Why and how do individual entrepreneurs use digital channels in an emerging market? Determinants of use and channel coordination

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moez Bellaaj
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Marketing Channels ◽  
Channel Coordination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
Offline Channels ◽  
Digital Channels ◽  
Young Entrepreneurs

PurposeMany studies have examined the use of social media by either customers or firms, especially in developed markets. However, little is known about why young individual entrepreneurs use digital channels (DCs) as business platforms in emerging markets (EMs) and how they integrate them into their marketing activities. This paper aims to try filling this gap.Design/methodology/approachGiven the exploratory nature of this research, the authors employ a qualitative approach based on a focus group (12 participants) and semi-structured interviews (8 participants) with young entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. The authors adopted a deductive thematic analysis based on pre-determined theoretical frameworks to analyse and interpret the data.FindingsThe authors found that the young entrepreneurs mainly used Instagram, Snapchat and, to a moderate extent, YouTube as digital marketing channels for advertising purposes. However, they used WhatsApp for establishing direct contact and personalising communication with customers. The entrepreneurs used these channels because they are useful, easy to use, cost-effective, fun and widely used by local customers. The authors also found that the entrepreneurs used social media and offline channels conjointly in three main marketing activities (communication/promotion, transactions and customer service) to boost the customer purchasing process. The complementarity of social media and offline channels was found to improve brand visibility, enlarge markets and strengthen the customer relationship. However, the achievement of these benefits varied across small firms depending on the entrepreneurs' abilities in coordinating multiple channels and according to the distinctiveness of their businesses.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the entrepreneurial literature by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to explain the motives behind the use of DCs amongst individual entrepreneurs. Furthermore, this paper proposes a novel theoretical framework for studying the interaction between online and offline marketing channels during the purchasing process. Through this framework, the study provides new insights into channel coordination and multi-channel customer behaviours from the entrepreneur's perspective.Practical implicationsThis study helps understand why small firms use different DCs. Likewise, it shows how young entrepreneurs coordinate online/offline channels in a complementary manner. The findings could also help in designing appropriate programmes encouraging young entrepreneurs to use online channels and social media to enhance their business activities.Originality/valueThis study offers a novel attempt at explaining the use of DCs and their interaction with traditional channels from the entrepreneur's perspective and brings new insights to why and how young entrepreneurs use DCs in an emerging market.

The influence of social media marketing activities on customer loyalty

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 3882-3905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayank Yadav ◽  
Zillur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Customer Equity ◽  
Social Media Marketing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
Theoretical Support ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of perceived social media marketing activities (SMMAs) on customer loyalty via customer equity drivers (CEDs) in an e-commerce context.Design/methodology/approachThe study surveyed 371 students from a large university in India. The data were analyzed via confirmatory factor analysis and the research hypotheses were examined using SEM.FindingsThe study revealed three key findings. First, perceived SMMAs of e-commerce comprise five dimensions, namely, interactivity, informativeness, word-of-mouth, personalization and trendiness. Second, perceived SMMAs of e-commerce have significantly and positively influenced all the drivers of customer equity (CEDs). Third, the CEDs of e-commerce exhibit a significant and positive influence on customer loyalty toward the e-commerce sites.Practical implicationsThis study will help e-commerce managers to boost customer loyalty toward the e-commerce sites through perceived SMMA.Originality/valueThe study is the first to identify five dimensions of e-commerce perceived SMMA. The current study also introduces the stimulus–organism–response model as a theoretical support to connect perceived SMMAs of e-commerce to customers’ loyalty via CEDs. This is supposed to be the first study to examine the impact of perceived SMMA on customer loyalty toward the e-commerce sites via CEDs in the e-commerce industry.

scholarly journals Forming Partnership Relations by Applying Social Media Marketing Tools

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (46) ◽  
pp. 201-209
Author(s):  
N. V. Proskurnina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Social Media Marketing ◽  
Brand Awareness ◽  
Social Success ◽  
The Social ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
Digital Channels

