Implementation of E−Marketing in Palestine′s Small and Medium−Sized Restaurants

Ashraf Metwally^*
*Correspondence: Ashraf Metwally, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Email:

Introduction

The acceptance and implementation of e-marketing, as well as its impact on marketing performance in Palestine's small and medium-sized restaurants (SMRs), are the subjects of this study. Based on well-known technology acceptance models found in the literature, potential factors were derived and conceptually modeled for analysis. E-marketing in the SMRs was hypothesized to be influenced by three contexts with sixteen factors organizational, technological, and environmental. A sample of 223 SMRs who were employed in Palestine and selected at random provided useful information. Using a self-report questionnaire, participants reported the data. The collected data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation. The findings showed that each of the hypothesized factors has a positive and significant effect on the implementation of e-marketing. Implementation is significantly influenced by relative advantage, customer pressure, and market scope, according to regression models. E-marketing also has a positive and significant impact on marketing performance, as the regression analysis demonstrates. The study's implications, which would be beneficial to all SMRs stakeholders, are highlighted. When one looks at the world economy right now, it is moving beyond just the commodity-linked stage to the stage of value creation, employment, and economic wealth. As a result of this shift in the global economy, massive revolutions in information and communication technology (ICT) have also occurred, influencing business practices. One of the most important functions that businesses that have been affected by these changes use is marketing, which is what's known as electronic marketing or E-marketing. According to the E-Marketing Association, "the use of electronic data and applications for planning and executing the conception, distribution, promotion, and pricing of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives" is what the term "e-marketing" refers to.

Discussion

In the current era, which is marked by global markets, intense competition, and opens borders, e-marketing is becoming increasingly important. In addition, customers were able to quickly access each product or service without worrying about time or location thanks to modern and diverse communication methods. Because of all these changes, institutions now have to think about new ways to market and change the old ways to market in order to keep it alive and compete with other businesses. The growth and application of technology has had a positive impact on the sustainability of marketing features. E-marketing has a lot to offer in terms of advantages. The Internet, a piece of technology that has become a common tool for institutions, offers some of the most significant opportunities for sales growth and cost reduction. Moreover, utilizing powerful site will assist them with responding with clients communicating in various dialects to address their inquiries concerning items and administrations. Other benefits that can result from e-marketing include the expansion of distribution channels, more valuable products, staying close to customers, paying attention to their needs, and increasing sales. Marketers can also acquire new customers, brands, markets, market leaders, marketing channels, and tools [1].

Although a number of studies have examined the acceptance and adoption of e-marketing by small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in developing nations, only a small number of these studies have been carried out in Arab nations. This demonstrates a significant gap in the field of e-marketing, particularly in SMEs. E-marketing research is lacking in the Palestinian context. A few researchers talked about specific aspects of this field. For instance, to investigate the elements influencing consumers' interactions with Short Message Service (SMS) advertising in Palestine. The large portion of this exploration talks about Electronic Business (Web based business) in an overall way as opposed to E-promoting in unambiguous. The adoption of e-commerce on organizational performance in Palestinian SMEs is the subject of another study. On the other hand, investigated the obstacles that small businesses in Palestine face when adopting e-commerce. The craving to realize the variables influencing the accomplishment of a fruitful E-promoting as another innovation in associations, animates numerous specialists and scholastics to concentrate on the utilization and reception of such data innovation. Notwithstanding, E-promoting is still in outset particularly in non-industrial nations where there is an unfortunate foundation, restricted assets and solid rivalry. Sadly, very little research is done on e-marketing in Arab countries, particularly Palestine, which is unique for many economic, political, cultural, and social reasons [2,3].

This study aims to find out what influences small and medium-sized restaurants (SMRs) in the West Bank in Palestine to accept and implement e-marketing and how it affects marketing performance. In particular, the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, technology acceptance model (TAM), and innovation diffusion theory (IDT) are utilized in this study due to their widespread use in research on new technology adoption and acceptance. Because this sector is very active and thriving in Palestine, the Palestinian catering industry, which includes the SMRs, was selected as the application sector for this study. All the more exactly, as per the most recent 6 years Palestinian measurable reviews, the quantity of inside and outside sightseers visiting the SMRs in Palestine has been expanding and is supposed to increment more later on. As a result, numerous SMRs can be found in all West Bank cities, catering to both local Palestinians and tourists with a variety of menu options. The top management of Palestinian SMRs has begun reorganizing both traditional marketing and recently utilizing e-marketing strategies (such as social media channels) to announce and promote their services in order to attract more customers in response to the growing competition among these SMRs. In addition, the catering sector in Palestine is one of the most important employers of Palestinian workers in SMRs, helping to lower unemployment rates among Palestinians living in a country with high unemployment rates. This applied research was made possible by the large number of SMRs in the West Bank. Because of this, a good representative random sample was able to be obtained, and the statistical results could be statistically inferred and applied to the entire population of SMEs working in the West Bank in Palestine [4,5].

Conclusion

The purpose of this study is to find out what influences SMRs in the West Bank in Palestine's acceptance and use of e-marketing technology. Additionally, it investigates how such technology affects marketing performance. This study has been carried out using an exploratory research strategy to achieve this goal. In order to collect the required data, a statistically based random sample of 223 SMRs employed in various West Bank cities has been chosen. To be more specific, a self-report questionnaire has been created and distributed to representatives of top management at the targeted SMRs, asking them to share their thoughts on the acceptance, implementation, and effects of e-marketing in their restaurants. With a percentage of 94.62% of the respondents, the statistical analyses of the collected data showed that male managers outnumber female managers. As a result, marketing management and restaurant ownership do not typically employ women. It has been determined that relative advantage, customer pressure, and market scope are the most significant factors that influence E-marketing acceptance and implementation.

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