An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value

Due to advancements in technology and digital connectivity, travel patterns have changed. Technological developments have increased the amount of information and inspiration available to consumers, and big data analytics allows for the creation of innovative insights. When it comes to implementing c...

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Main Authors: Mgoduka, Siyasanga, Kaseeram, Irrshad, Heeralal, Shalen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2024
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23784/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23784/1/469-481%2074714-246006-1-PB.pdf
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author Mgoduka, Siyasanga
Kaseeram, Irrshad
Heeralal, Shalen
author_facet Mgoduka, Siyasanga
Kaseeram, Irrshad
Heeralal, Shalen
author_sort Mgoduka, Siyasanga
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Due to advancements in technology and digital connectivity, travel patterns have changed. Technological developments have increased the amount of information and inspiration available to consumers, and big data analytics allows for the creation of innovative insights. When it comes to implementing cutting-edge technologies, small businesses typically lag behind larger ones. In light of the above, this study aims to examine the extent of usage and challenges SMEs face concerning e-marketing. SMEs in the tourism sector have demonstrated that they are drivers of economic growth through the development of entrepreneurial skills and job creation. In this study, data was qualitatively collected from 14 SME service providers, through a purposive sampling method. The findings revealed that SMEs struggle with the adoption of e-marketing. Moreover, the findings revealed that SMEs are also faced with the challenge of easy access to funding, this was found to affect their flexibility towards digital transformation. Lastly, this study found that SMEs are faced with the challenge of lack of expertise to implement digital transformations. This study concludes that, although in South Africa government funding provided to SMEs through grants plays a critical role, it is still not enough. The government can further their SME development initiatives through public sector and private sector partnerships. By increasing SMEs access to funding, joint SME development programs offer a substantial chance to promote entrepreneurship in South Africa.
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spelling oai:generic.eprints.org:237842024-07-09T03:16:17Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23784/ An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value Mgoduka, Siyasanga Kaseeram, Irrshad Heeralal, Shalen Due to advancements in technology and digital connectivity, travel patterns have changed. Technological developments have increased the amount of information and inspiration available to consumers, and big data analytics allows for the creation of innovative insights. When it comes to implementing cutting-edge technologies, small businesses typically lag behind larger ones. In light of the above, this study aims to examine the extent of usage and challenges SMEs face concerning e-marketing. SMEs in the tourism sector have demonstrated that they are drivers of economic growth through the development of entrepreneurial skills and job creation. In this study, data was qualitatively collected from 14 SME service providers, through a purposive sampling method. The findings revealed that SMEs struggle with the adoption of e-marketing. Moreover, the findings revealed that SMEs are also faced with the challenge of easy access to funding, this was found to affect their flexibility towards digital transformation. Lastly, this study found that SMEs are faced with the challenge of lack of expertise to implement digital transformations. This study concludes that, although in South Africa government funding provided to SMEs through grants plays a critical role, it is still not enough. The government can further their SME development initiatives through public sector and private sector partnerships. By increasing SMEs access to funding, joint SME development programs offer a substantial chance to promote entrepreneurship in South Africa. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2024-05 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23784/1/469-481%2074714-246006-1-PB.pdf Mgoduka, Siyasanga and Kaseeram, Irrshad and Heeralal, Shalen (2024) An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value. e-Bangi Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 21 (2). pp. 469-481. ISSN 1823-884x https://ejournal.ukm.my/ebangi/index
spellingShingle Mgoduka, Siyasanga
Kaseeram, Irrshad
Heeralal, Shalen
An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value
title An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value
title_full An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value
title_fullStr An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value
title_full_unstemmed An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value
title_short An Investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism SMEs concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value
title_sort investigation on the extent of usage and challenges faced by tourism smes concerning e-marketing: empowering co-creation of value
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23784/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23784/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23784/1/469-481%2074714-246006-1-PB.pdf