IMPROVING THE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY

This article examines mechanisms through which digital transformation may improve the economic efficiency of small businesses, with particular attention to Uzbekistan. It combines descriptive country-level evidence, a critical synthesis of OECD, World Bank and UNDP research, and a conceptual firm-level evaluation framework. The study distinguishes digital access, active use and realized value, proposes performance indicators and a difference-in-differences research design, and develops a staged implementation roadmap. Sector-specific pathways, discounted cash-flow appraisal and cybersecurity constraints are discussed. The article does not claim causal estimates from enterprise-level data. Its principal contribution is an integrated framework for selecting, implementing and evaluating digital tools according to measurable productivity, profitability and resilience outcomes.