Enterprise Agency Research Articles

Digital marketing and small and medium-sized enterprises’ business performance in emerging markets

Purpose This study aims to investigate the comprehensive conceptualization how digital marketing and its adoption increase the productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as the impact of technological orientation, customer relationship management and digital marketing on SMEs’ business performance in emerging markets (EMs). Design/methodology/approach Anchored by social network theory, 178 SMEs were conveniently drawn from the National Board for Small Scale Industries now Ghana enterprise agencies in Ghana. The hypotheses were analysed using the SPSS package tool, and structural equation modelling was used, as well. Findings This study reveals that the conceptualization and adoption of digital marketing positively affect the performance of SMEs’ business management in EMs. In addition, a positive moderating effect of dynamism is observed in the relationship between digital marketing and SMEs’ business performance. Research limitations/implications This study focuses only on SMEs from the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions of Ghana as an EM, and it proposes priorities for future research streams in both developed and emerging countries. Practical implications The findings encourage SMEs to develop quality digital marketing technologies, good customer relationships and technological orientation and customer relationship management competencies in EMs to maximise profit. Originality/value This paper fills considerable knowledge, evidence and contextual gaps in the literature on SMEs, entrepreneurship and marketing in EMs by presenting a comprehensive overview of how SMEs can use digital marketing in an EM context to achieve the following: customer acquisitions, satisfaction and retention; increased profitability; quality service delivery; value creation; and cost reductions.

Study Against Corruption Punishment of the Village Owned Enterprise Agency (BUMDes) of Berjo Village in Karanganyar District

By closing the case of the village chief who is involved in the corruption of village funds and the allocation of villages funds who have already been accused are subject to the threat of punishment in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of the Act No. 31 of 1999 as amended by the Law No. 20 of 2001 on the Suppression of Criminal Prosecution of Corruption. How to Juridic Analysis of High Court Judges' Judgment Semarang No. 13/PID.SUS-TPK/2023/PT Smg against the Elements of Justice and Legal Certainty for Corruption Criminal Offenders BUMDes Berjo. The type of research used by the author is normative jurisprudence or library law research or doctrinal law research that can be interpreted as legal research by studying library and secondary materials. The method of approach used in this normative jurisprudence research is the Case Approach to Legislation. The data source used is Decision No. 13/PID.SUS-TPK/2023/PT Smg, No. 31 of 1999 on Combating Corruption Punishment, as amended and supplemented by the Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 20 of 2001 on Amendments to the Law No. 31, 1999 of the Republik of Indonesia on Combatting Corruptions Punishments. Data Collection Techniques using Libraries and Documents Studies. Data Analysis Techniques with Qualitative Analysis.SUS-TPK/2023/PT SMG violates Article 2 paragraph (1) jo. Article 18 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 31 of 1999 on the Elimination of Crimes of Corruption, as amended and supplemented by the Law No. 20 of 2001 on the Amendment to the Law on the Supreme Implementation of the Constitution of the Republik of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999, on the Reduction of Criminal Implications of Coruption. Article 55 (1) paragraph 1 of the Code, with the elements of the following article: "Everyone". The element "Fighting the Law". The item "Committing an act of enriching himself or another person or a corporation". Item "Can harm the finances of the state or the economy of the State". The unit "Who commits, who commits and who accompanies the act". (1) That the judge of the High Court of Semarang ruled the corruption criminal case conducted by the village chief Berjo Suyatno bin Kartorejo was in accordance with the norms in force but in the view of the author still leaves a striking disparity dropped to the accused in corruption cases committed by officials or someone who has power. The prosecution against the accused is too light and has not satisfied the sense of justice in the community in particular for the people of the village Berjo Prefecture of Ngargoyoso district of Karanganyar and does not cause the effect of seizure for the defendants who have used the people's money (the community of the Village Berjo prefecture NgarGoyoso District of Karaganyar) for the personal interests of the Accused.(2) That the amount of the replacement money, although in the appellate judgment of the High Court of Semarang is greater than the judgement of the State Court, the penalty of imprisonment against the defendant as a substitute for the unpaid substitute money, is still too light and tends to be preferred to refrain from paying or refusing to refund the size of the compensation money to be paid by the accused and carrying out the criminal sentence in prison in exchange for the unepaid replacement payment money. Thus, it has been backward with the Government Program in an effort to maximize the reimbursement of the State/Region losses as a result of the corruption crime that has occurred.

