An Attempt to Explore Electronic Marketing Adoption and Implementation Aspects in Developing Countries

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the current aspects related to Electronic Marketing (E-Marketing) adoption and implementation in developing countries through examining and investigating the case Egyptian small business enterprises. The paper methodically reviews E-Marketing adoption and implementation by small business enterprises related literature in general and in developing countries (e.g. Egypt) in particular. Building on the results of such a review, two stages methodology (namely survey and case studies) are used to explore the current aspects related to E-Marketing adoption and implementation by Egyptian small business enterprises. The findings indicated that there is a very few research that was conducted in the related literature to examine and/or investigate E-Marketing adoption and implementation in general and in Egypt in particular. The findings also indicated (although through a small response rate of the Egyptian small business enterprises) that Egyptian small businesses owners, marketing managers and sales managers have an immature and inexperienced knowledge of E-Marketing aspects as well as the different tools or forms related to it. It was found that the size of business, type of products, available resources, the knowledge of the owner and/or manager, customer's orientation towards E-Marketing, and government support are the most important factors that might have a great impact of the decision of adopting E-marketing or at least one of its tools or forms by Egyptian small business enterprises. Meanwhile, international orientation or competing globally was not one of the factors affecting E-Marketing adoption as most of the small business enterprises depended totally on the Egyptian international trade points in conducting E-Marketing without trying to gain the needed experiences to conduct these activities independently. Moreover, Egyptian small business enterprises owners, marketing and sales managers did not find any positive impact for E-Marketing adoption on the marketing performance of their small business enterprises. The findings also reinforced that Egyptian small business enterprises had only conducted partial narrow-minded E-Marketing activities.