IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/adi/ijbess/v7y2025i3p18-40.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A proposed social media adoption model for enhancing the survival and growth of rural SMMEs during the Covid-19 crisis in KwaZulu-Natal

Author

Listed:
  • Sabelo Mpungose

    (Durban University of Technology)

  • Lawrence Mpele Lekhanya

    (Durban University of Technology)

  • Emem O. Anwana

    (Durban University of Technology)

Abstract

This study investigates the critical factors influencing social media adoption by rural Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, with a focus on supporting business survival and growth during the Covid-19 crisis. The Covid-19 crisis intensified existing challenges such as limited digital connectivity, financial constraints, and poor market access, highlighting the need for adaptive, cost-effective solutions. Social media became a vital tool for these businesses, enabling expanded market reach, improved customer engagement, and continued product promotion during uncertain times. A quantitative research approach was employed, gathering data from 374 rural SMMEs using a structured 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Analysis revealed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.779, p

Suggested Citation

  • Sabelo Mpungose & Lawrence Mpele Lekhanya & Emem O. Anwana, 2025. "A proposed social media adoption model for enhancing the survival and growth of rural SMMEs during the Covid-19 crisis in KwaZulu-Natal," International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy (2687-2293), Bussecon International Academy, vol. 7(3), pages 18-40, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:adi:ijbess:v:7:y:2025:i:3:p:18-40
    DOI: 10.36096/ijbes.v7i3.747
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.bussecon.com/ojs/index.php/ijbes/article/view/747/467
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://doi.org/10.36096/ijbes.v7i3.747
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.36096/ijbes.v7i3.747?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:adi:ijbess:v:7:y:2025:i:3:p:18-40. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Umit Hacioglu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ibihutr.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.