Dear writer, kindly re edit/rewrite this thesis proposal. Please after doing an extensive research, please change what needs to be changes and ensure the sources are not outdated. Here you will find my work. I did change a few things after receiving comments, still, it was rejected due to lack of proper research and understanding of the topic. So as an expert writer, I would appreciate it if you could go through the comments from the supervisor and also go through the thesis proposal attached and do the needful. Please go through the comments and edit it and please and please read latest research related articles and come up with a good research and support all ideas gathered with recent literature that you’ll be conducting Ensure to make the problem statement, gap, significance of study and research question and objectives clear enough. Also, with my understanding, the derivation of hypotheses and the inter-relationship between variables is not very clear. The derivation is very weak too. It was questioned.

So at this point, I hope you’ll be able to come up with a very sound and accepted variables and specify what we are doing (the main variables, their relationships, and the theory used). He should be able to link a good theory and justify them and off course you should be able to justify why we are doing (the research gaps. And the method. Possibly he can come up with an adjustment conceptual framework (because the framework in my work was not solid enough).

SUPERVIRSORS COMMENTS’s ONEI have given you extensive comments in your previous submissions, but I don't see any improvement in this one. As an example, your background never explains what your main idea is! You start discussing one concept, leave it without giving it a proper conclusion, and then start another discussion.This has been happening since forever. You have never explained what is "each an every of your variables and justify it" Your sources are somewhat outdated hence will cause you from getting wrong information.

Your problem statement still has the same problem. You dont discuss any of the concepts in the background that you discuss in the problem statement. It is not supported by evidence/sources. It is just all over the places and does not focus on anything specific.

It does not clearly tell what and why you want to do what you are doing.

You keep on jumping from one to another idea repeatedly without any logical connection.Your contributions are still vogue. Give proper explanation why you chose Nigeria, digital firm etc.

You sincerely need justification. You have not justified any of your discussion again.

Your Research Question and Research Objectives are again with the same mistakes and not clear, vague, double-sided. I suggest you should revise the conceptual framework.  The current framework is not driven by theoretical stances. And get your variables accurately be reading more articles.

In general, you demonstrated the commitment needed in preparing this proposal. However, there are many areas you have to improve before the submission to a more rigorous proposal defense examination.  I applause your efforts in discussing the independent and dependent factors for investigation.  But, the big flop is the lack of focus and originality. Another major drawback is the weak linkage to theoretical foundation in this study. You did not link your presented theories i.e. social exchange theory and resource-based view to the conceptual framework.  A big issue that need to be resolved as the underpinning theoretical is essential to support your conceptual framework. The literature review is lacking in demonstrating an adequate understanding of the relevant literature in this field and did not argue with sufficient appropriate range of literature sources. Hence, arguments did not built on an appropriate base of theory, concepts or ideas. For methodology, many required components were not discussed and planned properly. For instance, Why judgment sampling? How will you reach the Nigerian firms? Why 600? All the choices need to be justified.  Hence, the entire methodology section is the worst part of this proposal.

 

I suggest you to revise and re-work on this proposal thoroughly. If you have any questions, I am more than happy to meet you and we can discuss ways for improvement.

One more thing, I suggest you should revise the conceptual framework.  The current framework is not driven by theoretical stances.

TOPIC: FACTORS INFLUENCING OF FIRMs PERFORMANCE IN THE DIGITAL MARKETING FIRMS IN NIGERIA

1

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

2020

ABSTRACTOver the past two decades, technology has come to become an inseparable part of business

activities. The modern era of dynamic and discontinuous change requires continual

reassessment of organizational routines to ensure that decision-making processes keep pace with

the dynamically changing business environment. The adoption of advanced technology to

maintain a digitally enhanced firm is necessary. Especially for small and medium-sized

firms to ensure their viability in the future. With the onset of globalization, the extensive

presence of digitally equipped firms has intensified international competition and digital

