A Study on Adoption of Digital Marketing among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia

Running head: RESEARCH PROJECT
A Study on Adoption of Digital Marketing among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in
Malaysia

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Nature of your research topic...................................................................................................................3
A brief description of the background/context.........................................................................................3
Research justification..............................................................................................................................3
Research aims and objectives, hypotheses, and questions.......................................................................4
Literature reviews........................................................................................................................................5
Research methodology................................................................................................................................8
Selection of an appropriate research philosophy......................................................................................8
Research approach...................................................................................................................................9
Type of study.........................................................................................................................................10
Research strategy...................................................................................................................................10
Nature of the data..................................................................................................................................11
Sampling strategy..................................................................................................................................12
Techniques............................................................................................................................................13
Data analysis..........................................................................................................................................14
Identification and consideration of any ethical issues............................................................................14
Time plan..................................................................................................................................................15
References.................................................................................................................................................17
Appendix: Survey through questionnaire..................................................................................................21

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Introduction
Nature of your research topic
SMEs are considered as the backbone of Malaysian economy because it generates more job and
ensuring economic stability. The SMEs sector could be viewed as an essential element of
modern industrialized culture. In the globalization era, companies need to make transformation
in their business due to technological atmosphere because it can generate complexities to stay in
competitive market. Consequently, SMEs should incorporate information and communication
technologies as an essential technique to get competitive advantageous and improves the
economy (Musa, et. al., 2016).
A brief description of the background/context
In Malaysia, Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) focuses on digital marketing for improving
their business activities. In addition, digital marketing is a platform used by a Malaysian
company in communication and marketing practices. Previous investigation focuses on
Malaysian companies of southern Asian nation that barely invested in digital marketing. This
research illustrated that digital marketing activities is highly used in commercialization of
product and gaining the sales profit of company but, at the same time, it is challenging task for
SMEs vendors to deal with the competitors. It is also assessed that there is a large number of
SMEs in Malaysia that adopts digital marketing because it is more significant as compared to
brick and mortar marketing (Zainuddin, et. al., 2018).
Research justification
This research is beneficial for an academician to gain the conceptual and theoretical
understanding regarding digital marketing and SMEs. It is also effective for SMEs to increase
the knowledge about the adoption of digital marketing within SMEs in Malaysia. This

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investigation is advantageous for practitioners to increase the understanding regarding factors
affecting digital marketing within SMEs. It is also effective for the researcher to do further
research on this topic. It is beneficial for readers to comprehend the digital marketing strategy for
improving the productivity of SMEs in Malaysia.
Research aims and objectives, hypotheses, and questions
Research Aims
The primary aim of this investigation is to address the benefits of adoption of digital marketing
within SMEs in Malaysia. Another aim of this investigation is to identify factors affecting digital
marketing within SMEs in Malaysia.
Research Objectives
 To explore the conceptual and theoretical understanding regarding digital marketing
 To identify the benefits of adoption of digital marketing within SMEs in Malaysia
 To address the factors affecting digital marketing within SMEs in Malaysia
 To recommend the digital marketing strategy for improving the productivity of SMEs in
Malaysia
Research questions
RQ1: What is the conceptual and theoretical understanding of digital marketing?
RQ2: What are the benefits of adoption of digital marketing within SMEs in Malaysia?
RQ3: What are the factors affecting digital marketing within SMEs in Malaysia?
RQ4: Which digital marketing strategy can be used for improving the productivity of SMEs in
Malaysia?
Research hypotheses
Hypothesis 1:

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H0: There is no significant relationship between digital marketing and SMEs in Malaysia
H1: There is a significant relationship between digital marketing and SMEs in Malaysia
Hypothesis 2:
H0: There is no significant relationship between innovation in technology and SMEs in Malaysia
H2: There is a significant relationship between innovation in technology and SMEs in Malaysia
Literature reviews
General Overview of Digital Marketing and SMEs in Malaysia
According to Ahmad et al. (2015), digital marketing involves all marketing activities that use the
electronic system and the internet. There are different businesses that focus on utilising the
digital modes such as search engines, social media, email and websites for connecting with
existing and potential customers. Digital marketing is defined as the marketing process for
selling the products and services by using digital technologies, mainly through internet. It also
involves the digital advertising, mobile phones, and other digital modes.
In opposed to this, Maduku Mpinganjira and Duh (2016) evaluated that SMEs are independent
and non-subsidiary companies that incorporates not more than the specified amount of
workforces. For manufacturing area, SMEs could be illustrated as a company that has not
exceeding RM50 million of sales turnover and number of permanent workforces who have not
more than 200. In the context of services and other sectors, SMEs could be illustrated as a
company that has not exceeding RM20 million of sales turnover and a number of full-time
workforces are not above of 75.
Theories about Diffusion
According to Shaltoni (2017), there are different phases for technology adoption such as interest,
evaluation, trial, awareness, and adoption. These different stages of technology adoption are key

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investigation to comprehend the adoption stage between nations. It incorporates phases that
permit the SMEs to categories the nation in the adoption of technology.
In opposed to this, Hassan Nadzim and Shiratuddin (2015) illustrated that the situation
motivation scale as a mean to measure the situational intrinsic with extrinsic motivation. It is
stated that the company is currently using digital marketing that served as a feasible scale to
determine motivation. There is also study regarding social media use between practitioners of
public relations for measuring motivation of participants to use Twitter for their jobs.
Digital Marketing Adoption within SMEs
In the view of Musa et al. (2015), there are considerable interest in digital marketing along with
notable research is conducted particularly on adoption procedure with theories of associated
technology adoption. There is a conceptual paper that considers research model such as
Technology Acceptance Model 3 and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to address the cultural
impact on digital marketing and its effects on purchase behavior.
In contrast to this, Bin Ayob and Ibrahim (2016) stated that unified theory of acceptance along
with, implementation of technology demonstrates the positive relationship between this theory
and credibility. It also shows that there is higher probability to adopt digital marketing in SMEs.
There is also an actor-network theory that could be used by SMEs Malaysia for adopting the
digital marketing network because of its competency to illustrate the acceptance occurrence
within communication procedure of a company as compared to emphasize the individual factors
that can impact on adoption.
Digital marketing adoption factors
As per the view of Teixeira et al. (2017), the end user can major impact on procedure of
technology adoption between SMEs. It is addressed that the training processes in SMEs will