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Соціальні мережі певною мірою обумовили трансформацію бізнес-процесів та привернули увагу практиків, науковців та політиків. Авторами визначено, що використання соціальних мереж бізнесом дозволяє отримати низку позитивних ефектів, а саме підвищити рівень відкритості та лояльності споживачів до компанії, Крім цього використання соціальних мереж забезпечує пряму комунікацію зі споживачами. Авторами наголошено, що існуючі дослідження переважно фокусуються на аналізі використання соціальних мереж великими компаніями, а не мікропідприємствами (у тому числі сімейними підприємствами). У статті проаналізовано ефективність та перспективи використання соціальних мереж сімейними підприємствами в Саудівській Аравії. Дослідження базується на моделі прийняття технологій (Technology Acceptance Model). Вибірку дослідження сформовано на основі онлайн-опитувальник 188 власників сімейного бізнесу. Для емпіричного підтвердження висунутих гіпотеззастосовано структурне моделювання та програмне забезпечення SPSS, Amos. Результати дослідження засвідчили, що рівень очікуваної корисності від використання соціальних мереж має позитивний статистично значущий вплив на наміри використовувати маркетингових інструментів у соціальних мережах. При цьому легкість застосування соціальних мереж позитивно впливає на рівень очікуваної корисності від їх використання. У статті описано профіль власників сімейного бізнесу в Саудівській Аравії, визначено їх демографічні та поведінкові характеристики (ґендер, вік, освіта, професійних досвід). Результати дослідження можуть бути використанні урядом Саудівській Аравії при формуванні інструментів стимулювання розвитку мікропідприємництва, зокрема сімейного бізнесу. Авторами запропоновано сформувати онлайн-платформу, що дозволить об’єднати інформацію про діючі сімейні підприємства в країні. Social media applications have revolutionized doing business and attracted the attention of practitioners, scholars, and policymakers. Social media applications offer business owners plenty of benefits as it enables businesses to get exposed, gain competitive advantage, and communicate with customers. However, limited studies have considered measuring the adoption of social media marketing by micro-businesses, such as home-based businesses (HBBs). This research examines social media adoption by home-based companies in Saudi Arabia using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A self-administered online questionnaire is utilized to collect data. A total of 188 home-based business owners completed the questionnaires. Structural equation modeling using SPSS, Amos is utilized for data analysis. The findings show that perceived usefulness and social influence positively impact the Intention to use social media marketing. Ease of use positively influences perceived usefulness. Further, the Intention to use has a subsequent impact on user behavior. The study has implications for policy, decision-makers, and the General authority of SMEs (Monsha’at) in Saudi Arabia. The research results show that social influence is a significant positive predictor of social media marketing usage. Besides, the Intention to use social media marketing has a statistically positive impact on user behavior. The study validates the TAM model in a rarely studied context due to its invisible nature. The authors also describe a profile of HBBs owners in Saudi Arabia by explaining their demographic and behavioral characteristics regarding owners’ gender, age and education, and prior experience. This paper contributes original empirical evidence on the adoption of social media marketing by the HBBs in Saudi Arabia. Given the lack of previous studies on this micro-business sector in general and Saudi Arabia, these findings are essential. The present study demonstrates several managerial implications. First of all, policymakers should consider this microbusiness sector when developing policies and strategies to provide support and support. The government should establish an electronic platform that connects all business owners.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that struck unexpectedly has reinforced the need for proper cash flow management by micro-businesses. It may be complicated for the business sector to differentiate between business and personal finances if there is no discipline or consistency in financial management. Therefore, this study examines the practice of cash flow management by micro-traders in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia, before 2020 and examines how their lives were affected during the freeze on economic activity. A quantitative research design was adopted, and the participants for the study were selected using the convenience sampling technique. A survey was conducted in November 2021, and 141 pieces of clean data were obtained. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS) was used to generate descriptive statistics for data analysis. This study determined that micro-traders did not exhibit proper cash flow management, placing them in a critical financial situation when the pandemic crisis was prolonged. The movement control order and the extended COVID-19 pandemic that caused the economic downturn negatively impacted the cash flow of micro-traders and negatively affected their incomes and livelihoods.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the role of mobile technology and related service platforms in supporting informal micro-entrepreneurships in rural Ghana. It aims to extend our knowledge through the development of a conceptual model.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research design used in-depth semi-structured interviews with five micro-entrepreneurship owners in the Kwahu South District in the Eastern region of Ghana. Identification of potential case firms was facilitated by a local official. Interview data were analysed thematically.FindingsMobile technology engendered pride and emotional connectedness and, being easy to use, helped to increase business confidence. Adoption advantages included improved communications with customers and business partners, and effective stock control, providing competitive advantage. Further understanding of mobile technology’s role in improving business processes is needed.Research limitations/implicationsThis exploratory research is based on five micro-entrepreneurships in one Ghanaian rural area. Further research is needed using larger samples, additional locations and sectors and larger businesses, to identify other factors influencing mobile technology adoption and associated benefits and problems.Practical implicationsGovernment policy supporting growth of informal micro-entrepreneurships using mobile phone technology could increase economic advantage. Micro-business owners need education and training in understanding business processes. Telecommunications companies can highlight technological, business and socio-cultural benefits of mobile phone adoption in rural Ghana.Originality/valueThe paper draws upon the experiences of a range of rural-based Ghanaian micro-entrepreneurships to propose a model setting out and linking the technical, business and socio-cultural benefits of mobile phone adoption in supporting business processes.

