Robert Kwame Dzogbenuku, Joshua Kofi Doe and George Kofi Amoako
This study evaluates the mediating role of social media entertainment on social information (content) and social media performance, during the COVID-19 era.
Abstract
Purpose
This study evaluates the mediating role of social media entertainment on social information (content) and social media performance, during the COVID-19 era.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were randomly gathered from 373 students from two top universities (public and private) in Ghana, a sub-Saharan African economy. Data analysis was achieved utilizing the partial least square–structural equation model (PLS-SEM).
Findings
Social media (SM) entertainment partly mediates the link between social media content and social media performance of students, suggesting that social media entertainment is almost indispensable in creating social media content to achieve optimum performance among tertiary students.
Research limitations/implications
The use of cross-sectional data alone for this study does not give us the opportunity to observe the social media activities of respondents over a longer period. Future studies could, therefore, include longitudinal data.
Practical implications
The findings in this study suggest that faculties can modify their pedagogical activities to include social media and reflect some entertainment content, since it has an influence on student performance within the social media space.
Social implications
SM has a great influence on students' performance socially and academically; therefore, educational stakeholders like university authorities, faculties, parents and guardians, and the government should consider social media as a tool for attaining educational goals.
Originality/value
The study extends the use of UTAUT2, in understanding students' learning and behavior processes, by linking antecedents of adoption to the post-adoption effect.
Details
Keywords
Robert Kwame Dzogbenuku and Solomon Abekah Keelson
This paper aims to examine the interconnection between marketing and entrepreneurship among small and medium scale enterprises in emerging markets.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the interconnection between marketing and entrepreneurship among small and medium scale enterprises in emerging markets.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantitative data were obtained from 113 micro, small and medium scale enterprises (SME) into services, manufacturing and agriculture selected conveniently within the Tema metropolis, a harbour city in Ghana; however, purposive sampling was used to choose owners and managers as respondents pre-occupied with marketing and entrepreneurial roles. These voluntary informants have operated between 4 and 9 years.
Findings
The study reveals a significant relationship between five dimensions of the study including market orientation and entrepreneurial success; customer orientation and entrepreneurial success; competitor orientation and entrepreneurial success; intelligence generation; and entrepreneurial success, including information dissemination and entrepreneurial success.
Research limitations/implications
Blending marketing with entrepreneurial initiatives has the propensity to accelerate success for wealth and job creation for national development especially in emerging markets where poverty and under development abounds. Adoption of basic marketing principles enables local entrepreneurs to become vehicles for social re-engineering and for rapid socio-economic growth, which ultimately affects lives at the local level. The study was limited to opinion of SME managers and owners of a harbour city.
Practical implications
Application of basic marketing principles influences entrepreneurial success in emerging markets (EMs) highlighting opinions of managers and owners of SMEs strategy warranting attention of stakeholders. Thus, the study validates theoretical model of how prudent marketing and entrepreneurial attitude contributes entrepreneurial success. It also provides a new perspective on marketing principles and success in emerging markets.
Social implications
Consciously incorporating basic marketing principles into operations of MSMEs will impact performances; hence, social lives of entrepreneurs will be affected positively.
Originality/value
This study being among the few in sub-Saharan Africa highlights how application of marketing principles to entrepreneurial operations is a vital role in growing local MSMEs unto the world stage. Therefore, blending basic marketing principles with entrepreneurial initiatives will accelerate wealth and job creation and national development to achieve the world's sustainable development goals aimed at reducing poverty.