capabilities also provide small and medium-sized enterprises with new potential for

participation in the international market. The study's purpose is to examine the relationships

between social media marketing, market orientation, competitive intensity, technological

turbulence, value co-creation, and firm performance in Nigerian digital firms. However, there

has been relatively little substantive research focus on these issues. Firm performance is not a

complicated concept, but it does stand out when compared to others. Issues are in the firm

performance process that usually practices but not able to make capable of future success. This

study and influencing factors of firm performance clarify the previous process to a new dilemma

by reconfiguring the structure of the digital firms. The study follows a quantitative research

design, where an exceedingly prescribed methodological paradigm with positivism, adjustment

of research instruments or scales will be performed. Altogether more than 50 listed digital

marketing firm’s top employees in Nigeria will respond to our questionnaire. For the analysis

SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) will be used to analyze descriptive analysis

(reliability and validity). Hereafter, SEM (Structural Equitation Modelling) will analyze

multiple regression, model fit, modification index, and path analysis using (AMOS). This study

approach will be given an essential value for digital firms and make it more useful to the

competitive market for achieving performance. The limitation will be identified after collecting

data from the firm’s customers from the field survey and at the final stage of the research.

2

Keywords: Social Media Marketing, Market Orientation, Competitive intensity, Technological turbulence, Value Co-Creation, and Firm Performance.

1.0 Background

Given the importance of rapid transaction development, digital firm

highlights a set of processes that embrace all the digital channels available

to promote a product/service or to build a digital brand. From the economic

practice, digital marketing originally developed around web sites to later

show robustness by redirecting traffic to the advertising, bidding sites, and

digital firms (i.e., Abbakin Globa Solution, Big Field Digital). According to Mark

Sceats (2007), digital marketing is feasible through the Internet as a working

and display environment. It has created crucial changes not only in business

but also in customer behavior. To be operational, this type of marketing

provides a unique platform for firms to identify and understand customer

requirements and create opportunities for them based on time and place

(Bhagat et al., 2008). It also reduces costs by eliminating unnecessary

transactions.

Accordingly, firm performance is a multi-faceted phenomenon that is

difficult to comprehend and measure (Cameron, 2015). It may vary according

to whose viewpoint is taken (e.g., customers or stockholders), the period

observed, criteria used, and so on. It also seems clear that there are

numerous routes to firm effectiveness that may pursue a strategy from its

3

competitors but achieve desired non-financial results. Besides, market

competition for customers, inputs and capital makes firm performance

essential to the success of the modern business. Therefore, it has acquired a

central role and deemed a specific goal. Marketing, operations, human

resources, and strategic management are all ultimately judged by their

contribution to firm performance (Shahzad, Luqman, Khan, & Shabbir, 2012).

In contrast to the dominant role that firm performance in the digital

marketing fields put limited attention from researchers.

The firm performance has implications for both methodological practice

and the relationship between academic research and management practice.

The debate is critical to establish the relevance and applicability of academic

management research. The inability to understand and characterize

performance consistently reduces the effect and significance of the study

(Vafeas, Nikos, 1999). With a coherent understanding of the meaning of firm

performance, we make a small step toward understanding the most common

area of interest in our research. In this current study, the observed strategies

we examined, using an essential measure of non-financial performance. The

fundamental question however, has arisen and that is why firm performance

conducted in the digital firms in Nigeria? With the rapid growth of digital or

online business all over the world, Nigeria becomes a potential country and

increasing the number of companies every year. The reason for conducting

this study in Nigeria has discussed in the research significance section (see

1.5). Secondly, firm performance is a broad and extensive study in the social

4

science area1. Past studies may use different influencing factors to identify or

determine firm performance in various companies or firms. This present

study assesses firm performance with few influencing factors in a unique

manner from the strategic perspectives. We proposed based the test that

digital firms, whether doing an excellent performance or not in the online

business, which can contribute to the real world.