Relationship Marketing Practices and Export Performance of SMEs in an Emerging Economy: A Mediation Analysis

This inquiry investigated the association between relationship marketing practices-(RMP) and firm performance-(FP) proxy by export performance-(EP) of SMEs in Ghana, utilizing innovation-(INN) and opportunity exploration-(OPE) as mediators. The inquiry espoused a cross-sectional research design, employing SmartPLS-3.3.3 to perform descriptive statistics, principal component analyses-(PCA), exploratory factor analyses-(EFA), reliability/validity analyses, partial least square-structural equation modeling-(PLS-SEM) path analyses via first-order confirmatory factor analysis-(CFA) for testing the hypotheses. Primary data was gathered employing closed-end-(standardized) questionnaires, implementing self-administered, researcher guided face-to-face real-time (immediate) data collection methodology. Secondary data-(financial information) was extracted from annual reports of the SMEs. Complete enumeration was utilized to select all 360 registered SMEs in good standing with the Ghana Enterprise Agency-(GEA) and Association of Ghana Industries-(AGI) forming the sampling frame and sample size. Findings revealed that all seven RMP explanatory variables namely, communication-(COM), adaptation-(ADP), corporation-(COP), trust-(TST), social connections-(SOC), reciprocity-(RCP), relationship quality-(REQ) significantly exerted positive impacts on FP/EP, with REQ exhibiting the most potent predictor, followed by COM, ADP, COP, TST, SOC, and RCP. Again, findings depict that innovation-(INN) and opportunity exploration-(OPE) partially mediated the relationship between RMP and FP/EP. The paper contributes to literature by incorporating the unexplored mediators of INN and OPE, within SMEs in an emerging economy. By establishing connections and suggesting further avenues for research, the paper strengthens its argument both methodologically and conceptually.

Transformasi BUMDes Melalui Community Based Tourism dalam Pengembangan Pariwisata: Studi pada Desa Sekapuk, Kabupaten Gresik

The study investigates the process of transformation of the village owned enterprise agency (BUMDes) into a community-based tourism development centre (CBT) in Sekapuk village, Gresik district. The research method used is case studies with a qualitative approach, involving in-depth interviews with stakeholders and analysis of related documents. The theory used is the concept of CBT as a community-based approach to local tourism development. The key findings suggest that active public involvement in all stages of tourism development, from planning to implementation, has significant economic, social, and environmental impacts. This implies that the CBT approach can be an effective model in strengthening the role of local communities in the development of sustainable tourism. The transformation of BUMDes into a CBT hub not only empowers local communities, but also ensures the sustainability of tourism initiatives by leveraging local resources and knowledge. The study's conclusions emphasize the importance of strengthening public capacity in tourism management, diversification of products and services, as well as government policy support for community-based tourism development. Implications of the research highlighted the need for advanced research to evaluate the long-term impact of this model and expand its application by considering local contexts and building strong partnerships among all relevant stakeholders.

PERAN BADAN USAHA MILIK DESA DALAM PENGEMBANGAN EKONOMI LOKAL MELALUI KEWIRAUSAHAAN SOSIAL

The purpose of this dedication activity is to improve the well-being of the people of Gegarang village with the role of the village owned enterprise agency as a driver and create creative and innovative social entrepreneurship. The approach of this dedication activity is Participatory Action Research (PAR). The results of this dedication show that (1) participants have an understanding of social entrepreneurship and marketing, (2) participants have successfully implemented the process of making onion cakes based on Fish Depik good taste and good product packaging, (3) the success rate of dedication activity seen from the large number of consumers who purchased the product.

