Determinants of Digital Marketing Skills among MSME Workforce in Post-COVID India

Abstract

The post-pandemic rapid acceleration of business activities into digital spaces has made digital marketing skills more relevant than ever to the success of small businesses. Although many small businesses are increasingly reliant on digital platforms to interact with customers and expand markets, many still struggle to develop their employees' digital skills, prepare for technological change, and provide adequate organisational resources. This study explores the factors affecting the adoption of digital marketing skills (DMS) in MSMEs in India and the effects of those DMS on the effectiveness of adopting digital marketing (DMAE) practices. Using TAM, RBV, and Dynamic Capabilities theory, this study defines Digital Marketing Skills as a first-order construct composed of five first-order constructs: Content Management, Critical Inquiry, Communication & Collaboration, Identity & Development, and Responsibility. The study uses a quantitative methodology, in which primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 320 MSME respondents. PLS-SEM is used to analyse the relationships in the proposed model. The results indicate that perceived ease of use, ICT attitude, management support for digital training, technology readiness, and digital training support all have positive relationships to Digital Marketing Skills. Of the predictive variables examined in this study, management support and digital training support emerged as the most significant predictors of workforce-level digital capability. In addition, Digital Marketing Skills had a positive relationship to Digital Marketing Adoption Effectiveness. Therefore, digitally skilled MSMEs may have greater customer interaction, access to new markets, business growth, and competitive advantages. This study provides additional theoretical and practical relevance to both the literature on MSMEs and on digital transformations by establishing Digital Marketing Skills as a multidimensional higher-order construct rather than an independent variable.