The influence of digital marketing strategies on it organisations in Botswana
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Date
2020
Authors
Kuwali, Siphelumusa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
In the technological era, organisations are migrating to digital marketing strategies for competitiveness. However, the influence of digital marketing strategies has not been fully explored. The research’s primary objective is to determine the influence of digital marketing strategies on Information Technology (IT) organisations in Botswana. The focus was on IT organisations based in Gaborone, Botswana only. The empirical data comprises 12 semi-structured interviews. Theoretical convergences emerged from the participants’ answers, whose responses were adequate to conclude the study. The researcher used literature on the proponents and critics of digital marketing strategies and rigorous theoretical models such as the SOSTAC® model, the Technology Acceptance Model and Digital Marketing Communications Model were applied as the basis for data analysis. The research is qualitative, cross-sectional study in a non-contrived setting. The researcher’s epistemological approach is interpretivism and the ontological position is that of constructionism. The researcher seeks to explore the phenomena under study and attempts to generate themes based on the collective social constructs obtained from the interview participants drawn from the IT organisations. The target population was 18 IT organisations in Gaborone. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select the participants for the study. A total of 15 participants formed the sample size for the study. The targets were experts from the marketing departments. However, upon interviewing 12 participants, theoretical convergence was achieved. The research findings reveal that digital marketing strategies have an impact on organisational strategies. The common theme shows organisational preference for owned media digital platforms rather than paid media or shared media. There is, however, no substantial evidence on the presence of knowledge platforms such as LinkedIn. Secondly, the research findings expose the lack of marketing analytical skills among the participants. There are no indications of formal training or the efforts by management to acquiesce marketing experts with such skills. The resultant findings are that marketers confine the data exploitation to what is familiar. The final significant finding is that the use of technology affects the level of decision-making.The interview results depict a curtailed use of data extrapolation for meaningful strategic purposes.
The researcher concluded that the study produces compelling evidence that organisations are migrating towards digital marketing strategies, although at a slow pace. The migration is not imposed by industry competition alone, but also by technology-savvy customers. Therefore, the findings disclose managerial implications for the lack of concerted investment into digital migration, exploration of new possibilities and human resource skills. The impact of analytical skills is also determined. The findings show that a lack of skills affects the quality of decision-making. The marketers confine themselves to that which is familiar. In the same vein, technology impacts decision-making relating to the skills level of the participants. The results affirm that no technologically enabled performance analysis, attribution modelling, digital consumer research and trend forecasting, for example, is made possible without comprehensive systems in place. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on digital marketing strategy on organisations. This study pioneers exploring the digital marketing strategies phenomena in detail, seeking to illuminate the influence of digital marketing strategies on IT organisations in Botswana. The findings expose the gaps for further research related to the field of digital marketing analytics and the application of technology for strategy formulation.
Description
Dissertation (MBA (Business Administration))--University of the Free State, 2020
Keywords
Digital marketing, digital metrics, digital platforms, IT organisations, marketing experts, SOSTAC® model, strategy, TAM model, technology, theoretical models