Resource Commitment, Digital, and Traditional Marketing Capabilities, and Hybrid Trade Fair Performance: A Mediation Analysis

Public enterprises and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have similar goals in the eyes of the state. SMEs that get government or public bodies funding can make it a public enterprise. These enterprises in Indonesia face challenges due to limited resources, low market reach, and low marketing expertise. They must leverage their marketing capabilities effectively and adopt strategic approaches such as entrepreneurial orientation and digital marketing. This study explores digital marketing mediation and marketing capabilities in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and marketing performance in public enterprises. Survey techniques were used for this study, and data were obtained from 176 respondents who are entrepreneurs who use social media in their marketing activities. Data are processed and analysed using smartPLS. The results of this study show that entrepreneurial orientation significantly affects marketing capabilities, digital marketing and marketing performance in MSEs. Digital marketing and market capabilities have a direct positive influence on marketing performance. In addition, digital marketing and market capabilities mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and marketing performance. Marketing capabilities mediate the relationship between digital marketing and marketing performance.

This paper investigates the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and marketing performance (MP) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Oman, with specific focus on the mediating roles of digital marketing capabilities (DMC) and digital marketing implementation (DMI). Although there has been evidence of the performance benefits of EO, there has been limited empirical evidence to illustrate how entrepreneurial behavior translates into marketing performance through digital channels in emerging markets. Using the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, this study bridges this gap to examine the mediating dual roles of digital capabilities and implementation in an SME setting. The data for this study was collected from 402 SME employees using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings of this study reveal that EO has a positive direct impact on MP and also an indirect relationship with MP via both DMC and DMI, thus confirming that marketing performance in entrepreneurial firms becomes superior when digital readiness and implementation synergies become aligned. The implications of this study for SME managers and policy-makers who aim to improve digital competitiveness in SMEs in emerging markets such as Oman are provided. Further studies may investigate this model in different countries or use longitudinal approaches to analyze how changes in dynamic capabilities over time affect marketing performance.

Customer loyalty is often seen as one of the decisive factors in determining the fate of organizations. In the age of digitization, organizations should think of advanced strategies to increase their competitiveness and market share by employing the potential of digital content and enhancing their digital capabilities. Recently, many digital media have appeared available to organizations to build their brand, reach their target customers and retain them, and promote their products. Digital media represented a real revolution that made it difficult for organizations to survive in the business environment without investing in these means. Therefore, the aim of the study is twofold: 1) to explore the effects of digital content marketing and digital marketing capabilities on digital marketing success; 2) to investigate the impact of digital marketing success on customer loyalty. This research was conducted on a sample of online restaurant customers through a questionnaire distributed to 187 customers. IBM SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 22.0 were used as the main programs for analysing the collected data from 165 online restaurant customers. Structural equation modelling was applied to test the research’s hypothesized effects. The results indicated that digital content marketing and digital marketing capabilities had significant effects on digital marketing success based on the perspectives of online restaurant customers in Jordan. Moreover, digital marketing success substantially impacted customer loyalty of online restaurant customers in Jordan. It was concluded that for organizations to ensure a positive effect of digital marketing on customer loyalty, more attention should be paid to critical factors such as digital content and digital capabilities. The study calls for researchers to explore more factors affecting the success of digital marketing. It informs marketing managers that customer loyalty in the digitization era depends on the ability to create, communicate and deliver digital content using digital technologies and the quality of digital content and capabilities that deliver customer value.

