Meaning ● Epistemic injustice, within the SMB landscape, denotes the unfair devaluation of knowledge claims made by individuals or groups, especially employees, hindering effective implementation and adoption of new technologies and growth strategies. Essentially, it manifests when the insights of specific team members, due to their position, perceived expertise, or demographic characteristics, are systematically dismissed or overlooked, leading to flawed decision-making and impeding the successful automation of key business processes. Consequently, SMBs must actively cultivate an environment that values diverse perspectives to realize the full benefits of automation initiatives. Further examination reveals, disregarding employee expertise, even unintentionally, slows down innovation and problem resolution, impacting profitability. In addition, the lack of inclusive knowledge sharing also undermines employee morale and creates resistance to changes necessary for scaling operations. Dismissing employee contributions because of their perceived ‘lack of authority’ negatively impacts the organization’s innovation rate and overall adoption success. To successfully navigate market turbulence, SMBs have to overcome this to effectively grow, automate, and implement growth strategies that build a thriving environment. This fosters more open dialogue and more innovative implementations, creating competitive advantage.