The purpose of the article is to study the main digital channels of marketing activities and determine the methodology of building partnership relations in the value chain in social networks for retail operators. The research results in determining the basic digital channels, tools and technologies influencing the efficiency of carrying out the market promotion strategy for the goods produced by a retail enterprise. Several key benefits of using social media in the retail marketing strategy have been identified. The process of building partnership relations in the value chain in social networks has also been formed. Since the first step to building partnership relations in the value chain in social networks is to define goals and objectives, common goals for retail operators have been identified. It has been proved that the general goals for retail operators can be as follows: to increase brand awareness; to increase sales quality and return on investment; to create a loyal fan base. It has been pointed out that social media marketing can help to reach a number of goals, such as: increasing the web-site traffic; creating quality leads (perspective customers who have reacted in any way to the marketing interaction); constructing conversions; increasing brand awareness; creating the brand identity and a positive brand association; improving communication and interaction with target audiences. The social success cycle, comprising four stages (social listening, social influence, social network, social selling), has been mentioned, and the essence of each stage has been defined. Besides, the goals and performance metrics of each stage within the social success cycle have been summarized. The formation of methodological foundations for evaluating the effectiveness of marketing activities in the context of digital transformation using the generalized Harrington desirability function can serve as the prospect for further research.

scholarly journals Motives to engage with sports brands on Facebook and Instagram–The case of a Portuguese football club

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-349
Author(s):  
Joana César Machado ◽  
Carla Carvalho Martins ◽  
Frederico Correia Ferreira ◽  
Susana Costa e Silva ◽  
Paulo Alexandre Duarte
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Influence ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Content Consumption ◽  
The Social ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
The Impact

PurposeSocial network sites are key marketing tools that allow brands to connect and engage with consumers. However, there is still a lack of evidence of their value for football brands. This research aims to understand the motivations for fans to engage with their favourite football brands on Facebook and Instagram.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was performed, resulting in 214 valid responses. As the social media strategy followed by the football brand analysed was built around games, the authors divided fans into two groups based on the main method in which the club's games are watched: in stadium versus mediated. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between motivations and fans' engagement, through content consumption and contribution, on Facebook and Instagram. Analysis was performed first with the whole sample and then by group (stadium attendance vs mediated attendance fans).FindingsThe findings show that social influence, entertainment, searching for information and rewards are the most relevant motivations for consumers to engage with brand-related content on Facebook. Entertainment, rewards and social influence are the main motivations influencing consumer interactions on Instagram. Group moderation was only confirmed in the impact of social influence on Facebook page content consumption.Originality/valueThe results provide valuable insights into the social media marketing activities of sports brands, which will assist brand managers to develop strategies for effectively stimulating engagement with the different groups of fans.

Analysis of content creation in social media by B2B companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 761-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauri Huotari ◽  
Pauliina Ulkuniemi ◽  
Saila Saraniemi ◽  
Minna Mäläskä
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Personal Relationships ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Content Type ◽  
B2b Marketing ◽  
Content Creation ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
Business To Business

Purpose – The present study aims to examine how business-to-business (B2B) marketers can influence content creation in social media. Social media tools are becoming an interesting component of B2B marketing because of the roles of personal relationships and interactions in these markets. However, research has not approached social media content creation from a B2B marketing perspective. Design/methodology/approach – Social media tools are becoming an interesting component of B2B marketing because of the roles of personal relationships and interactions in these markets. However, research has not approached social media content creation from a B2B marketing perspective. The present study examines how B2B marketers can influence content creation in social media. Findings – The paper proposes that B2B firms engaging in social media as part of their marketing efforts should carefully consider the roles and activities of various users, which are directed to and by different internal and external users. B2B companies can influence content creation in social media directly by adding new content, participating in discussions and removing content through corporate user accounts and controlling employee social media behavior or indirectly by training employees to create desired content and performing marketing activities that influence other users to create content that is favorable for the company. Originality/value – The study contributes to the theoretical discussion over B2B marketing communication and the role of social media in it.