Purpose This study aims to examine how digital business capability (DBC)—a firm’s ability to strategically manage digital resources and technologies—shapes social media capabilities (SMCs) and drives social media performance. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on dynamic capabilities theory (DCT), a conceptual model was developed and empirically tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) on survey data from 150 firms actively engaged in social media initiatives. Findings This study highlights the central role of digital business capability (DBC) in shaping firms’ social media capabilities and enhancing performance outcomes. The empirical results show that DBC has a significant positive effect on social media analytics, engagement and strategy, reinforcing its position as a foundational digital capability. Moreover, social media engagement emerges as the most influential predictor of social media performance. These findings suggest that firms that invest strategically in digitalization and cultivate adaptive, customer-focused engagement practices are better positioned to leverage social media for superior performance. Research limitations/implications This study is limited by its cross-sectional design, sectoral concentration and potential conceptual overlap among capabilities. Future research should refine the measurement of SMCs, use longitudinal designs and adopt broader sampling strategies to capture contextual variations across industries, firm sizes and levels of digital maturity. Practical implications To maximize social media impact, managers should invest in digital infrastructure and tools to strengthen DBC, providing a solid foundation for analytics, strategy and engagement. They should prioritize customer-centric practices that actively engage audiences and adapt content based on feedback, while ensuring all efforts are aligned with strategic goals and guided by data insights. This coordinated, adaptive approach positions firms to drive superior social media performance. Originality/value This study provides novel evidence on the mechanisms through which digital capabilities are translated into performance gains. In doing so, it extends DCT by identifying critical dynamic capabilities in the digital context. From a practical perspective, the findings move beyond the prevailing focus on technology adoption and demonstrate how firms can achieve superior outcomes by strategically leveraging social media platforms.

PurposeThe paper's objective is to demonstrate that marketing capabilities have positive effects on firms' international performance. These effects may be both direct and indirect. Marketing capabilities foster international commitment and influence the choice of international entry mode. Through these, marketing capabilities exercise an indirect influence on international performance.Design/methodology/approachFirst, based on arguments from the dynamic capabilities perspective, the dynamic theory of strategy and the transaction‐cost theory, the effects of marketing capabilities on international performance are discussed. A survey was carried out on Spanish and Belgian international firms to test the model. SEM was used to analyse the relationships established in the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show coincidences between the samples in relation to the positive influences of companies' marketing capabilities on economic international performance, international commitment and international entry modes. Moreover, there is also a positive and significant influence of high direct investment entry modes on international economic performance. However, there are differences in other relationships.Practical implicationsThe results inform on the kind of entry modes that can be selected, based on firm marketing capabilities, and which of them provide better international results.Originality/valueThis paper confirms that marketing capabilities are at the core of the company's international decisions. Specifically, it demonstrates that marketing capabilities influence both the international commitment of the company and the selection of the appropriate international mode of entry.

Despite increasing investments in digital transformation and sustainability initiatives, many organizations struggle to translate these efforts into measurable sustainable organizational performance, particularly in emerging economies, where resource constraints and institutional pressures persist. This study examines how digital capability and environmental strategy orientation contribute to sustainable organizational performance through the sequential mediating roles of environmental management accounting (EMA) integration and managerial decision quality. Drawing on dynamic capability theory and the natural resource-based view, this study proposes a moderated mediation model incorporating technology readiness and environmental regulatory pressure. Data were collected from 479 middle- and senior-level managers of ISO 14001-certified manufacturing firms in Pakistan and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that both digital capability and environmental strategy orientation significantly enhance EMA integration, which in turn improves managerial decision quality and ultimately drives sustainable organizational performance. The findings confirm the presence of sequential mediation through EMA integration and decision quality. Furthermore, technology readiness strengthens the relationship between digital capability and EMA integration, whereas environmental regulatory pressure does not significantly moderate the relationship between environmental strategy orientation and EMA integration. This study contributes to the sustainability literature by introducing a novel sequential mediation mechanism linking digital and strategic capabilities to sustainability outcomes through accounting-based processes. It also provides empirical evidence offering practical insights for managers and policymakers aiming to enhance sustainability performance. The findings provide context-specific insights from an emerging economy and contribute to advancing organizational sustainability in line with SDGs 8, 12, and 13.

