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1 – 10 of over 33000Ismail Abdi Changalima, Baraka Israel, David Amani, Faustine Peter Panga, Shadrack Samwel Mwaiseje, Alban Dismas Mchopa, Isaac Kazungu and Ismail Juma Ismail
This study aims to examine the influence of procedural capabilities for public procurement participation on small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) sales performance in Tanzania…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the influence of procedural capabilities for public procurement participation on small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) sales performance in Tanzania. Also, the study establishes the interaction effect of internet marketing capabilities on the relationship between procedural capabilities and sales performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted confirmatory factor analysis and PROCESS macro for simple interaction analysis to analyse cross-sectional data that were obtained through questionnaire from surveyed SMEs’ managers. The included SMEs are those that are involved in supplying goods, services and works to public entities in Dodoma, Tanzania.
Findings
The findings reveal that procedural capabilities for participation in public procurement enhance SMEs to improve sales performance. Also, there is a significant and positive relationship between internet marketing capabilities and sales performance. Lastly, internet marketing capabilities strengthen the relationship between procedural capabilities and sales performance.
Social implications
This study is a wake-up call to SMEs to better comprehend public procurement procedures and e-business practices to use the available public procurement opportunities. It is argued that SMEs should invest in technology to market their businesses through social media and online platforms. According to the study, SMEs may benefit from improving their sales performance by fully utilising their internet marketing capabilities and participating in public procurement opportunities.
Originality/value
This study adds to the two main streams of literature that emphasise harnessing public procurement opportunities for SMEs (through public procurement participation) and leveraging internet marketing capabilities for SMEs to improve their sales performance.
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Chia-Ling (Eunice) Liu, Yingying Zhang-Zhang and Pervez Nasim Ghauri
The paper aims to explore the influential path of internet marketing capabilities impacting international market performance. The paper further investigates the mitigating roles…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore the influential path of internet marketing capabilities impacting international market performance. The paper further investigates the mitigating roles of market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors and knowledge internalization in this relationship. The effect of internet use for customer management on internet marketing capabilities is also examined.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 618 firms with sales in international markets were approached to participate. Data were collected from a sample of 132 Taiwanese firms and analyzed using a structural equation model.
Findings
Use of internet for customer management positively influences internet marketing capabilities. The results also support the positive impacts of internet marketing capabilities on market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors. Knowledge internalization mediates the relationships between market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors and international market performance.
Research limitations/implications
This paper’s investigation of the role of internet marketing capability in international market performance contributes to online internationalization, strategic orientations and organizational learning theory.
Practical implications
Managers should focus on developing internet marketing capabilities in management culture and fostering market- and entrepreneurial-oriented behaviors to facilitate knowledge internalization for better international performance.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the construction of an alternative and comprehensive mechanism to understand the influences of internet marketing capabilities on the firm’s international performance.
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Differences in digital adoption between firms call for a clearer conceptualization of digital marketing capabilities (DMCs). The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to offer a…
Abstract
Purpose
Differences in digital adoption between firms call for a clearer conceptualization of digital marketing capabilities (DMCs). The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to offer a conceptualization of DMCs from a relational dynamic capabilities perspective and (2) to explore performance outcomes of DMCs for international firms, taking into account firm size and entrepreneurial orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey on a sample of 167 international firms is used and analyzed using hierarchical regression.
Findings
DMCs contribute positively to performance. Firms with greater entrepreneurial orientation leverage DMCs more effectively and have better performance. Small firms with strong digital capabilities perform as well as medium-sized firms. Large firms perform marginally better than small and medium-sized firms.
Research limitations/implications
This paper complements previous IB studies that only study customer-related or supplier- and channel-related IT adoption. It is based on a more holistic conceptualization of DMCs, and draws on market sensing, customer-linking, customer retention, supplier relationship and channel bonding capabilities. It offers new empirical evidence for the positive impact of DMCs on firm performance. It also contributes to small and medium-sized enterprise and digital entrepreneurship literature by comparing the performance outcomes of DMCs for different size firms with varying degrees of entrepreneurial orientation.
Practical implications
This study provides implementable measures of DMCs. The findings encourage firms to develop entrepreneurial orientation alongside DMCs.
Originality/value
This paper presents DMCs as relational dynamic capabilities and shows the moderating effect of entrepreneurial orientation and firm size on the DMCs–performance relationship.
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Constanza Bianchi, Charmaine Glavas and Shane Mathews
Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from emerging markets in Latin America are increasingly engaging in internationalization. Nevertheless, there is limited research into…
Abstract
Purpose
Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from emerging markets in Latin America are increasingly engaging in internationalization. Nevertheless, there is limited research into how these firms achieve international performance. The purpose of this paper is to examine managerial and technology-related capabilities and their impact on international performance of SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on data from 233 Chilean SMEs, a model is developed and tested using structural equation modeling. Specifically, the model considers the role of international entrepreneurial orientation and internet technology capabilities on SME international performance, taking into account the mediating effect of international entrepreneurial opportunity recognition and technology-related international networks.