Micro-businesses are the lifeblood of any functioning economy: they are more numerous and, collectively, have a higher turnover than any other form of business in the majority of countries around the globe. In all parts of the world, developed and undeveloped, however, they are starved of finance, and the finance that is available is often on unsuitable and unsatisfactory terms. This paper maps out the reasons for this, as well as particular problems caused by the unique characteristics of micro-businesses, and suggests some legal and institutional responses. Some responses are designed to increase access to finance for micro-businesses, by proposing measures to eliminate barriers, decrease costs and increase lender certainty. Others, however, are suggested in order to protect the borrowers, as by their nature, micro-businesses are vulnerable to abuse of bargaining power, and, since many of the risk-takers are individuals, lack of protection leads to social problems. These two rationales for legal response are in direct tension with each other in that a legal response designed to achieve the former usually cuts across the aim of the latter and vice versa. Without an appropriate balance being reached, changes designed to facilitate the financing of micro-businesses can either end up being so oppressive that the very people the changes are designed to assist fail to thrive economically or socially, or go too far towards protecting the borrowers and fail to increase access to credit. The actual decisions as to the appropriate balance are, of course, a matter of policy and will vary from state to state, depending on many factors. This paper merely seeks to identify responses and the resulting tensions, and go some way towards mapping out a framework for achieving that appropriate balance.

Context and Purpose: This dissertation was based on the authors own practical experience of working with small and micro-enterprises (SaMEs) over eighteen years. In his experience, many business development models, originally developed around large firms, do not take account of the needs and characteristics of SaMEs, including innovation theories and models which base their research on large multinational organisations with apparently little consideration for how innovation is developed, managed or measured in SaMEs. Therefore, the author decided to undertake research into innovation in SaMEs in Donegal. The three overall objectives of this research study were to:  Identify what SaMEs in Donegal understand by the term ‘innovation’  Investigate innovation practice(s) in SaMEs in Donegal  Identify how innovation can be effectively measured within SaMEs. Design / Methodology / Approach In a process similar to Andrews et al. (2008), a detailed literature review was undertaken which guided subsequent research activities where data was collected using in-depth interviews. The two stages of data collection were: 1. Literature review supported by in-depth interviews with key informants (government bodies, agencies) who provided an insight to innovation practices within the county 2. In-depth interviews which provided a comprehensive view of the understanding, practice, motivations, behaviours and attitudes towards innovation and its measurement amongst SaMEs in Donegal 4 Findings: While very few SaMEs are aware of innovation theories, processes and procedures, practically all of them engage in some form of innovative activity. They possess a broad understanding of the ‘concept’ of innovation and are aware of its benefits. Enterprises engage in a wide range of innovations across products, processes, people, marketing, etc. and innovation is very important to them. However, innovation is not a managed or systematic process and while this is often due to lack of resources, the small size and flexible nature of SaMEs also means that innovative proposals with merit can be assessed and acted upon quickly. Many enterprises in Donegal do not engage with existing innovation networks/clusters as they feel that they are not suited to their needs. The main innovation barriers include lack of time and management support for innovation, the financial risk associated with innovations, poor ICT infrastructure, complacency amongst SaMEs and high costs of innovation including prototyping, IP, etc. Few SaMEs measure innovation activities and some only measure innovation because management accounts provide them with the information to facilitate this. A significant point to emerge from the study was the benefits of management accounts to SaMEs. Research Limitations: Very little information exists on innovation in micro enterprises. Furthermore, innovation is a very broad subject and while a number of significant themes emerged from the literature review, it was not feasible, as part of a Masters dissertation, to investigate these issues by means of an extensive quantitative survey with SaMEs. Originality / Value This paper seeks to provide an insight into the understanding which regionally-based, SaMEs have of innovation and whether, given their unique characteristics, they can practically use accepted innovation management theories, tools, etc. It also seeks to inform support organisations and other enterprises as to the challenges faced by regionally-based SaMEs in trying to implement innovation activities and whether current 5 support structures adequately address their needs. Finally, it seeks to establish whether innovation in SaMEs is effectively measured and whether innovation metrics have benefits for such organisations. Suggestions for Further Research: Further consideration should be given to whether recognised innovation management systems, models and structures as opposed to flatter, more organic innovation models are best suited to SaMEs. Also, can current support structures, networks, clusters, etc., be effectively tailored so that they are responsive to the real needs of SaMEs, and can current support organisations and policy makers present innovation more simply to SaMEs in a way which is easy to understand and practical to manage and which can demonstrate clear growth benefits. The benefits of effective management accounting systems which accrue to SaMEs in terms of knowledge management, innovation management and marketing activities should also be considered. Finally, as little research exists in relation to innovation in micro enterprises further studies should be undertaken in this area.