The Resistance of SMEs in Adopting Social Media:TOE Model

This study aims to analyze the resistance to adoption of social media technology in SMEs in Yogyakarta. This research was conducted through a survey of respondents in SMEs using a questionnaire. The number of respondents in this study was 150 SMEs. Data analyser using SEM-PLS. The results of this study indicate that adoption resistance is influenced by manager support, organizational readiness and knowledge of SME managers. Manager support is the most substantial determining factor for SMEs in adopting the technology. The contribution of this research is to add theoretical support to adoption resistance. The resistance to social media adoption in SMEs is unique because the adoption of social media technology is needed during difficult times such as during the Covid-19 pandemic, but many SMEs do not want to adopt it.

Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Marketing Applications During COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the outbreak of the novel SARS-CoV-2, machine learning and artificial intelligence (ML/AI) have become the powerful marketing tools to mitigate economic activities during COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of ML/AI technology is to provide data and insights so that brands can understand what’s working and what’s not. This will help marketers understand and anticipate what sort of communications work and how to deliver them. Therefore, these are such promising methods employed by various marketing providers. AI uses machine learning to adapt and make changes which impact marketing in real time. The exact impact of events such as the COVID-19 pandemic is hard to predict, but AI will help us track and anticipate these circumstances, as well as provide us with the data needed to proceed. This chapter deals with recent studies that use such advanced technology to increase researchers from different perspectives, address problems and challenges by using such an algorithm to assist marketing experts in real-world issues. This chapter also discusses suggestions conveying researchers on ML/AI-based model design, marketing experts, and policymakers on few errors encountered in the current situation while tackling the current pandemic.

Integrated Marketing Communications in Contexts of Eco Tours in Porto (Portugal): Challenges (Post) Covid-19

In the face of an increasingly competitive and global market, where communication channels are massified and where information sharing between consumers occurs in such a fast and uncontrolled way, brands need to reinvent their communication plans, with the aim of focus on the emotional side of the consumer. Thus, in this context, the integrated communication mix emerges as a competitive strategy to meet the needs of consumers. Therefore, the main objective of this chapter is to understand the role of the Integrated Marketing Communications in the context of an organization linked to ecological tours. This chapter presents contributions to the area of marketing and communication (integrated), tourism (ecological) and a response to the pandemic and post-pandemic scenario (i.e., covid-19), at the level of response strategies in the context of a pandemic in 2020 (through digital communication channels). A qualitative methodology was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with organizational managers in the context of ecological tours in Portugal (i.e., Ekoeasy case study). Ecotourism as a concept is neither easy to define, nor to implement. Ecotourism is a complex concept as it involves specialised niche markets that can share a lot of characteristics, preferences and motivations or vary for the same reasons. Future studies should allow to complement the present investigation, through empirical study and quantitative nature (i.e., questionnaires to tourist consumers in the North of Portugal).

The Matching Effect Between Coping Strategies and Construal Levels in Cause Marketing Communications

Given that the COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic impact on consumer attitudes toward cause marketing communications, this study addresses the problem of how psychological stress influences consumers’ prosocial behavior. Despite research suggesting that many aspects of consumer behavior may be understood in the context of consumer efforts to handle stress, cause marketing literature has not examined the role of stress and coping-based matching. Consequently, the aim of this study is to provide evidence that a match between individuals’ coping and construal levels in advertisements drives greater persuasion. This study further addresses the mindset congruency effects on consumers’ prosocial behavior occurs through response efficacy. Understanding how psychological stress influences consumers’ prosocial behavior would help advertisers understand how they can encourage consumers to cope with specific types of stress by presenting them with more effective cause marketing campaign messages, resulting in purchasing products associated with social cause.

Strategic Perspectives of the Digital Marketing Transformation as An Enabler of Technological Change in Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic expands the proportions of its influence throughout the world, businesses are incessantly inspecting adapted techniques for developing a governance model that as core principles amalgamate the organizational change and digital transformation, inducing response to the triggered strong need of restructuring the management processes, marketing and communication strategies, organizational policies and procedures. By promoting a discourse that examines the impact of digitalization on the marketing communication channels in businesses, we aim to stress the importance of discovering a proper approach of developing business practices focussed on fostering a technological change in organizations and the development of adapted communication strategies. The dynamic nature of current marketing trends, increase the need of implementing innovative technologies and communication tools resulting in greater customer reach and customer retention. To improve the efficiency of marketing strategies, organizations should behold of the intraorganizational challenges and the potential strategic management approaches taken in consideration the regulatory and legal environments in which businesses operate. Hence, we attempt to identify the marketing and managerial implications of the current COVID-19 crisis and provide suggestions for proper resource allocation in terms of digitalization, resulting in enhanced operational excellence, effectiveness and efficiency. Notwithstanding the fact that environmental complexity led to organizational complexity as proposed by the contingency theory, it is out of major importance for businesses to find ways to enhance processes and utter digitalization in the marketing-communication strategies as part of organization’s internal environment, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.