaining a substantial share of their variance. In addition, digital human resource management exerts a direct effect on organizational culture and digital transformation, highlighting its strategic role as a bridge between digital skills and organizational adaptation. In contrast, digital transformation and digital competencies show no direct effects on organizational culture, suggesting that cultural change occurs mainly through HR digitalization. The study concludes that aligning digital competencies with human-centered strategies is essential to foster sustainability and competitiveness in SMEs within emerging economies.