Findings
Results show that international entrepreneurial opportunity recognition and international networks mediate the relationship between international entrepreneurial orientation and internet technology capabilities on SME international performance.
Research limitations/implications
The context for the study is Chile. However, this is an important emerging market in Latin America with a strong focus on SME internationalization. The research design is cross-sectional and so does not allow for any causal claims to be made.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the relatively scant but increasing number of empirical studies which investigate the link between internationalization strategy and SME performance in emerging market contexts.
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Shane Mathews, Keith J. Perks, Constanza Bianchi, Hsiu-Li Chen and Charmaine Glavas
The purpose of this study is to investigate how Internet capabilities influence international business relationships using the resource-based view and capabilities perspective…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate how Internet capabilities influence international business relationships using the resource-based view and capabilities perspective. Many studies highlight the importance of the Internet in helping smaller firms internationalize. However, few studies actually test how this is happening. The central purpose of this research was to examine and test the impact of Internet capabilities on international information availability, international strategic orientation and international business relationships in a sample of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Australia, Chile and Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a structural equation modeling process so as to test the Internet capabilities on international business networks. The empirical research is based on an analysis of a sample of internationalizing SMEs in three export-intensive markets in Australia (215), Chile (204) and Taiwan (130) to test a conceptual model.
Findings
The results demonstrate that Internet capabilities have a distinct effect on the development of international business relationships for SMEs in the three countries. That is, Internet capabilities have a positive impact on a firm's international business relationships, but this varies across Australian and Taiwanese and Chilean SMEs.
Originality/value
These studies give empirical validation on the way in which smaller firms are using Internet capabilities for leveraging networks in internationalization and how this varies across countries. The results demonstrate that Internet capabilities have a distinct and positive impact on the development of international business relationships for SMEs in the three countries. However, there are specific differences between countries in how the Internet is being leveraged for the development of international business networks. Something currently not highlighted in the body of knowledge.
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Constantine Katsikeas, Leonidas Leonidou and Athina Zeriti
The purpose of this paper is to explore the opportunities and challenges facing firms in this new digital era concerning their international marketing strategy and examine how…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the opportunities and challenges facing firms in this new digital era concerning their international marketing strategy and examine how international marketing practices can be revisited in the light of these developments. Consideration is given to a range of relevant issues involved in the design and deployment of effective international marketing strategies using internet-enabled technologies. Such factors relate to internal company requirements, the external environmental situation, foreign market selection and entry, international marketing mix programs, and strategy implementation and control aspects.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual paper identifies, structures and presents systematically factors influencing international marketing strategy, implementation and control using digital technologies.
Findings
The authors point to the relevance and potentially important role that the deployment of online organizational resources and capabilities play in influencing foreign market selection and entry decisions and international marketing strategy choices, implementation and control. The authors thus explain how the use of digital technologies can facilitate the firm’s foreign market choices and the adoption of effective marketing programs, and offer insights into the adoption of digital tools in more effectively implementing and controlling the firm’s international marketing strategy.
Originality/value
The originality and value of this conceptual study is reflected in the identification and discussion of factors comprising the organizing framework of an international marketing strategy using internet-enabled technologies and in the examination of fruitful avenues of future investigation as a result of the need to redesign international marketing strategies in a new digital era.
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Yi-Shun Wang, Timmy H. Tseng, Yu-Min Wang and Chun-Wei Chu
Understanding people’s intentions to be an internet entrepreneur is an important issue for educators, academics and practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to develop and…
Abstract
Purpose
Understanding people’s intentions to be an internet entrepreneur is an important issue for educators, academics and practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a scale to measure internet entrepreneurial self-efficacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on an analysis of 356 responses, a scale of internet entrepreneurial self-efficacy is validated in accordance with established scale development procedures.
Findings
The internet entrepreneurial self-efficacy scale has 16 items under three factors (i.e. leadership, technology utilization and internet marketing and e-commerce). The scale demonstrated adequate convergent validity, discriminant validity and criterion-related validity. Nomological validity was established by the positive correlation between the scale and, respectively, internet entrepreneurship knowledge and entrepreneurial intention.
Originality/value
This study is a pioneering effort to develop and validate a scale to measure internet entrepreneurial self-efficacy. The results of this study are helpful to researchers in building internet entrepreneurship theories and to educators in assessing and promoting individuals’ internet entrepreneurial self-efficacy and behavior.
