Factors influencing technical competencies in digital marketing of MSMEs in wholesale and retail sectors: the mediating role of core competencies
Abstract
While technology is essential for the survival of micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs), their ability to use digital marketing effectively, especially in the wholesale and retail sectors, remains unclear. The study aims to investigate the current state of digital marketing capabilities and the influence of behavioral competencies on technical competencies through the core competencies in digital marketing. The research approach included surveying a sample size of 400 MSMEs in the wholesale and retail sectors. The collected data was analysed using a combination of descriptive statistics and structural equation modelling approaches. This study highlights the crucial role of core competencies in digital marketing. It suggests that strong behavioral skills positively influence technical skills by first impacting core competencies. The findings of this research show that improving behavioral and core competencies has a substantial and positive impact on the technical competencies in digital marketing. Including, the primary goal of developing digital marketing abilities should be to hone behavioral and core competencies since they will contribute to a demonstrable enhancement in the technical competencies of digital marketing.
Keyword : micro and small and medium enterprises, MSMEs, digital marketing capability, behavioral competencies, core competencies, technical competencies
How to Cite
Buaprommee, N., Cuijten, N., Inmor, S., Suwannahong, R., & Wongpun, S. (2025). Factors influencing technical competencies in digital marketing of MSMEs in wholesale and retail sectors: the mediating role of core competencies. Business: Theory and Practice, 26(1), 141–152. https://doi.org/10.3846/btp.2025.21233
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
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Sastararuji, D., Hoonsopon, D., Pitchayadol, P., & Chiwamit, P. (2022). Cloud accounting adoption in Thai SMEs amid the COVID-19 pandemic: An explanatory case study. Journal of Innovation Entrepreneurship, 11(1), Article 43. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-022-00234-3
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Bhandari, M., Fobi, M., & Buchwald, J. N. (2019). Standardization of bariatric metabolic procedures: World consensus meeting statement. Obesity Surgery, 29, 309–345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-019-04032-x
Boonmalert, W., Ayasanond, C., Phoothong, B., & Chaitorn, T. (2021). A causal influence model of innovation and digital marketing on the small and medium enterprise (SME) performance in Thailand. European Journal of Molecular Clinical Medicine, 8(3), 63–72.
Bornstein, M. H., Jager, J., & Putnick, D. L. (2013). Sampling in developmental science: Situations, shortcomings, solutions, and standards. Developmental Review, 33(4), 357–370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2013.08.003
Cronbach, L. J., & Furby, L. (1970). How we should measure “change”: Or should we? Psychological Bulletin, 74(1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0029382
Di Gregorio, A., Maggioni, I., Mauri, C., & Mazzucchelli, A. (2019). Employability skills for future marketing professionals. European Management Journal, 37(3), 251–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2019.03.004
Egala, S. B., Amoah, J., Bashiru Jibril, A., Opoku, R., & Bruce, E. (2024). Digital transformation in an emerging economy: exploring organizational drivers. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), Article 2302217. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2302217
Elhajjar, S. (2024). Unveiling the marketer’s lens: Exploring experiences and perspectives on AI integration in marketing strategies. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing Logistics, 37(2), 498–517. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-04-2024-0485
Erro-Garcés, A., & Hernández Palaceto, C. (2021). Competencies in digitalization: An experiment in an international course. Education Research International, 2021, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/1873278
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104
Hair, J. (2009). Multivariate data analysis. Prentice Hall.
Herhausen, D., Miočević, D., Morgan, R. E., & Kleijnen, M. H. (2020). The digital marketing capabilities gap. Industrial Marketing Management, 90, 276–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.07.022
Joshi, A., Kale, S., Chandel, S., & Pal, D. K. (2015). Likert scale: Explored and explained. British Journal of Applied Science Technology, 7(4), 396–403. https://doi.org/10.9734/BJAST/2015/14975
Kovács, I. (2021). Digital marketing soft skills and university students’ perceptions of employability. GiLE Journal of Skills Development, 1(1), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.52398/gjsd.2021.v1.i1.pp25-36
Nunnally, J., & Bernstein, I. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). MacGraw-Hill.
Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion. (2020). Dashboard SME big data. Office of Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion.
Olazo, D. B. (2022). Measuring the level of digital marketing capabilities, digital marketing strategies and challenges and issues of SMEs in adopting digital marketing. Journal of Marketing Advances and Practices, 4, 79–96.
Olazo, D. B. (2023). Marketing competency, marketing innovation and sustainable competitive advantage of small and medium enterprises (SMEs): A mixed-method analysis. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing Logistics, 35(4), 890–907. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-01-2022-0050
Papageorgiou, G., & Marneros, S. (2023). Developing a framework model for cultivating digital marketing competencies. In 2023 Zooming Innovation in Consumer Technologies Conference (ZINC). ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.1109/ZINC58345.2023.10173988
Patil, A. S., Navalgund, N. R., & Mahantshetti, S. (2022). Digital marketing adoption by start-ups and SMEs. SDMIMD Journal of Management, 13, 47–61. https://doi.org/10.18311/sdmimd/2022/29677
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2006). The content validity index: Are you sure you know what’s being reported? Critique and recommendations. Research in Nursing Health, 29(5), 489–497. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20147
Redjeki, F., & Affandi, A. (2021). Utilization of digital marketing for MSME players as value creation for customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Science Society, 3(1), 40–55. https://doi.org/10.54783/ijsoc.v3i1.264
Royle, J., & Laing, A. (2014). The digital marketing skills gap: Developing a digital marketer model for the communication industries. International Journal of Information Management, 34(2), 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2013.11.008
Ruangchoengchum, P. (2017). Performance measurement that affects SMEs business profits: Case study of SMEs in Khon Kaen Province. ABAC Journal, 37(1), 26–42.
Sastararuji, D., Hoonsopon, D., Pitchayadol, P., & Chiwamit, P. (2022). Cloud accounting adoption in Thai SMEs amid the COVID-19 pandemic: An explanatory case study. Journal of Innovation Entrepreneurship, 11(1), Article 43. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-022-00234-3
Segarwati, Y., Fatimah, S., & Purwanti, Y. (2020). Digital marketing competence of middle-medium business players (Ukm) in Kecamatan Lembang West Bandung district. JEES: Journal of Economic Empowerment Strategy, 3(2), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.23969/jess.v3i2.4894
Setkute, J., & Dibb, S. (2022). “Old boys’ club”: Barriers to digital marketing in small B2B firms. Industrial Marketing Management, 102, 266–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2022.01.022
Sharabati, A.-A. A., Ali, A. A. A., Allahham, M. I., Hussein, A. A., Alheet, A. F., & Mohammad, A. S. (2024). The impact of digital marketing on the performance of SMEs: An analytical study in light of modern digital transformations. Sustainability, 16(19), Article 8667. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198667
Sudarmiatin, S., & Hidayati, N. (2023). The implementation of digital marketing In SME’s: Opportunities and challenges during The Covid-19 pandemic. Indonesian Journal of Business Entrepreneurship, 9(1), 72–72. https://doi.org/10.17358/ijbe.9.1.72
Sutrisno, S., & Susanti, I. (2024). Optimising global competitiveness of MSMEs through innovative strategies for digital business development. Journal of Contemporary Administration Management, 2(1), 307–312. https://doi.org/10.61100/adman.v2i1.124
The Office of SMEs Promotion. (2021). Economic forecast for Thai MSMEs in 2021. https://new.sme.go.th/uploads/file/download-20210916133225.pdf
Umboh, I. A., & Aryanto, V. D. W. (2023). Digital marketing development model through digital literacy mediation to improve SME’s performance. Media Ekonomi dan Manajemen, 38(1), 94–108. https://doi.org/10.56444/mem.v38i1.3315
Wongkhamdi, T., Cooharojananone, N., & Khlaisang, J. (2020). E-commerce competence assessment mobile application development for SMEs in Thailand. International Association of Online Engineering, 14(11), 48–75. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i11.11358