Ocena zależności między rozwojem branży leasingowej a wzrostem gospodarczym w Polsce

According to the data published in 2022 by the Polish Agency of Enterprise Development (Polska Agencja Rozwoju Przedsiębiorczości – PARP), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) generate 49.6% of the Polish GDP. At the same time, the SME sector is the largest recipient of services offered by the leasing industry. The aim of the research described in the article was to determine whether a long-run relationship exists between the development of the leasing industry and the economic growth in Poland. The analysis was based on GDP per capita time series and the actual net value of leasing contracts per capita as measures of economic growth and the activity of the leasing industry, respectively. The research used quarterly data for the years 2010 –2021, obtained from Statistics Poland publications and the dataset available on the Polish Leasing Association (Związek Polskiego Leasingu – ZPL) website. The results of cointegration analysis and the error correction mechanism confirmed the existence of a long-run relationship between the activity of the leasing industry and the economic growth in Poland.

An empirical investigation of the impact of marketing analytics capability on SME performance: a resource-based view approach

PurposeThe aim of this study is to empirically investigate the impact of marketing analytics capability on business performance from the perspective of RBV theory.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a survey method to gather information from 225 food processing SMEs registered with the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) in Ghana’s eastern region. A structural equation modeling (SEM) path analysis was used to assess the impact of marketing analytics capability (MAC) on the performance of SMEs.FindingsThe results of the study show that MAC significantly and positively affect the financial performance (FP), customer performance (CF), internal business process performance (IBPP) and learning and growth performance (LGP) of Ghanaian SMEs. The findings of this study also illustrated the significance of MAC determinants, including marketing analytics skills (MAS), data resource management (DRM) and data processing capabilities (DPC), in achieving SME success in Ghana.Originality/valueThe research’s conclusions give RBV theory strong credence. The results of this study also provide credence to previous research finding that SMEs should view MAC and its determinants (i.e. DRM, DPC, MAS) as a crucial strategic capability to improve their performance (i.e. FP, CF, IBPP, LGP). With regard to its contribution, this study broadens the body of knowledge on MAC and SME performance, particularly in the context of an emerging economy.

Development of A Structural Equation Model of The Variables Affecting the Organizational Performance of The Mass Rapid Transit Systems of Thailand

Introduction: The development of the Thai transport system in the future must be based on the advancement of three aspects: personnel, technology, and research and development must be promoted for the operation of efficient innovative tools and management as key mechanisms in the transport system’s development. The master plan of the Ministry of Transport under Strategy 5 for the development of the Thai transport system within 20 years (2017-2036) stated about the need for and initiation of technology and innovation, as well as the promotion of research and development for the application of rapid advancements within these aspects so to develop the transport infrastructure and management, which would engender higher efficiency of future transport as well. Technology is required and is suitable for the analysis and evaluation of performance in the view of safety technological innovation for subway station construction. Objective: The main objective was to explore the development, congruence, and the indirect direct, and total effects of the variables affecting the organizational performance of the mass rapid transit systems of Thailand Method: This is quantitative research, collecting data from 385 executives and chiefs of organizations relating to the mass railway transit systems and private manufacturers participating in the project with state enterprise agencies. Result: Relationship between the two variables and among the multiple variables in conjunction with the estimation of the effects of the variables, which were obtained from the regression coefficients (coef.) of each individual relationship path following the hypothesis. The results indicated that all C.R. ( t-test) values were statistically significant ( > 1.96). Thus, every hypothesis was supported. Technology directly affects organizational performance (coef. = 0.143, p < 0.05). Technology directly affects innovation (coef. = 0.370, p < 0.001). Technology directly affects research and development (coef. = 0.786, p < 0.001). Research and development directly affects innovation (coef. = 0.624, p < 0.001). Research and development directly affects organizational performance (coef. = 0.449, p < 0.001). Innovation directly affects organizational performance (coef. = 0.372, p < 0.01). Conclusion: Technology, innovation, and research and development truly affect organizational performance. The industrial sector should be more encouraged to participate in technology learning and to step into the manufacturing chain for the development of Thailand’s rail transport system. This would also save foreign currency, create employment opportunities in the country, and have continual economic effects for the national monetary circulation, which would eventually pave the way to the enhancement as well as development of the people’s abilities in the future.

