From Technology Acceptance to SME Performance: The Mediating Role of Digital Marketing Adoption in Kabwe District, Zambia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59413/ajocs/v7.i4.15Keywords:
Technology Acceptance Model, Digital Marketing Adoption, SME Performance, ZambiaAbstract
The increasing digitalization of business operations has made digital marketing a critical strategic tool for enhancing the competitiveness and performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). However, limited empirical evidence exists on how technology acceptance translates into improved SME performance through digital marketing adoption in semi-urban emerging economies. This study examined the mediating role of digital marketing adoption in the relationship between technology acceptance and SME performance among SMEs in Kabwe District, Zambia. Anchored on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study adopted an explanatory cross-sectional research design. Data were collected from 384 SME owners and managers using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and mediation analysis. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness (β = 0.480, p < 0.001) and perceived ease of use (β = 0.416, p < 0.001) significantly and positively influenced digital marketing adoption. Additionally, perceived ease of use positively influenced perceived usefulness (β = 0.589, p < 0.001), while digital marketing adoption exerted a strong positive effect on SME performance (β = 0.831, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis further established that digital marketing adoption fully mediates the relationship between technology acceptance and SME performance. The study concludes that favourable perceptions of digital marketing technologies enhance business performance only through their actual adoption and utilization. These findings extend the application of the Technology Acceptance Model and provide context-specific evidence to inform SME digital transformation strategies and policy interventions in Zambia and other emerging economies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Wilson Kaela, Regina Muduli, Simasiku Mwiya Mufalali, John Lukonde (Author)
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