PurposeThe purpose of the current research is to investigate the relationship between marketing capabilities and marketing innovation toward the sustainable competitive advantage of small and medium enterprises in the Philippines. The research study aims to improve the prior conducted literature by concentrating on the precursors of innovation in marketing and its impact on building a sustainable competitive market. The paper intends to address this by examining the following variables using a mixed-method approach.Design/methodology/approachThe researcher employed the mixed methods particularly the sequential explanatory design to explain and interpret the quantitative data collected from 89 business owners/managers using Jamovi Software while the qualitative data were collected through an in-depth interview conducted with 10 SME owner-managers of new and established businesses in Angeles City, Pampanga using Taxonomic Coding Scheme. The sequential explanatory design was used to explain and interpret quantitative results by collecting and analyzing follow-up qualitative data.FindingsThis study investigates the relationship between marketing capabilities and marketing innovation towards sustainable competitive advantage of micro-small and medium enterprises in the Philippines through mixed method approach. For quantitative result, the study found that marketing competency significantly influenced marketing innovation. The result shows that all SMEs have enough people in place who are capable of implementing marketing innovation activities and use new technology like the use of information technology. The paper also found that marketing innovation, significantly predicted sustainable competitive advantage. MSMEs exhibit this innovation such as product, price, place, and promotion can create a distinctive position in the market towards sustainable competitive advantage. The paper also tested the mediation effect of marketing innovation that influences the relationship between marketing competence and sustainable competitive advantage. Most of the hypotheses posited were supported. For qualitative data, it was revealed that these SMEs through their key informants and key leaders are open to innovations thus, willing to learn by establishing networks with customers and other managers/business owners to expand and improve their business. The food business in Pampanga is highly competitive, and most of the SMEs are engaged with it. In order to survive the saturated market, continuous improvement is important in the identified areas for growth and innovation. Mixed method analysis supported quantitative and qualitative findings. Hence, it indicated that marketing competency significantly influences sustainable competitive advantage, which can be achieved through marketing innovation. In this study, the researcher analyzed the influence between marketing competence and marketing innovation to achieve a sustainable and competitive market.Research limitations/implicationsThere were certain limitations of this research study. First, the lack of panel data limits the investigation of causality that is instrumental in substantiating the findings. Second, the proposed conceptual framework offers a deeper understanding of innovation performance, examining how integrating activities of the R&D department, human resource department, and marketing department affect innovation commercialization will likely provide more meaningful insights. Moreover, finally, future studies may go beyond the scope of our study to examine (1) food and meat processing, (2) agriculture, hunting, and forestry, (3) hotels and restaurants, (4) mining and quarrying, (5) wholesale and retail trade, (6) transport, storage communication.Practical implicationsTo remain relevant in this extraordinary time, this paper suggests a support instrument to offer vital data on different categories of innovation to the foodservice sector SMEs in Angeles City to embrace and implement new innovative methods in their practices. The key practical implication of this research, therefore, is the requirement for small and medium business owner-managers to improve their technical capability to realize the full benefits, particularly in terms of more responsive and user-centered, data-driven marketing personnel.Social implicationsThese findings may influence positive social change by contributing to more effective and efficient marketing practices in small and medium firms that can lead to better financial performance, higher survival rates, and a healthier economic system. This study demonstrates that SME owner-managers require new skillsets to overcome the barriers to adopting technology for marketing. This primary capability is a prerequisite to the competitive advantage of the business, yielding to brand equity, business growth, and marketing dominance.Originality/valueThis study used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods strategy to determine the significant variables. This paper addresses an interesting and practical issue related to the impact of marketing capabilities and marketing innovation towards sustainable competitive advantage of micro-small and medium enterprises in the Philippines using mixed method approach.
Purpose This study aims to analyze how consumers perceive the corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices carried out by a local water district in Angeles City, Philippines. The main objective of the study is to investigate how CSR practices influence customer satisfaction. To achieve this, several pieces of literature were mentioned to prove that CSR has an important role to its stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach The study used a descriptive and quantitative approach to test the hypotheses. The participants of the study were the residents of the top three barangays in Angeles City, Philippines, in terms of the most consumed water supply, namely: Cut-cut, Pampang and Anunas. Using the Raosoft sample size calculator, the computed sample size was 382 respondents and distributed using stratified sampling. Methodologically, the study used statistical treatment to test all the variables and validated the instrument. Findings The result of the study shows that CSR practices significantly impact customer satisfaction. In the test of the degree of relationship between the dimensions of CSR and customer satisfaction, it was found that there is a significant relationship between the two variables. Research limitations/implications The future study may explore the relationship between CSR and the resource-based view theory of the firm. The resource-based perspectives are useful to understand why firms engage in CSR activities and disclosure. From a resource-based perspective, CSR is seen as providing internal or external benefits, or both. Practical implications The water district must promote social welfare and behave as good corporate citizens; they must spend the resources allocated to CSR initiatives in ways that yield optimum benefits to society as well as to the stakeholders of the company. Social implications The paper points out that the water supply industry is one of the most regulated sectors, as the operation requirements are tighter than any other activity. The authors emphasize that water companies must assume special responsibility because their activities are directly related to the use of natural resources, environmental pollution, and public health. Originality/value This study used a descriptive-explanatory strategy to determine the significant variables using PLS-SEM. This paper addressed how consumers perceive the CSR practices carried out by the local water district in Angeles City, Philippines.
In a recent correspondence, the author discussed the issues of ‘no-jab, no job’ policy, which is planned to be implemented by governments and companies in many countries. This paper highlights the business sectors’ initiatives in ensuring the implementation of health and safety protocols and vaccination program among employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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