Oral swabs with a rapid molecular diagnostic test for pulmonary tuberculosis in adults and children: a systematic review

Tuberculosis is a leading cause of infectious disease mortality worldwide, but diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis remains challenging. Oral swabs are a promising non-sputum alternative sample type for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of oral swabs to detect pulmonary tuberculosis in adults and children and suggest research implications. In this systematic review, we searched published and preprint studies from Jan 1, 2000, to July 5, 2022, from eight databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Science Citation Index, medRxiv, bioRxiv, Global Index Medicus, and Google Scholar). We included diagnostic accuracy studies including cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies in adults and children from which we could extract or derive sensitivity and specificity of oral swabs as a sample type for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis against a sputum microbiological (nucleic acid amplification test [NAAT] on sputum or culture) or composite reference standard. Of 550 reports identified by the search, we included 16 eligible reports (including 20 studies and 3083 participants) that reported diagnostic accuracy estimates on oral swabs for pulmonary tuberculosis. Sensitivity on oral swabs ranged from 36% (95% CI 26-48) to 91% (80-98) in adults and 5% (1-14) to 42% (23-63) in children. Across all studies, specificity ranged from 66% (95% CI 52-78) to 100% (97-100), with most studies reporting specificity of more than 90%. Meta-analysis was not performed because of sampling and testing heterogeneity. Sensitivity varies in both adults and children when diverse methods are used. Variability in sampling location, swab type, and type of NAAT used in accuracy studies limits comparison. Although data are suggestive that high accuracy is achievable using oral swabs with molecular testing, more research is needed to define optimal methods for using oral swabs as a specimen for tuberculosis detection. The current data suggest that tongue swabs and swab types that collect increased biomass might have increased sensitivity. We would recommend that future studies use these established methods to continue to refine sample processing to maximise sensitivity. Bill and Melinda Gates foundation (INV-045721) and FIND (Netherlands Enterprise Agency on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation [NL-GRNT05] and KfW Development Bank, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research [KFW-TBBU01/02]).

Research on the Influence of Confucian Culture on Enterprise Agency Conflicts

With Chinese listed companies from 2008 to 2019 as research samples, this paper takes the number of Confucian academies within a specific radius of the enterprise as the proxy variable of Confucian culture, which found that Confucian culture is negatively correlated with enterprise agency conflicts and can reduce enterprise agency conflicts. Furthermore, the relief effect of Confucian culture on agency conflict is more apparent in private enterprises and areas with high legalization and more openness to the outside world. The conclusion of this paper further enriches the research on the influence of informal institutions on corporate governance, which also provides some reference for regulators when formulating relevant institutions, such as forming an effective mechanism from the perspective of culture, so as to promote the enterprises by cultural restrains. During the promulgation and implementation of legal systems, we should take full advantage of the guiding role of traditional culture and combine formal systems with informal ones, thus leveraging their strengths to promote the healthy development of the market.