Modelling factors of social media usage by B2B salespersons: an emerging market study

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ratan Kumar ◽  
Vibhava Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Individual Factors ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to extend and contribute to the evolving phenomenon of social media usage by business-to-business (B2B) salespersons. It draws on the interactional psychology model and extended technology acceptance model to explore the said phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based quantitative study was carried out. Responses were gathered through a self-administered and structured questionnaire, from 218 B2B salespersons who were pooled in using purposive and snowball sampling. The final data set was subjected to partial least squares-based structural equation modelling using WarpPLS 7.0. Findings This study found that individual factors, namely, salesperson’s social media competence and sales capabilities; organizational factors, namely, organizational commitment and organizational competence; and social factors, namely, image, result demonstrability and subjective norms, contribute positively and significantly towards social media usage by B2B salespeople. The study also found that the impact of individual factors on intention to use social media was partially mediated by its perceived usefulness, while in the case of organizational and social factors, the impact was fully mediated by its perceived ease of use. Research limitations/implications This study provides a valuable addition to the existing literature on sales and social media; however, the contextualization cannot be ignored. Practical implications This study enables firms to understand various factors affecting salespeople’ perception of social media and to make them appreciate its usage in improving sales performance and customer satisfaction. Originality/value It is the first study that models the factors of salespeople’s usage of social media in their job at three levels, namely, individual, organizational and social, and establishes the link between B2B salespersons’ perceived usefulness of social media, sales capabilities, social media competence and intention to use social media.

Impact of online social media activities on marketing of green products

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meesha Gupta ◽  
Asif Ali Syed
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Media Marketing ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Green Products ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
Indian Consumers ◽  
Premium Price ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify, empirically analyze and validate the relationship between various social media marketing activities influencing the attitude of Indian consumers toward green products and their willingness to pay (WTP) a premium price for them. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from 536 respondents who not only use various social media channels for purchases and gaining information but also prefer and buy green products across India. Exploratory factor analysis was done for the refinement and validation of the questionnaire items, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationship among various variables. Findings The findings of the empirical study confer consumer’s attitude toward green products being shaped by four main social media marketing activities, namely, word of mouth, interaction, entertainment and customization, whereas trendiness was found to be insignificant toward predicting consumer’s attitude. The positive attitude so formed has a significant and positive impact on the willingness of consumers to pay a premium price for green products. Originality/value This research takes a lead in analyzing the construct WTP a premium for green products because this has been comparably less explored in Indian context. As spending a little extra by Indian consumers is a super sensitive issue, studying their willingness is therefore an important construct to be taken into account.

Firm innovation and access to finance: firm-level evidence from India

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Parneet Kaur ◽  
Navneet Kaur ◽  
Paras Kanojia
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Innovation Performance ◽  
Innovation Activity ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Firm Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Based on 9,281 firm-level survey data on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India, this study aims to investigate how access to different finance sources and collateral requirement facilitates the firm’s innovation activity across industries. Design/methodology/approach This paper used ordered logit regression models using Stata software for explanatory variables to measure the impact of explanatory variables on firm innovation performance. Firms’ innovation performance is measured through the aggregate innovation index obtained by adding up the no. of “new-to-firm” activities. Findings The empirical results reveal that external sources of funding impact innovation activity than other financing sources. Also, the requirement of collateral for financing impacts innovation performance significantly. This paper finds that firms funded by state-owned banks or government agency are more actively engaged in innovation activities. The firm’s size, ownership structure and location of the firm also show the varying innovation performance. This paper found variation in innovation performance across industries as well. Practical implications First, the present study underlines the significance of funding sources. Second, minimizing the need for collateral to obtain external finance boosts small firms’ innovation activity and will also trigger overall economic growth. Finally, while making policies for ownership transformation of state-owned institutions, policymakers should discuss these policies’ impact on innovative firms. Originality/value What facilitates innovation performance in an emerging market is missing in the literature for MSMEs, largely due to lack of data. It is reasonable not to generalize innovation knowledge in large firms to small firms because of the constraints, particularly MSMEs face.

