Retail Marketing Competencies in an Omnichannel World: A Post-Pandemic Shopping Revolution

Abstract

The pandemic has significantly impacted Metro Manila's local businesses in the Philippines. A series of lockdowns and government-imposed restrictions incapacitated the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) because no customers could shop physically. Consequently, traditional or legacy brands shifted online alongside web-born companies or digital native vertical brands (DNBV). There has been a surge in internet marketing activity, especially on social media. In the post-pandemic era, online and offline activities underwent a metamorphosis beyond brand engagement. This study examined the elements that led to the redirection of MSMEs' marketing competencies, omnichannel strategies, and brand engagement using Kahn's success matrix via survey research. One hundred two (102) retailers from different MSMEs in Metro Manila participated in the survey, which consisted of sixteen cities and a municipality. Multivariate analysis, path analysis, and t-tests were used to analyze the results. The shopping revolution goes beyond shifting from physical stores to online as customers increasingly demand seamless integration across all channels. Therefore, marketing capabilities must align with firms' omnichannel initiatives to reimagine engagement and maximize opportunities in the new normal. Since the study was limited to Metro Manila, findings may not apply elsewhere. Indeed, businesses frequently face crises, whether a natural disaster, an economic slump, or a health issue. However, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated specific processes, making it difficult for MSMEs to recover and regain pace as they cannot stay purely online or offline. The study's findings had essential implications for MSME operations in Metro Manila as local businesses attempt to bounce back and regain momentum in the post-pandemic phase.

Strategic Human Resource Management Practices as Antecedents of Employee Corporate Entrepreneurial Intensity

“…Empirical evidence from existing literature also showed that performance appraisal reinforces corporate entrepreneurship (CE). The evaluated performance of employees, both individual or group (i.e., departmental), yields insights and clarifies expectations that can improve work quality and generate new thoughts (Khan, et al, 2014;Guillen, 2023) toward the formation and development of a firm's CE culture. Hence, a more competent performance appraisal process offers a better depiction of the firm's fortes and faintness, which then eases the integration and continuous improvement of CE.…”

“…Hence, the set of SHRMP must be tailored according to specific aspects of institutional culture and considerations relating to local market scenarios (Mustafa et al, 2016). In this regard, human capital management entails the competent and professional setting of objectives, procedures, and stratagem (Kassa & Tsigu, 2021;Guillen, 2023).…”

“…Tang et al (2019) found that highly-trained employees do not require supervision as they consistently demonstrate high morale and job satisfaction. HRs have since gained a distinct strategic value for firms to respond to the rapidly changing and highly competitive environment (Elia et al, 2017;Guillen, 2023). Specifically, Amami et al ( 2014) claimed that firms can acquire their competitive advantage through the recruitment, employment, and retention of competent and highly skilled personnel.…”

“…Applying the resource-based theory, earlier studies proposed that firms will benefit from employing strategic human resources management (SHRM), or the act of developing appropriate human resource management (HRM) guidelines and processes according to the firm's overall strategies (Ahmad et al, 2016;Guillen, 2022). Also defined as a collective of practices that include performance appraisals, remuneration structures, and training and development (Avdeeva et al, 2019;Guillen, 2023), SHRM has been proven to boost performance at individual and organizational levels, across different regions (Byrne et al, 2016). While there is a wide range of academic references examining the relationship between SHRM and organizational performance, the amount of research studying SHRM's effect on corporate entrepreneurship (CE), especially in unique contexts, remains relatively scant.…”

“…Zahra (1996) and Miller (1983) considered leadership and organizational structure as factors influencing CE, whereas Nohria and Gulati (1996) studied how the availability of organizational resources affects CE and Barringer and Bluedorn (1999) examined the influence of strategic management on CE. Various research also showed that a firm's CE is strengthened by promoting the employees' personal and professional development as they seize advancement opportunities within the organization (Castrogiovanni et al, 2011;Guillen, 2023). Nevertheless, while the effective management of human capital can be the key to successful entrepreneurial activities, there is currently limited research studying the influence of SHRMP and other internal management practices on developing CE among firms.…”