Business digitization and its influence on competitive advantage in SMEs in the pastry sector in Huancayo

The digital transformation of companies enables process improvement, innovation, efficiency, and the strengthening of competitive advantage in the pastry industry in the market. The present research aims to determine the relationship between digitization activities and competitive advantage in pastry companies in the city of Huancayo. The methodological development was carried out in accordance with the general scientific method, using the hypothetical-deductive method with a non-experimental and cross-sectional design. It was an explanatory study that sought to determine the two-dimensional relationships between variables. Data was collected from 172 companies operating in the medium-scale pastry sector in the city of Huancayo. The information collected was processed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. The results show a significant relationship between three dimensions and competitive advantage, with a correlation coefficient of 0.841 in the technological infrastructure dimension, 0.794 in the marketing dimension, and 0.871 in the digital management and processes dimension. The main conclusion of the research is that digitization, understood as a comprehensive process, drives efficiency, innovation, and differentiation. In Huancayo's bakeries, digital marketing and process management significantly strengthen competitive advantage and business sustainability.