Exploring a Facile Synthetic Procedure of Iron-Based Platinum Group Metal-Free Electrocatalyst for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

The transportation sector, mainly powered by fossil fuels, is responsible for approximately 14% of all greenhouse gas emissions1. Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) are promising candidates for sustainable transport as they only emit water, can be refilled fast, and enable long ranges with a single refill. Their current costs and dependence on scarce materials challenge their broad implementation in heavy-duty vehicles and maritime transportation 2. Another challenge is the catalyst degradation during operation, therefore the goal of at least 35,000 lifetime hours for heavy-duty transportation is ambitious as existing fuel cell vehicles have been engineered for ca. 5,000 hours3. The state-of-the-art catalyst layers are based on platinum nanoparticles supported on carbon and global efforts have been made to develop high-activity catalysts with reduced platinum contents, including platinum alloys such as Pt-Ni4 and Pt-Co5, alternative supports such as nanotubes6, or a combination aforementioned methods. While platinum-based materials remain the most active for the oxygen reduction reaction, their elevated cost and instability during operation motivate the exploration of alternative materials.Platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalysts have gained prominence in the PEFCs field, where Fe-N-C based catalysts have shown high oxygen reduction reaction activity in acidic media7, approaching that of platinum-based catalyst layers, yet their practical application is hindered by insufficient stability under operating conditions8. Inspired by recent efforts7,8, our goal is to develop stable, active, and low-cost catalyst layers using earth-abundant materials. In this poster presentation, I will discuss my efforts in the synthesis of Fe-N-C catalysts by the incorporation of iron in a calcinated nitrogen-doped zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF). ZIFs are excellent supports due to their high porosity of approximately 60% and a surface area of 1600 m2/g, leading to a high density of active sites9. After the incorporation of iron, post-treatments are applied including leaching and the utilization of secondary nitrogen precursors, where efforts are made to develop non-hazardous activation approaches. The incorporation of secondary nitrogen precursors such as cyanamide have been shown to promote the formation of metal-N-C bonds and increase the performance towards the oxygen reduction reaction10,11. We employ microscopic, spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques, such as the rotating disc electrode, to correlate the catalyst composition with electrochemical performance and durability. With this work, we hope to gain an understanding of composition-structure relationships to enhance the performance of iron-based platinum-free catalysts for PEFCs. Acknowledgements SH2IPDRIVE has received funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, RDM regulation, carried out by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. References W.F. Lamb et al., 2021, Environmental Research Letters vol. 16.S.T. Thompson et al., 2018, Solid State Ion 319, 68–76.D.A. Cullen et al., 2021, Nature Energy vol. 6 462–474.S.I. Choi et al., 2013, Nano letters 13(7), 3420-3425.P.R. Kumar et al., 2018, Surfaces and Interfaces 12,116-123.D. Schonvogel et al., 2017, Journal of the Electrochemical Society 164(9), F995.A. Mehmood et al., 2022, Nature Catalysis 5(4), 311-323.X. Wan, and J. Shui, 2022, ACS Energy Letters 7(5), 1696-1705.J.C.Tan et al, 2010, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107(22), 9938-9943.X. Wu et al., 2022, Journal of The Electrochemical Society 169.1, 016507.N.D. Leonard et al., 2018, ACS Catalysis 8(3), 1640-1647.

The impact of social capital on business development in Ghana: Experiences of local-level businesses in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area

Social capital may play a critical role in assisting individuals in leveraging their social networks and group relationships to attain their desired outcomes. We evaluated the influence of social capital on the success of startup enterprises in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area (KMA), utilizing 13 Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) clients as participants in this study. The study used interview data and institutional documents, which were conducted using a qualitative technique. Thematic analysis was used in conjunction with content analysis, and the study revealed three distinct forms of social capital—structural, relational, and cognitive that contributed significantly to the business growth of the agency's clients who used its services and supported their businesses through social networks. The study also found that “groups and networks,” “shared norms, beliefs, and duties,” “trust,” and “connectivity” are important elements influencing the KMA's business sustainability. According to the study, the structural, relational, and cognitive elements of social capital are vital in forming group cohesiveness and social relationships, which are critical in supporting the growth of new enterprises in Ghana, particularly in the KMA. The study recommends that efforts to build the resilience of social capital in start-up businesses and create an enabling social network system would support local-level business sustainability. The conclusion drawn from the findings implies that social capital has the potential to foster group cohesion and beneficial social ties to enhance business growth.

