Effect of E-Marketing Adoption Strategy on Export Performance of SMEs

Abstract

Findings -This study finds the positive impact of allocation of e-marketing resources for marketing activities and confirms that mere adoption of e-marketing tools is not sufficient for improving marketing activities. Similarly, SMEs export performance is positively influenced by allocation of e-marketing budget, adoption of e-marketing tools and after sales activities, but pre sales activities does not produce significant effects on export performance of SMEs.Research limitations/implications--The data collected for this study was cross sectional in nature, whereas longitudinal approach is more suitable for such a study, therefore, care should be taken while generalizing the results of the study. Practical implications -The study points out that SME sector needs to be facilitated by providing IT infrastructure, training employees and resources for utilizing e-marketing at its full potential.

Factors Affecting the Adoption of E-Marketing by Decision Makers in SMEs

“…ThepositiveimpactoftechnologiesonthemarketingperformanceofSMEscannotbedenied, however, compared to larger organizations, SMEs are relatively slower to adopt e-marketing (Sharma&Goyal,2019;Aziz&Omar2013).Also,previousstudiesreportthatfactorsaffecting SMEsintheadoptionofe-marketingaredifferentfromlargeorganizations(Erumetal.,2017;Taiminen and Karjaluoto, 2015). Moreover, previous studies in the literature on technology adoption have used the terms 'e-business ', 'e-commerce', 'electronic' or 'online marketing', interchangeably,whichisincorrectsincethesetermshavedifferentmeanings(El-Gohary,2010;Erum et al, 2017). Consequently, this literature cannot fully determine whether the factors associatedwithe-marketingadoptioninSMEsaresimilartoe-businessande-commerceadoption ase-marketinghasdifferentcharacteristics.…”