Methodological and Philosophical Approaches to Social Media Marketing Adoption Studies: A Review

Chanda Chipongoma and Dr. Austin Mwange
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Chanda Chipongoma: The University of Zambia, Institute of Distance Education, Lusaka, Zambia
Dr. Austin Mwange: The University of Zambia, Graduate School of Business, Lusaka, Zambia

African Journal of Commercial Studies, 2025, vol. 6, issue 1

Abstract: Social media marketing (SMM) has become a pivotal area of inquiry in business research, especially among Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in developing economies. This article reviews dominant research philosophies—positivism, interpretivism, and pragmatism—and evaluates methodological designs, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. It also explores data collection techniques commonly used in SMM research and assesses their alignment with research objectives. The paper concludes by advocating for methodological pluralism and philosophical flexibility to better capture the multifaceted realities of SMM adoption.

Keywords: Social Media Marketing (SMM); Micro; Small; and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); Methodological Designs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C18 M15 M31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cwk:ajocsk:2025-32

DOI: 10.59413/ajocs/v6.i.1.16

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