Juridical Analysis of the Obligations Batam Free Trade Zone and Free Port Enterprise Agency (BP BATAM) to Problematic Land Allocation Recipients

BP Batam has very broad authority to manage Batam Island in order to attract investors to invest their capital in Batam Island. Land problems that occur in the city of Batam must be resolved by BP Batam as the authority holder for management rights in Batam in accordance with Head of BP Batam Regulation No. 26 of 2021 concerning Implementation of Land Management. The study's goal is to find out how BP Batam's duties to people who receive land allocations for problematic land are carried out and what factors affect those duties. This research uses empirical juridical qualitative methods, using one legal action against problematic land as a sample. Findings from the study show that BP Batam's duties and goals have been met in how they handled their responsibilities to people who were given problematic land. The obstacles faced so far are due to the lack of communication between BP Batam and the communities that receive problematic land allocations in the city of Batam. BP Batam's obligations are stated to be limited to planning the allocation and use of land and exploiting or using land for purposes of carrying out its duties. Implementation is proven by monitoring and taking action against problematic land, which is the authority of BP Batam.

The impact of marketing modification on the performance of food processing SMEs in Ghana

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically examine the effect of marketing modification on business performance from the perspective of marketing capabilities theory.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a survey method to collect data from 225 food processing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) registered list in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The effect of marketing modification on the performance of SMEs in the food processing industry was evaluated using a structural equation modeling (SEM) – path analysis.FindingsAccording to the study’s findings, marketing modification has a positive and significant impact on the financial performance (FP), customer performance (CP), internal business process performance (IBPP) and learning and growth performance (LGP) of Ghanaian SMEs engaged in food processing. The results of this study also demonstrated the importance of marketing modification determinants, such as marketing resources (MR), cross-functional and interenterprise collaboration (CFIEC), architectural marketing capability (AMC) and marketing strategy decision implementation (MSDI), in achieving food processing SME performance in Ghana.Research limitations/implicationsThis current research has its limitation, even though its importance has been mentioned earlier. First, the study can be improved by expanding the sample size through the inclusion of other SMEs from other industries since it is industry specific (i.e. food processing SME). Second, this current study was conducted in Ghana. To compare results, the current study may be replicated in other emerging countries. Third, future research studies may consider how business environmental factors such as technological change (e.g. use of artificial intelligence and machine learning) moderate the relationship between marketing modification and SME performance.Practical implicationsThe outcomes of this research study are anticipated to give profitable implications to both academicians and practitioners. For the academic aspect, this study provides an important contribution to marketing modification and performance literature by examining the impact of innovative marketing on the performance of food processing SMEs in Ghana. For practitioners, this study indicates that food processing SME owners/managers must focus on marketing modification to develop their performance. The increase in marketing modification application through marketing capabilities such as MR and CFIEC will enable owners/managers to achieve performance targets.Social implicationsThe application of marketing modification among food processing SMEs in Ghana will contribute greatly to their profitability, survival and growth. The growth and survival of food processing SMEs (not limited to food processing SMEs) in Ghana will help in the control of unemployment, which is a major social issue in Ghana.Originality/valueThe study’s findings provide solid support for the marketing capabilities theory. This study also supports the notion that food processing SMEs should perceive marketing modification and its determinants (i.e. MR, CFIEC, AMC and MSDI) as a critical strategic capacity to enhance their performance (i.e. FP, CF, IBPP and LGP). In terms of contribution, this study adds to the body of knowledge already available on marketing modification and business performance, particularly in the setting of an emerging economy.

