The impact of E-marketing use on small business enterprises' marketing success

Factors stimulating value micro-businesses attribute to digital marketing technology (DMT) adoption

Most micro-business managers in Nigeria do not see the adoption of digital marketing technology (DMT) as vital for business. Many consider it as a precondition to support managerial or operational activities, not as a tactical and/or strategic tool. Although most studies focused on large organisations, the outcome of such research may not be appropriate to micro-businesses. This is informed by the negligence of micro-businesses’ idiosyncrasies and their thought of digitalization as a precondition for managerial activities without considering the value small businesses attached to these devices in terms of aiding the use as strategic tools. This renders micro-businesses’ digitalization an under-reflected phenomenon. Yet, studies spend less on examining the factors that specifically stimulate the value micro-businesses attach to these applications, leading to constant adoption and usage. Hence, there is a need for a thorough exploration of the factors that shape the value of digital marketing applications in micro-businesses in Nigeria. The study is qualitative in nature and interviews (unstructured and semi-structured) were carried out with 26 micro-businesses which was drawn purposefully from the online database and underpinned by Technology, Organisation and Environment (TOE) framework. The study revealed eleven (11) critical success factors stimulating value micro-businesses attribute to digital marketing technology (DMT) adoption. These factors include long-term functional capacity, integration capacity, expansion capacity which are related to technology context. Collective capability, collaborative experience are linked to the organisation context while adaptive training, service delivery, customer fulfilment are linked to environmental context. The study also unveiled expectancy context which is linked to budget, growth and profitability and aid in the extension of the TOE framework. This study will be of importance to academics and practitioners because it provides further awareness into DMT adoption framework, factors critical to the DMT adoption and may assist in reducing the number of resources spent in search of information aimed at helping DMT adoption by micro-businesses.

Towards Strategic Business Performance of the Hospitality Sector: Nexus of ICT, E-Marketing and Organizational Readiness

Purpose: This study aims to present a strategic business performance (SBP) model for firms operating in the hospitality industry by providing them guidance on how to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) and e-marketing to attain strategic performance. This paper also explores the moderating role of organizational readiness in the relationship between ICT and e-marketing. Methodology: Data were collected from the top, middle, and operational managers in 4-star and 5-star hotels. To test the mediating role of e-marketing in the relationship between ICT and SBP, Preacher and Hayes’s (2008) approach was used along with the bootstrap method. Regression analysis was carried out to examine the moderating role of organizational readiness. Findings: ICTs provide opportunities to execute e-marketing activities for achieving competitiveness. The empirical findings proved that the use of ICTs provides a basis for establishing a successful e-marketing mechanism that helps hotels to achieve SBP. Furthermore, ICTs’ influence on e-marketing is strengthened by organizational readiness. Originality/value: This paper adds to previous literature on ICTs, SBP, and e-marketing by examining the role of e-marketing and ICTs in positively contributing to the hotels’ SBP, which is a broader measure of firms’ business performance, as compared to the traditional financial or operational measures of a firm’s performance. Since previous studies on the links between ICTs, e-marketing, and firm performance are based on conventional measures of firm performance, this study offers new insights into the nexus of ICTs, e-marketing, and firm performance.

The effects of e-marketing orientation on strategic business performance

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of e-marketing orientation (EMO) on strategic business performance (SBP) in presence of e-trust.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from CEOs, finance managers, IT managers, Policy makers, owners and Managing Directors of SMEs located in two big cities of Pakistan (Islamabad and Peshawar). Correlation, regression and bootstrap analysis was conducted to check the relationship among independent, mediating and dependent variables.

Findings

Based on empirical findings of the responses from managerial staff, it is suggested that strategic performance largely depends on EMO and e-trust.

Research limitations/implications

The authors recommend that further studies are required to test the propositions in longitudinal research design for achieving in-depth insights.

Practical implications

It has been observed that SMEs in developing countries pay less attention toward its strategic goals. This research discusses an implementation approach based on solid theoretical foundations to achieve the SBP.

Originality/value

This study tests e-trust as a mediator between EMO and SBP, therefore, makes a significant contribution to the literature of SMEs by focusing on the link between EMO, e-trust and SBP.