Purpose: This study investigates the effects of digital marketing, market orientation, and product innovation on marketing performance, with competitive advantage serving as an intervening variable among micro food and beverage enterprises.Method: A quantitative research design was applied through a survey involving 98 owners of micro food and beverage businesses. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) to assess both the direct and indirect relationships among the variables.Result: The findings indicate that digital marketing and product innovation exert a significant positive effect on marketing performance, whereas market orientation does not have a significant direct effect. Product innovation also has a significant positive effect on competitive advantage, while digital marketing and market orientation do not significantly influence competitive advantage. Furthermore, competitive advantage has a significant positive effect on marketing performance and mediates the relationships of digital marketing and product innovation with marketing performance. However, it does not mediate the relationship between market orientation and marketing performance.Practical Implications for Economic Growth and Development: The results underscore the strategic importance of enhancing digital marketing capabilities, promoting continuous product innovation, and developing sustainable competitive advantage to improve the performance of microenterprises. These efforts may contribute to local economic development, employment generation, and the competitiveness of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).Originality/Value: This study offers a significant contribution by developing an integrated explanatory model that links digital marketing, market orientation, and product innovation to marketing performance through the mediating role of competitive advantage among micro food and beverage enterprises.

The rapid advancement of digital transformation has significantly reshaped the business environment, presenting both opportunities and challenges for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). In Indonesia, where MSMEs operate in an increasingly digitized economy, this transformation is particularly critical as MSMEs strive to remain competitive and resilient. Among the most influential aspects of digital transformation are digital platforms, which continue to evolve rapidly and demand constant adaptation. While existing studies have largely focused on platform adoption and interactions with specific digital services, limited attention has been given to the dynamic nature of these platforms and how MSMEs strategically respond to such changes to improve their performance. To address this gap and draw on the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT), the present study investigates the mediating roles of innovation capabilities and digital IT capabilities in the relationship between business strategy and MSME performance. A total of 257 MSME owners and managers in Indonesia participated in the survey. Participants were selected using purposive sampling based on their involvement with digital platforms and their strategic decision-making roles. Using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), the results indicate that both innovation capabilities and digital IT capabilities serve as partial mediators in the relationship between business strategy and MSME performance. Theoretically, this study highlights the crucial role of these capabilities in navigating digital transformation. Practically, it underscores the importance of developing technological adaptability to ensure the long-term sustainability of Indonesian MSMEs. Policymakers can further leverage these findings by designing targeted training programs and financial incentives that simultaneously build MSMEs' innovation competencies and digital capabilities, thereby strengthening their resilience and growth potential in an increasingly digital marketplace.

This study analyzes the influence of Training and Development on Promotional Pricing with Marketing Capability as a mediating variable in Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies in the Suciayumajakuning area (Subang, Cirebon, Indramayu, Majalengka, and Kuningan). The research is motivated by competitive challenges among ISPs in designing effective promotional pricing strategies through strengthened human resource competencies. This study extends previous models by integrating human capital and dynamic capability perspectives within the ISP industry context. Unlike prior studies that predominantly focus on manufacturing or export-oriented sectors, this research addresses the less-explored ISP industry, which has high service intangibility and strong price sensitivity. with theoretical approaches from Human Capital Theory, Dynamic Capability Theory, and Resource-Based View.The study employed a quantitative approach using Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with 150 ISP marketing respondents. The measurement model met validity and reliability criteria (loadings 0.70–0.88; AVE > 0.50; CR > 0.90). The findings show that Training and Development significantly affects Marketing Capability (β = 0.613; p < 0.001), Marketing Capability significantly affects Promotional Pricing (β = 0.582; p < 0.001), and Training and Development directly influences Promotional Pricing (β = 0.176; p < 0.05). The indirect effect (β = 0.357) confirms Marketing Capability as a significant mediator. Training and development enhance promotional pricing effectiveness both directly and through improved marketing capability. Practically, ISPs should strengthen data-driven and digital marketing training programs to sustain competitiveness.

