The impact of digital marketing strategies on the export performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

Abstract

In the contemporary landscape of global commerce, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have emerged as pivotal drivers of macroeconomic stability, innovation, and employment. Often characterized as the backbone of both developed and emerging economies, these enterprises increasingly look beyond domestic borders to sustain growth and competitive advantage. However, the path to internationalization has historically been fraught with the "liability of smallness" and the "liability of foreignness," where resource constraints and lack of market knowledge act as formidable barriers to entry. Traditionally, SMEs relied on laborintensive and high-cost methods such as international trade fairs, physical distributors, and cold-calling to penetrate foreign markets. The advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, however, has catalyzed a fundamental paradigm shift. Digitalization has democratized access to global value chains, allowing SMEs to bypass traditional intermediaries and engage directly with a fragmented global consumer base.