Digital Marketing Competencies as a Factor in the Success of E-Commerce Small Businesses in International Markets

Abstract

The growth of international e-commerce is a significant worldwide trend that is being propelled by a tailwind created by the strengthening of economic policies, changing habits of customers, as well as improvements in logistics and technology. This research looks at the several reasons why international ecommerce small and medium-sized businesses have different levels of success. Building on the capacity’s perspective and market orientation literature, a research model is developed and tested using linear regression and mediation analysis on an effective sample of 42 SMEs in various zones in the MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) region that use e-commerce as an international sales channel. According to the findings of this research, companies in this industry crucially need to have digital marketing skills, but that alone is not enough to boost performance and create true competitive advantages. The findings of the study indicate that marketing ambidexterity, which is characterized by tactics that are both market-driven and market-driving, is essential in order to maximize the impact of digital marketing capacities.