Creating dynamic capabilities through business partnerships: the role of resources and capabilities and implications for performance

Digital capabilities and metaverse entrepreneurial performance: Role of entrepreneurial orientation

The importance of marketing capabilities continues to grow yet research remains concentrated in developed markets. Although several researchers provide evidence of the influence of marketing capabilities on market performance, very little of similar evidence exists in the digital marketing domain. Empirical evidence of the impact of digital marketing capabilities on market performance of small to medium enterprise (SME) agro-processors particularly from developing countries remains scarce. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of digital marketing capabilities on SME agro-processors’ both intermediate and final market performance outcomes. To achieve this, we conducted a survey of 298 SME agro-processors’ managers and owners in Harare, Zimbabwe. A mixed sampling approach consisting of quota and stratified sampling approaches was adopted. We distributed a closed-ended questionnaire through the drop-off & pick-up and interviewer-based methods. The data was analysed statistically using STATA version 15. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine impact of digital marketing capabilities on market performance. Our findings indicate that digital strategy development & execution, digital market innovation, e-market sensing and leadership capabilities positively influence intermediate market outcomes of customer awareness, customer attitudes, availability, and brand associations. However only digital strategy development & execution capability was positively associated with final market performance outcomes of sales growth, market share and profitability. These results imply that agro-processors must develop digital marketing capabilities that enable them to move beyond intermediate market outcomes to attain the primary business objectives of profitability, sales growth and market share. Attaining intermediate market outcomes only is not enough for business sustainability. The study contributes to literature by extending the marketing capabilities discussion to the digital marketing environment in a developing country context. This was important because marketing knowledge is contextual, as such cannot easily be transferred from one market to the other.

Introduction This study examines the impact of digital content marketing on customer loyalty in the context of a rapidly evolving consumer environment marked by rising national income levels and shifting consumption patterns. Drawing on relationship marketing theory (RMT) and self-determination theory (SDT), the study explores how emotional attachment and emotional commitment moderate the relationship between digital content marketing and customer loyalty. By investigating emotional mechanisms in digital content marketing, this study expands the explanatory power of RMT in digital contexts and enriches the application of SDT in consumers’ emotional motivations and loyalty. Methods Using a quantitative research approach, based on multinational sample mainly from Asia (996 valid responses), the study employs partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the proposed model. Results The findings reveal that high-quality digital content marketing significantly enhances customer loyalty, and this relationship is strengthened by both emotional attachment and emotional commitment. Discussion This study innovatively integrates emotional drivers into digital marketing, addressing the existing gap in exploring emotional mechanisms in this field. It not only enriches theoretical research at the intersection of digital marketing and relationship marketing but also offers practical insights for marketing managers and digital strategists, particularly in highly dynamic and emotionally driven consumer markets. This paper advances the understanding of how emotional mechanisms interact with digital marketing strategies to foster long-term customer relationships, offering implications for both theory and practice. Although the sample mainly from Asia, a leading region for digital marketing and e-commerce, the findings provide valuable insights into the emotional impact of digital content marketing within a global context.

This study investigates the impact of absorptive capacity on enhancing the performance of SMEs through new product development, marketing capabilities, and the adoption of digital marketing. The research problem addresses how absorptive capacity influences these factors to improve new product performance. A quantitative approach was employed, collecting data from 212 SMEs in three cities in East Java Province, Indonesia. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that critical factors influencing new product performance include the ability of SMEs to absorb external knowledge (indicator AC3, loading factor 0.852), new initiatives in product development (indicator NPD4, loading factor 0.886), and strong marketing strategies (indicator MC3, loading factor 0.878). Further analysis reveals that absorptive capacity positively and significantly affects new product development (ß=0.763; p-value<0.05) and marketing capabilities (ß=0.724; p-value <0.05) but has a negative and insignificant effect on digital marketing adoption (ß=–0.102; p-value>0.05). However, digital marketing adoption positively and significantly impacts new product performance (ß=0.628; p-value<0.05). These findings suggest that while absorptive capacity is crucial for new product development and marketing capabilities, it is insufficient to drive digital marketing adoption. The results highlight the important but not significant mediating role of digital marketing adoption. The practical implications provide guidance for SMEs to adjust their marketing strategies and new product development to improve performance, particularly during a crisis

Effects of industry forces, market orientation, and marketing capabilities on business performance: An empirical analysis of Japanese manufacturers from 2009 to 2011