Differences in the usage of online marketing and social media tools: evidence from Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian SMEs

Mehmet Civelek (), Krzysztof Gajdka (), Jaroslav Svetlik () and Vladimir Vavrecka ()
Additional contact information
Mehmet Civelek: University of Entrepreneurship and Law, Czech Republic
Krzysztof Gajdka: University of Entrepreneurship and Law, Czech Republic
Jaroslav Svetlik: University of Entrepreneurship and Law, Czech Republic
Vladimir Vavrecka: University of Entrepreneurship and Law, Czech Republic

Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 2020, vol. 15, issue 3, 537-563

Abstract: Research background: Because of the rapid improvements in advanced technological tools and widely usage of the Internet among the world, most of SMEs in various countries have become able to apply their marketing activities through online marketing and social media platforms that are less costly for them. Since SMEs encounter many financing constraints, these marketing options might be very beneficial for them to use for their marketing activities. However, socio-economic and cultural factors differ in each corner of the globe. Purpose of the article: This paper aims to investigate international differences between usage of online marketing and social media platforms by SMEs. Methods: The authors of this paper have selected 1156 Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian SMEs from Cribis database by employing random sampling method. An online questionnaire was directed by the researchers to have responses from managers and owners of SMEs. To find differences in selected variables, the researchers perform ANOVA analyses with Post-Hoc tests in SPSS statistical program. Findings & Value added: Regarding the size of businesses, Hungarian SMEs in both size categories: micro and small-medium sized, apply social media platforms in their operations more than Czech and Slovakian SMEs. When it comes to marketing activities, some similarities are in existence depending on size and age of SMEs. In detail, propensities of Slovakian and Hungarian older SMEs (that have been operating more than 10 years) and microenterprises to apply online marketing channels are higher than Czech older SMEs and Czech microenterprises. Corresponding to social media usage, Czech and Slovakian SMEs and older enterprises do not differ. But Hungarian SMEs and older Hungarian firms are more prone to apply social media channels than Czech and Slovakian SMEs and older Czech and Slovakian enterprises. This paper is a unique study that makes comparison between some Central European countries’ SMEs that are in the Visegrad Group regarding their usage of their online marketing and social media tools. Thus, this paper also fulfills some gap in the marketing literature.

Keywords: online marketing; social media; SMEs; Czech Republic; Slovakia; Hungary (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L26 L81 M31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Downloads: (external link)
http://dx.doi.org/10.24136/eq.2020.024 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pes:ierequ:v:15:y:2020:i:3:p:537-563

Access Statistics for this article

Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy is currently edited by Adam P. Balcerzak

More articles in Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy from Institute of Economic Research Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Adam P. Balcerzak ( this e-mail address is bad, please contact ).