Understanding Instructional Needs of Entrepreneurs Learning Social Media Marketing

Research has shown that early adoption of innovations often converges with the need for knowledge. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was understanding what types of instruction small business owners and their employees required to fill a gap in learning necessary skills to launch and maintain social media marketing campaigns. The conceptual framework was based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model, which originated from social cognitive theory, the technology acceptance model, diffusion of innovations theory, and other sentinel studies. Research questions explored the needs and experiences of entrepreneurs learning how to launch and maintain social media campaigns. Data were collected in open-ended interviews with 12 small business owners or their employees on a recorded phone line. Data analysis consisted of thematic analysis which showed instructional experiences and challenges small business owners and their employees had in learning social media marketing. Experiences they described helped define learner needs, whereas challenges aligned with strategies that could be transformed into instructional methodology. Education at a local level can impact citizens' ability to overcome poverty by increasing income for struggling small businesses in Arkansas, which has implications for positive social change. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]