Resource-dependent small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing economies must keep up with large enterprises and self-sufficient SMEs, necessitating their digital transformation. Due to their usual lack of necessary resources such as digital skills and financial means, and their heavy reliance on external entities, many countries have established support systems to assist these resource-dependent SMEs in this undertaking. To ensure appropriate support, it is crucial to evaluate the digital maturity of such SMEs. Although there are numerous models and assessment tools available for assessing digital maturity, regrettably, none of these models adequately addresses the challenges faced by resource-dependent SMEs. This paper tackles the issue of assessing digital maturity specifically for resource-dependent SMEs, proposing a conceptual research framework for this purpose. In this study, the systematic Literature Review (SLR) encompassing comparative analysis methodology is employed to identify the dimensions of digital maturity in SMEs. The lens through which this analysis is conducted is the Resource Dependence Theory (RDT), which allows for the inclusion of the distinctive characteristics exhibited by resource-dependent SMEs. The paper concludes with the presentation of a theoretical conceptual framework that awaits the engagement of researchers to validate and test its propositions using empirical data.