Further, scholars' interest in the digital-service/product marketing that

increased sharply in the last decade (Wieland, Koskela-Huotari, & Vargo,

2016). As active participants and collaborative partners in relational

exchanges, customers co-create value with the firm through involvement in

the entire product value chain. Few studies have systematically explored the

exact nature of dimensionality of customer value co-creation behavior2,

leaving its precise composition unclear. Some studies use a multidimensional

approach to capture customer value co-creation behavior and consider it to

consist of many distinctive components (Bove, Pervan, Beatty, & Shiu, 2009).

In contrast, other studies employ a unidimensional approach and use single

or multiple item measures (Fang, Palmatier, & Evans, 2008). Besides, recent

years have witnessed a renewed emphasis on delivering superior quality

products and services to customers (A. Dion, Javalgi, & Dilorenzo-Aiss, 1998;

Day & Wensley, 1988). Because customer expectations continually evolve in

high-quality products and services require ongoing tracking and 1 The research proposal main’s idea: Identifying the role of digital firm performance using a unique strategy by the influencing factors such as co-creation, customer engagement. This study identified that past literature failed to investigate firm performance with co-creation, especially in the digital firm context. 2 In a simple description, co-creation denotes customer and firm creation that increase the overall performance. Hence, we formulated based on the literature in section 2 the difference between engagement and co-creation.

5

responsiveness to changing marketplace needs (i.e., being market-oriented).

The study determines the logic and empirical support in value co-creation in

the two fundamental ideas: participating and citizenship behavior. This study

measured co-creation from the view of online customers when the firms

unable or not utilize sources in the purchase operation.

Besides, a market orientation refers to the organization-wide generation

of market intelligence, dissemination of the intelligence across departments,

and organization-wide responsiveness to it. Why are some firms more

market-oriented than others? Remarkably, this fundamental issue has not

been addressed in any empirical study to date. Several propositions about

the antecedents of market orientation have recently been investigated from

various perspectives (Kohli & Jaworski, 1990). However, this present study

identified the online purchase environment concerning market position for a

digital product. It is essential for the online market in the competitive

environment in determining firm performance. In an encouraging step,

(Narver & Slater, 1990) reported the often-assumed or implied relationship

between market orientation and performance.

Furthermore, social media3 has been considered mainly as an effective

mechanism that contributes to the firms’ marketing aims and strategy,

especially in the customers’ involvement, customer relationship

management, and communication (Filo et al., 2015; Saxena and Khanna,

3 This study used social media as the platform of the digital marketing or online purchase centre. We proposed based on the literature that whether social media able to enhance digital firms’ performance. We measured social media on the basis of some dimensions that define it (see section 2 the framework).

6

2013). For instance, from the perspective of the national governing bodies,

social media could strategically enhance two-way communication between

firms and customers, and accordingly, attaching customers more with the

organization’s brands. This would be in addition to the ability of social media

to present the content posted visually, verbally, or textually or using a mix of

textual, visual, and verbal content (Whitelock, Cadogan, Okazaki, & Taylor,

2013). It defines as a dialogue often triggered by consumers, on some

promotional information so that it allows learning from one another’s use and

experiences, eventually benefitting all the involved parties.

