The Adoption of Social Media Marketing by Home-based Businesses in Saudi Arabia

Social media applications have revolutionized doing business and attracted the attention of practitioners, scholars, and policymakers. Social media applications offer business owners plenty of benefits as it enables businesses to get exposed, gain competitive advantage, and communicate with customers. However, limited studies have considered measuring the adoption of social media marketing by micro-businesses, such as home-based businesses. This research examines social media adoption by home-based companies in Saudi Arabia using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A self-administered online questionnaire is utilized to collect data. A total of 188 home-based business owners completed the questionnaires. Structural equation modeling using SPSS, Amos is utilized for data analysis. The findings show that perceived usefulness and social influence positively impact the Intention to use social media marketing. Ease of use positively influences perceived usefulness. Further, the Intention to use has a subsequent impact on user behavior. The study has implications for policy, decision-makers, and the General authority of SMEs (Monsha’at) in Saudi Arabia. The research results show that social influence is a significant positive predictor of social media marketing usage. Besides, the Intention to use social media marketing has a statistically positive impact on user behavior. The study validates the TAM model in a rarely studied context due to its invisible nature. The authors also describe a profile of HBBs owners in Saudi Arabia by explaining their demographic and behavioral characteristics regarding owners’ gender, age and education, and prior experience. This paper contributes original empirical evidence on the adoption of social media marketing by the HBBs in Saudi Arabia. Given the lack of previous studies on this micro-business sector in general and Saudi Arabia, these findings are essential. The present study demonstrates several managerial implications. First of all, policymakers should consider this micro-business sector when developing policies and strategies to provide support and support. The government should establish an electronic platform that connects all business owners.

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Behavioral Intention Of Young Consumers Towards The Acceptance Of Social Media Marketing in Emerging Markets

Management ◽

10.2478/manment-2019-0047 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 69-93

Author(s):

Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao ◽

Nguyen Van Anh

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Behavioral Intention ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Quantitative Methods ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Social Media Marketing ◽

Intention To Use ◽

Qualitative And Quantitative ◽

Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽

Material Condition

SummaryThe study identifies the factors that influence marketing through social media of users in the Vietnam market, conducted through qualitative and quantitative methods. The research results show that Intention to use social media marketing is directly affected by Attitude towards advertisement and Attitude to electronic words of mouth. Additionally, perceived usefulness, Search Level and Perceived risk are factors that directly affect Attitude towards advertisement. Whereas, material condition and perceived usefulness are factors that affect Attitudes towards electronic words of mouth. This study also provides some implications for marketers through social networks to increase the confidence and effectiveness of marketing campaigns and programs through this channel.

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Saudi EFL Learners’ Perceptions of the Frequent Use of Spelling Correction Tools in Social Media

International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature ◽

10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.10n.4p.11 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 11

Author(s):

Reem Alsadoon

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Spelling Correction ◽

Efl Writing ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Frequent Use ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Media Applications

Spelling is an essential skill in EFL writing especially if writing is frequently used in texting through social media and smartphones. The study surveys Arabic EFL learners about their perceptions of using spelling correction tools: spell checkers and auto-correctors. The study focused on the perceived usefulness and ease of use of such tools in social media applications, since they are used frequently by the study’s participants. The questionnaire was sent online to 84 participants at Aljazeerah Academy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data was analyzed quantitively with descriptive and inferential statistics indicating that spell checkers are mostly perceived to be easier to use than auto-correctors. However, no significant difference was found in terms of learning the misspelled words.

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Blurring the borders between B2B and B2C: a model of antecedents behind usage of social media for travel planning

Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing ◽

10.1108/jbim-11-2018-0329 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (7) ◽

pp. 1468-1481 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Atanu Nath ◽

Parmita Saha ◽

Esmail Salehi-Sangari

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Information Quality ◽

User Behavior ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Intention To Use ◽

Content Type ◽

B2b Marketing ◽

Travel Planning ◽

Perceived Enjoyment ◽

Travel Industry

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to call for a scrutiny of the dualist approach to business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-customer (B2C) marketing in industries driven by consumer-generated content. It posits that individual consumer-centric factors are influential for B2B marketing as well in sectors such as the travel industry and investigates the determinants of tourists’ intention to use social media websites for travel planning. Design/methodology/approach Integrating constructs from IS and marketing literature, the paper proposes information quality and perceived enjoyment as antecedents of perceived usefulness, attitude and intention to use. The research model is tested using data from social media users with experience in travel planning. Findings Results show that perceived usefulness and information quality are stronger predictors of attitude and behavioral intention than perceived enjoyment. Enjoyment was not found to be strongly influential. Relevancy and reliability of information and its usefulness concerning travel-planning needs were found more influential. Research limitations/implications Data were collected from social media users, raising possible issues of representativeness. Practical implications The paper offers clarity regarding antecedents of downstream user behavior which can be of significant value. Demarcations in B2B and B2C perspectives blur in the context of social media, enabling more effective integration. Originality/value The paper brings in and validates the roles of information quality and enjoyment as influencers of behavior. Identifying the travel industry as a sector having greater likelihood of B2BC convergence, the paper extends IS adoption research to user-interactive sites in the travel-planning context, which can benefit the consumer as well as the supply side.