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Silvia Massa, Maria Carmela Annosi, Lucia Marchegiani and Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli
This study aims to focus on a key unanswered question about how digitalization and the knowledge processes it enables affect firms’ strategies in the international arena.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to focus on a key unanswered question about how digitalization and the knowledge processes it enables affect firms’ strategies in the international arena.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conduct a systematic literature review of relevant theoretical and empirical studies covering over 20 years of research (from 2000 to 2023) and including 73 journal papers.
Findings
This review allows us to highlight a relationship between firms’ international strategies and the knowledge processes enabled by applying digital technologies. Specifically, the authors discuss the characteristics of patterns of knowledge flows and knowledge processes (their origin, the type of knowledge they carry on and their directionality) as determinants for the emergence of diverse international strategies embraced by single firms or by populations of firms within ecosystems, networks, global value chains or alliances.
Originality/value
Despite digital technologies constituting important antecedents and critical factors for the internationalization process, and international businesses in general, and operating cross borders implies the enactment of highly knowledge-intensive processes, current literature still fails to provide a holistic picture of how firms strategically use what they know and seek out what they do not know in the international environment, using the affordances of digital technologies.
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Jiafeng Gu, Lorenzo Ardito and Angelo Natalicchio
This study aims to verify the influence of chief executive officer (CEO) cognitive trust and governmental support on marketing innovation. Additionally, it evaluated the influence…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to verify the influence of chief executive officer (CEO) cognitive trust and governmental support on marketing innovation. Additionally, it evaluated the influence of CEO cognitive trust on the marketing innovation of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors empirically assessed the impact of CEO cognitive trust on SMME marketing innovation. Furthermore, the authors examined the mediating effect of governmental support on this relationship. The authors then studied a sample of 1,770 SMMEs in China by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling.
Findings
The authors found that CEO cognitive trust was negatively associated with marketing innovation. Moreover, governmental support has a competitive mediating effect on this relationship. Thus, while governmental support is urgently needed to enhance the marketing innovation of SMMEs, CEO cognitive trust negatively impacts this relationship.
Research limitations/implications
This study empirically establishes the importance of CEO cognitive trust and governmental support as antecedents in SMME marketing innovation. This contributes to the knowledge base of the management field, adding to important streams in the wider business literature, such as marketing studies, leadership management, strategic management and innovation. While the model is parsimonious, the relationships it highlights are robust and can be generalized to other contexts.
Practical implications
Managers must not only have high levels of trust and authority but must also embody these characteristics rationally. Simultaneously, managers must actively establish a trusting relationship with the government, thereby improving their company’s ability to integrate government policy information while also actively seeking governmental support. These measures are helpful in enhancing the marketing innovation capabilities of SMMEs.
Social implications
SMMEs occupy an important position in all countries’ economies and their vitality directly determines the strength of the economy. Formulating reasonable marketing strategies will help enhance market competitiveness and promote the rapid development of SMMEs.
Originality/value
The literature on marketing innovation has paid little attention to CEO cognitive trust, while CEOs’ cognitive characteristics are an increasingly relevant antecedent in SMME marketing innovation. This study analyzed CEO cognitive trust as a possible antecedent of marketing innovation activities in SMMEs, with this influence path being evaluated. This study extends the current knowledge in this field by considering the effects of CEO cognitive trust on marketing innovation.
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Conor Drummond, Thomas O'Toole and Helen McGrath
Digitalisation has increased the importance of online forms of marketing, including social media (SM) marketing, for entrepreneurial firms. This paper aims to identify digital…
Abstract
Purpose
Digitalisation has increased the importance of online forms of marketing, including social media (SM) marketing, for entrepreneurial firms. This paper aims to identify digital engagement strategies and tactics in developing SM marketing capability.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses ethnographic content analysis of an entrepreneurial firm and a network of business-to-business (B2B) actors to classify 1,248 B2B Facebook posts and Twitter tweets from a case of an artisan food producer in addition to semi-structured interviews with 26 networked actors.
Findings
The authors derive a range of digital engagement strategies (8 in total) and tactics (15 in total) for the four defining layers of SM marketing capability, namely, connect, engage, co-ordinate and collaborate.
Research limitations/implications
This research focuses on a case study and a network of B2B actors within the artisan food sector. However, the strategies and tactics are applicable to other entrepreneurial firms and contexts.
Practical implications
The digital engagement strategies and tactics are of direct practical benefit to entrepreneurial firms willing to learn and develop SM marketing capability in interaction with their B2B partners.
Originality/value
This study investigates three under-researched areas, SM as it relates to B2B relationships, and entrepreneurship, and marketing capability gaps in an era of rapid digitalisation. The definition of SM marketing capability and associated digital engagement strategies and tactics are new to the extant literature moving forward the understanding of SM B2B marketing in theory and practice.
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