The study is organized as follows: Firstly, an extensive literature review

of the digital firm performance is conducted. We describe different research

streams related to firm performance and situate this study within its

literature. Then we argue why digital firm performance by influencing factors

is unique and must be studied separately. We develop hypotheses, which

relate to our conceptual model of how mediating4 relationships can influence

firm performance. The way customers interact with brands has practically

changed as a result of the proliferation of communication devices such as

smartphones, websites, e-mails, social network sites as occasioned by

technology (Oni, Shumba, & Matiza, 2014). Customer-centric firms have

moved away from slow and stressful analog operations to faster, more

convenient and stress-free digital operations to be visible and connect with

customers in the digital world. This is not optional but imperative to gain the

4 This study proposed the mediator: value co-creation (see at section 2).

7

mind-set of the customers and ensure they have a seamless experience

(Emeh, Ahaiwe, & Okoro, 2015). Undoubtedly, digital firms become a more

effective way to create a deep relationship with customers. Generally, the

business of the digital firm is that of service delivery, which is mostly a

similar product offered in a competitive marketplace (Lau, Cheung, Lam, &

Chu, 2013). The background of the study identified based on the past

literature that puts a space to conduct this research. Past studies create

some spaces that the researcher indicates as the theoretical problems, which

required to solve to reach the study goal. The theoretical problem statements

have discussed in section 1.1.

1.1 Problem statement (theoretical)5

The study is essential for many reasons. The economic significance of

the digital firms, according to the paucity of research contribution for both

theory and management in Nigeria. Digital marketing help businesses to be

everywhere, increase customer network, offer convenience, increase

revenue, and achieve excellence in their operations via its application. The

digital firm in Nigeria riddled with many twists and turns. The country is still

primarily a cash-based economy with a substantial percentage of funds

residing outside the sales and marketing sector (Oladejo & Akanbi, 2012).

This could probably be due to poor internet and power infrastructure, a

sense of insecurity in the use of digital platforms, the citizens’ savvy for

physical hold, and a touch of cash. The efficiency in online service delivery is

5 The problem statements have divided into two parts: theoretical identifications and industrial or firm problems (real world problem). The theoretical identifications described based on the past studies gaps and clarification and the industrial problems identified based the firm case studies.

8

a critical factor and a key determinant of the economic development of a

country that should be taken seriously.

Although a considerable amount of research has been conducted on

digital firm performance, few such studies in Nigeria and less attention has

been paid to other countries (i.e., China, USA). Despite the importance of

economic growth in the digital firms, there has been examined firm

performance in large quality segments. Competition has forced both

marketers and companies to seek new unconventional ways to get their

message across to their audience. The increasing noise and the frequent

promotion of commercialized society have also made consumers tired when

it comes to advertising. This present study focuses on the firm's non-

financial performance based on contextual and universal literature. The

main problem indicates that digital firm performance has not paid more

attention to these influencing factors in the overall literature. So, we

attempt to identify the digital firm performance in determining value co-

creation.

Further, the online customer now has good relationships with their

friends, neighbors, and colleagues instead of traditional advertising

messages that are sent out as to which products or services to be consumed

(Marjamaki & Svensson, 2008). Besides, digital platforms also allow firms to

engage in timely and direct end-consumer contact at low cost, and higher

levels of efficiency can be achieved with more traditional communication

tools. This makes social media not only relevant to large multinational firms,

9

but also small and medium-sized companies and governmental agencies

(Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). To maximize getting them, it needs to have a

presence where people are hanging out, and increasingly on social

networking sites (Halligan & Shah, 2009). In a sense, this role of social

media platforms enabling customers to talk to one another is an extension

of traditional communication. The question for managers becomes, “how

can this power be harnessed for the benefit of the firm?”. While firms cannot

directly control consumer-to-consumer messages, they do have the ability

to influence the conversations that willing to engage with work as a part of

them (Mangold & Fauld, 2009). In this perspective, we find a space to cover

social media marketing that can enhance value-co-creation (Van Doorn et

al., 2010). Past studies have investigated the influence of media marketing

effects on consumers’ decision-making processes (Nyekwere, Kur, &

Nyekwere, 2013).

Based on the market analysis on online marketing to sell any product,

market orientation plays an essential role in enhancing performance. With

the emergence of websites, firms and corporations have drastically

increased their investments in advertising, thus indicating their success.

However, researchers suggest that market orientation plays a critical role in increasing

business performance. The specific antecedents to market orientation, like risk aversion and

management emphasis, influence the market orientation on business performance that has yet to

be addressed explicitly in the digital firm. Notably, this study examines the contingent

relationship between market orientation and firm performance to align digital firms, both

internally and externally. 10

The preceding observations indicate that previous studies on

competitive intensity have focused on the joint effects of value co-creation.

