Muhammad Talha Salam|Hamza Imtiaz|Muhammad Burhan
The perceptions of SME retailers towards the usage of social media marketing amid COVID-19 crisis
Karachi School for Business and Leadership|National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences|Coventry University
purpose covid19 crisis diversified attitudes behaviors structural equation modeling sme retailers observed using social media marketing could helped mitigate adverse effects crisis businesses paper aims present thorough investigation perceptions limited acceptance social media marketing among sme retailers developing country crisis designmethodologyapproach investigation designed using mixedmethod design qualitative investigation first part explored sme retailers perceptions use social media marketing faced mandatory lockdown stifled business activity insights qualitative study literature helped devise second part study quantitative study using technology acceptance model tam analysis responses sample sme retailers n 149 done using sem study findings qualitative study sme retailers found varying outlook toward social media marketing ventured social media marketing others impeded limited understanding second quantitative study showed general applicability tam perceived ease use perceived usefulness influenced sme retailers attitudes toward usage social media marketing covid19 crisis important finding studies business owners education level influenced perceptions social media marketing research limitationsimplications investigation albeit comprehensive one conducted particular market sme retailers opens avenues conducting similar studies segments entrepreneurs generate insights based comparative analysis across segments scenarios originalityvalue limited marketing physical marketplace amid lockdown meant almost existential crisis entrepreneurs especially sme retailers developing countries covid19 crisis technology acceptance sme retailers discussed literature limited discourses technology acceptance among entrepreneurs sme retailers crisis findings covid19 crisis explicate possibilities limitations technology usage means mitigate challenges faced entrepreneurs crisis