Study on the Impact of Government Subsidies on the Level of Corporate Cash Dividend Payments based on a Different Perspective

At this stage, China has entered a "new normal" period of economic development in which the government plays a key role in macro-control policies and resource allocation. The level of cash dividend payment is both a guarantee for enterprises to return the rights and interests earned from consumers' investment and to signal to the market that the enterprise is operating well, and a requirement to alleviate the enterprise agency problem and help the capital market operations in an orderly manner. By paying cash dividends, enterprises improve people's livelihood and achieve social equity by sounding the income distribution mechanism. In this paper, a-share listed enterprises from 2016 to 2020 were taken as the research object, the level of cash dividend payment as the explanatory variable, the government subsidy as the explanatory variable, and 9 control variables and 2 virtual variables were selected for probit regression analysis. The results show that government subsidies have a significant effect on the level of cash dividend payment, and there are significant differences in the degree of effect among different types of enterprises, and hypotheses 1 and 2 proposed in this paper are verified.

Record Keeping and its Effects on the Development of Small-Scale Enterprises in the Sissala West District in the Upper West Region of Ghana

Record keeping is important in development because it provides recorded information critical in business entities’ strategic development. The study aimed to look into record keeping and its effects on the development of small-scale enterprises in the Sissala West District of Ghana’s Upper West Region. The study collected data through questionnaires and observations. The study also drew 95 people from a list of small businesses in the Sissala West district as a sample size. The findings show that record-keeping practices are not widely encouraged among small-scale enterprises, and that businesses cannot appreciate the benefits of record-keeping because it is not widely used. Findings also show that capacity factors are important to most small business owners. Findings also show that most small-business owners lack the knowledge and experience needed to use modern technology to keep records. It is suggested that the Ghanaian government (GoG), the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Business Resource Center (BRC), the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA), and the Micro Finance and Small Loans Scheme (MASLOC) collaborate to assist small businesses in improving their record keeping.

The impact of customer-focus on the performance of business organizations: evidence from SMEs in an emerging West African economy

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of customer-focus on small medium enterprise (SME) performance from the perspective of a resource-based view (RBV).Design/methodology/approachThis research study implemented a survey strategy to gather data from 255 respondents on the registered list of Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA) in the eastern region of Ghana. Scales used to gather data were operationalized from previous research studies. A structural equation modeling (SEM) path analysis was used to estimate the impact of customer-focus on the performance of SMEs.FindingsThe outcomes of this study indicate that customer-focus has a significant positive impact on SME performance, hence backing the current demand for investigating the distinct influence of customer-focus on SME performance. The results show that customer-focus has a positive and significant relationship with financial performance, customer performance, internal business process performance and learning and growth performance, thus supporting the literature on the positive impact of customer-focus on SME performance. Therefore, customer-focus determinants used in this study, including co-creation, networking ties, customer insight and artificial intelligence marketing (AIM), are critical to the optimization of SME performance.Research limitations/implicationsNotwithstanding the importance of this research study mentioned earlier, the study has limitations. Notably, the sample size of this study can be increased to capture SME respondents in other geographical zones that were not included in this study. Future research studies may address how business environment conditions moderate the relationship between customer focus and performance, and also the cause-effect of the relationship between customer focus and business environment conditions on SME performance.Practical implicationsThe practical implications consist of two main items. First, this study empowers SME owners and managers to develop a customer focus technique as a central strategic goal in their quest for SME performance optimization. Second, SME owners and managers should progressively exploit the four determinants of customer focus which include co-creation, networking ties, customer insight and (AIM in order to accrue important resources for effective utilization of their customer focus competences as a way to enhance their performance.Social implicationsThis study is targeted at the sound development of SMEs to bring about poverty alleviation and employment. Poverty, unemployment and poor living standards are recognized as vital social challenges in most emerging economies. The establishment of customer focus as an important strategic capability provides opportunities for SME survival, profitability and growth.Originality/valueGenerally, the findings of this research study provide a strong backing to RBV perspective and the proposition that customer-focus and its determinants (i.e. co-creation, networking ties, customer insight and AIM) should be acknowledged as a vital strategic resource for optimizing the performance of SMEs. This research study also provides new knowledge contribution to the present body of knowledge on customer-focus orientation and management literature, particularly in the context of an emerging economy.