Art marketing as an emerging area in an emerging market

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-52
Author(s):  
Aylin Ecem Gürşen
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Art Market ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
Art Marketing

PurposeIn this study, art is considered as a product subjected to marketing activities. In this context, this study aims to present a conceptual framework covering the research areas related to art marketing, the relation of art product with brand and consumer and how internet technologies can transform the art market. Finally, the situation of art marketing and its progressing process in a developing country and its potential horizons was discussed.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a literature review to present a conceptual framework about art marketing activities and their potential horizons in an emerging country.FindingsGlobalization, digitalization, democratization of access to art products, art becoming a subject for marketing, open up new horizons for western markets as well as for developing countries. Developing countries constitute a new market segment for the art market. Addressing the changes and the transformations in art market in terms of these markets will provide important opportunities for marketing researchers and practitioners.Originality/valueThis study elaborates the art marketing concept in a developing country. The marketing of art is a subject studied and elaborated mostly in western countries. It is thought that this study is differentiated in terms of addressing these dynamics from a developing country point of view.

Internationalisation of Central and Eastern European small firms

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Cristina Stoian ◽  
Alex Rialp ◽  
Josep Rialp ◽  
Robin Jarvis
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Foreign Market ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Uppsala Model ◽  
Business Partners ◽  
Network Building

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the internationalisation of small firms from a Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) country with an emerging market economy, while accounting for the constantly changing institutional framework as well as resource (un)availability which may influence their involvement in foreign market operations. In doing so, it supports the applicability of the revised Uppsala internationalisation process model (2009), which highlights the key role of networks for international activity. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on a qualitative approach leading to multiple case studies. The main source of data is semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted within six small firms. Findings – The revisited Uppsala model proves to be generally valid for the small firms analysed in this study. Networks play a crucial role for knowledge creation and exchange, and frequently represent the most reliable resource at firms’ disposal. Trust is an indispensable ingredient that shapes network relationships. Institutional changes acted as push factors for small firms’ internationalisation. Research limitations/implications – Policy-makers and entrepreneurs should direct their efforts at encouraging international network building and the formation of partnerships. Specific policy-driven actions should facilitate the connection between (international) entrepreneurs and potential foreign business partners. Originality/value – This study brings insights to the revised Uppsala model, particularly considering the continuous and relatively rapid changes within the institutional environment that interact with the experiential learning curve and resource accumulation and subsequent commitment to foreign markets. Furthermore, it is one of the few studies that address the internationalisation of small firms from a CEE economy.

Pacari Chocolate: preserving biodiversity, living without regret

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel C. Lupton ◽  
Angélica Sánchez ◽  
Annette Kerpel
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Agricultural Product ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Market Opportunities ◽  
Marketing Activities

Subject area Emerging Markets. Study level/applicability Undergraduate, Masters. Case overview Pacari Chocolate is the flagship brand of SKS Farms CIA Ltda., located in Quito, Ecuador. The company specializes in organic chocolate production which it sells in Ecuador and exports to other Latin American, European and North American markets. The company began operation in 2002, founded by Carla Barbotó and her husband Santiago Peralta. Carla is the Director of SKS and Santiago is General Manager. The case is set just after Santiago negotiated a deal to supply Emirates Airlines with mini bars to be distributed to flight passengers. Santiago is excited about this new deal, which will provide a new revenue stream, enhance brand image and potentially create new customers. Carla and Santiago pursue excellence with their products, as evidenced by over 160 awards, many globally recognized. However, their mission is also very much social in that they seek to improve the lives of Andean farmers, indigenous peoples and broader Ecuadorean society. The principle author uses this case in a course on innovative approaches to engaging emerging market opportunities, in which shared (social + economic) value and the formation of strong national industries are key outcomes, to be addressed through complementary market and non-market entrepreneurship strategies. Expected learning outcomes Expected learning outcomes are as follows: to identify the contextual challenges faced by an emerging market firm, and explain what must be done to overcome them; to identify the role of a firm in developing a national competency in an agricultural product industry; to demonstrate the creation of “shared value” and examine how the social mission of a company can reinforce and sustain its economic value creating activities; and to generate and evaluate options for developing international markets when a firm has limited resources to invest in marketing activities. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

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