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Customer's Adoption of Mobile Government Services: The Role of Trust and Information Privacy

International Journal of Business and Management Research ◽

10.37391/ijbmr.090104 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 20-27

Author(s):

Dr. Sulaiman Althuwaini ◽

Dr. Mohamed Saleh Salem

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Technology Acceptance ◽

Mobile Services ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Mobile Technologies ◽

Security And Privacy ◽

Intention To Use ◽

Government Services ◽

The Impact

The purpose of the study is to examine the factors that impact the intention of Saudi citizens to use a mobile government smartphone application (Absher). Saudi Arabia seeks to invest and develop the infrastructure of the government’s mobile services, to be one of the leading countries in the region. Smartphone applications backed by mobile technologies have changed mobile services use which permit anywhere at any time access. Drawing on technology acceptance theories and relevant literature, this study developed and tested a structural model that integrates factors perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived privacy and trust in order to investigate the predictors of Absher use intention in the Saudi Arabia. The proposed model is tested using structural equation model (SEM) on data collected using an online questionnaire. Statistical analysis revealed that intention to use Absher was significantly associated with perceived trust, security and privacy, ease of use, and usefulness. Drawing on the technology acceptance model and trust theory, this study develops and empirically examines a model for users' intention to use mobile government services. This study contributes to the marketing literature by examining the impact of PU, PEOU and trust on mobile government services acceptance in developing countries.

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Social Media Marketing Web X.0 of Opportunities

Social Computing ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-984-7.ch150 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 2305-2316

Author(s):

Lemi Baruh

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Semantic Web ◽

Online Advertising ◽

Viral Marketing ◽

Social Media Marketing ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Future Trends ◽

The World ◽

Advertising Models ◽

Media Applications

In recent years social media applications, which enable consumers to contribute to the world of online content, have grown in popularity. However, this growth is yet to be transformed into a sustainable commercial model. Starting with a brief overview of existing online advertising models, this chapter discusses the opportunities available for advertisers trying to reach consumers through social media. The chapter focuses on viral marketing as a viable option for marketers, reviews recent viral marketing campaigns, and offers recommendations for a successful implementation of social media marketing. In conclusion, the author examines future trends regarding the utilization of the emerging Semantic Web in marketing online.

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Adoption of Social Media Using Technology Acceptance Model

International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction ◽

10.4018/ijthi.2014100102 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 18-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Vincent Dutot

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Technology Acceptance ◽

Technology Acceptance Model ◽

Point Of View ◽

Perceived Usefulness ◽

Social Media Marketing ◽

Quantitative Survey ◽

Digital Gap ◽

Acceptance Model ◽

Sem Analyses

1.4 billion Euros. This is the amount spent on social media marketing in Europe. This figure is expected to reach 3.2 billion in 2017 (Forrester, 2013), an increase of nearly 150%. However, from the point of view of literature, the concept of social media is still new even though the importance of technology in communication has been studied before. This research focuses on adoption of social media by investigating the digital gap that could exist between generations. Based on a quantitative survey (414 answers), CFA and SEM analyses were used to highlight the main influencers of adoption of social media per generation. Results show that age influences optimism, innovativeness, and perceived usefulness of adoption of social media.

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Impact of Social Media Applications on Small Business Entrepreneurs

Management and Economics Research Journal ◽

10.18639/merj.2015.02.200914 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 02 ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Malik Shahzad Shabbir ◽

Muhammad Saarim Ghazi ◽

Atta Rasool Mehmood ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Small Business ◽

Literature Review ◽

Small Businesses ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Business Owners ◽

Small Business Owners ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Media Applications ◽

The Impact

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of social media applications on small business entrepreneurs. It also examines how small business owners are motivated to use social media applications. Social media has completely transformed the way businesses are done. Social media applications in the present time have become the most efficient and effective tool for small business entrepreneurs, and normally all small businesses use social media platforms for the advertising and publicity of their products and services. They make fan pages for their followers, and they warmly welcome their suggestions and opinions, which help in improving their businesses. However, based on literature review, we conclude that there is a positive impact of social media applications on small business entrepreneurs as well as they are highly motivated to use these platforms.

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The effect of e-service quality, consumer trust and social media marketing on intention to use online transportation services

International Journal of Data and Network Science ◽

10.5267/j.ijdns.2021.4.001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 471-478 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zakiyah Zahara ◽

Elimawaty Rombe ◽

Ngatimun Ngatimun ◽

Judi Suharsono

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Service Quality ◽

Random Sampling ◽

Quantitative Methods ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Simple Random Sampling ◽

Social Media Marketing ◽

Consumer Trust ◽

Intention To Use ◽

Transportation Services

The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of e-service quality, consumer trust and social media marketing on intention to use online transportation services. The method used in this research is quantitative methods, data collection is executed by distributing questionnaires to consumers of Online Transportation Services. The population of this study is the Jabodetabek Online Transportation Services consumers whose numbers have not been identified with certainty. The questionnaire was distributed electronically using a simple random sampling technique. The results of the questionnaire returned were 180 respondents. Based on the results of data analysis, it is concluded that E-Service Quality has a significant effect on Intention to Use Online Transportation Services. Consumer Trust has no effect on Intention to Use Online Transportation Services. Social Media Marketing has a significant effect on Intention to Use Online Transportation Services.

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

Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing ◽

10.1108/jbim-04-2021-0235 ◽

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.

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