The impact of artificial intelligence in marketing on the performance of business organizations: evidence from SMEs in an emerging economy

PurposeThis study aims to empirically investigate the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing (AIM) and business performance from the resource-based view (RBV) perspective.Design/methodology/approachA survey strategy was used in this study to collect data from 225 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) respondents who were on the registered list of the Ghana Enterprise Agency in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Structural equation modeling – path analysis was used to estimate the impact of AIM on the performance of SMEs.FindingsThe analyzed data shows that AIM has significant impact on the financial performance, customer performance, internal business process performance and learning and growth performance in the case of SMEs in Ghana. This study establishes the significance of AIM approach in achieving financial performance, customer performance, internal business process performance and learning and growth performance through the application of AIM determinants including, Internet of Things (IoT), collaborative decision-making systems (CDMS), virtual and augmented reality (VAR) and personalization.Research limitations/implicationsAside the aforementioned significance of this research study, this study has limitations. The sample size of this research study can be expanded to include SME respondents in other geographical areas that were not considered in this study. Future research studies should concentrate on how AIM can analyze customer communications and information such as posts on social media to develop future communications that may enhance customer engagement.Practical implicationsThe practical implications comprise of two key items. First, this research study encourages SME owners and managers to develop an AIM method as a fundamental strategic goal in their pursuit to improve SME performance. Second, SME owners and managers should increasingly implement the four determinants of AIM indicated in this research study (i.e., IOT, CDMS, VAR and personalization) to develop essential resources for effective application of AIM to improve their performance.Originality/valueThe results of this study provide a strong support to RBV theory and the proposition that AIM and its determinants (i.e., IOT, CDMS, VAR and personalization) should be recognized as an essential strategic resource for improving the performance (i.e., financial performance, customer performance, internal business process performance and learning and growth performance) of SMEs. This study also contributes to the current body of knowledge on AIM and management, particularly in the context of an emerging economy.

Understanding continuous sharing behavior of online travel community users: a case of TripAdvisor

ABSTRACT Given the rapid development of the internet, the prospects for the online travel industry are promising, and online travel communities (OTCs) have become an invaluable platform for people exchanging travel information and making related decisions. However, the mobility and continuous sharing behavior of online travel community users has become a major source of uncertainty in platform management. To establish ways of regulating online communities and promoting innovation and development, this article builds on the knowledge and definitions of relevant concepts that we find in the research literature. Taking the online travel community as its research object and the TripAdvisor website as an example, based on social cognition theory and social exchange theory, this study identifies four community factors that influence the continuous sharing behaviors of users in online travel communities. The results show that richness of self-presentation, community identity, community support and community observation learning all have positive effect on the continuous sharing behavior of online travel community users. On this basis, the article offers comments and suggestions on the sustainable development of online travel agency enterprises.

THE INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETITIVENESS AMONG VILLAGEOWNED ENTERPRISES AGENCY (VOEA) IN THE PROVINCE OF WEST JAVA, INDONESIA

The objective of this study is to examine the level of competitiveness exhibited by the Village Owned Enterprise Agency (VOEA) in the province of West Java, located in Indonesia. The current state of affairs is hindered by the intricate nature of the issues at hand and the deficiencies of the VOEA that are presently underway. In West Java, for instance, a significant portion of the 2,921-unit VOEA, specifically 85%, are inoperative. Similarly, in Indonesia as a whole, out of the total 45,549-unit VOEAs established, only 30% remain functional due to their inability to effectively compete. Hence, the purpose of this study is to construct a model for enhancing the competitive innovation of the Village Owned Enterprise Agency (VOEA) in the province of West Java, as well as in Indonesia as a whole. The results of this study demonstrate that equity crowdfunding serves as a potent mechanism for promoting alternative financing and facilitating new avenues of financial access for VOEA. Moreover, it acts as a catalyst for entrepreneurship and innovation, fostering sustained competitiveness in the execution of VOEA business operations in the region of West Java, Indonesia.