It is a continuous issue in management, marketing, or production. The

competitive market situation makes firm success or failure among other

firms. It happened based on the prices, quality, or the other robust facilities

given to the customer. This present study identified the issue based on the

overall service and product to increase firm performance. It also finds a lack

of investigation in identifying firm performance through value co-creation.

The identification also scrutinizes an issue related to the technological

turbulence of digital firms. The technological turbulence is an important

dimension (Fynes et al., 2005; Trkman and McCormack, 2009) that remains

comparatively unexplored in the competitive market literature. It refers to

the rate of technological change over time within an industry (Slater and

Narver, 1994; Trkman and McCormack, 2009), and arises from rapid

technological changes in products and digital processes (Hsu and Chen,

2004; Song et al., 2005; Kandemir et al., 2006).

However, few studies have discussed the firm performance and its

consequences in the digital firm performance perspective. It is not be

limited by historical theories but be willing to come up with new ideas and

take risks (Zarrella & Zarrella, 2010). It is a very active and fast-moving

domain that may be up-to-date today and disappeared from the virtual

landscape tomorrow (Goldner, 2010). Based on the tentative identification,

we have studied cases that want to see a firm performance in digital firms.

11

1.1.1 Industrial Problems

The authors identify Nigeria as an appropriate business context to conduct this research

due to rapid growth and constant change in the business environment. Relevant to this study, the

digital firms in Nigeria have been growing significantly over the past twenty years. The case

study on “business and management” has been published in 2018 by Nelson Omenugha based

on the requirements of digital firms. This case titled “The utilization of digital platforms for

marketing in the Nigerian entertainment and media industry: prospects and challenges” has been

required to identify the digital firm performance.

Nevertheless, literature has generally shown that digital firm performance is yet to be

fully optimized in Nigeria (Inyang et al., 2012; Akam, 2014; Peters, 2015). It reflects the

theoretical assumption that appears to have underpinned many of the previous studies. An

assumption of digital technologies has become available and proven efficient, every economic

sector in Nigeria would, as a matter of spontaneous response, embrace them. The Nigeria

Diagnostic Economic Digital Report (2019), investigated the digital firm activities and

challenges in their competitive market. This report stated that Nigeria, the Digital Economy

offers opportunities but also brings risks of being left behind. Improved digital connectivity can

only achieve the desired transformational impact on economic opportunity and inclusive

growth. A combination with improvements in digital skills and literacy, the coverage of digital

identity schemes, and access to digital payments determine performance. Overall, we

formulated the problems based on the relationships and requirements of the firms. The existing

firms in the Nigerian market desire to fill up research gaps and solutions. This present study

combines the theoretical and industrial problems: lack of digital firm performance, which failed

to observe the situation from the customer and firms. Based on the problems to discuss the

research contribution in next. The question arises: what is the real impact of this problem and

12

solution? The answer is, this study will able to identify the digital firm performance based on

the problems recognized, the academic and industry practitioners will know the pros and cons of

the firm position in the competitive market.

1.2 Research Contributions

Digital firm uses of digital channels to promote products and services,

build brand preference, and interactively engage with customers in a

mutually satisfactory manner. Chaffey et al. (2006) opined that firm

performance now being increasingly adopted by digital firms. Balogun,

Ajiboye, & Dunsin (2013) described digital as the achievement of marketing

objectives using electronic communications technology. The overall view of

research contributions indicates that the proposed model organized based

on past studies gaps, and contribution (see section 2). The researcher

divided the research proposed model into two parts: (1) factors (social

media marketing, digital market orientation, and competitive intensity and

technological turbulence) influencing on value co-creation, (2) value co-

creation impacts firm performance. Besides, the influencing factors on value co-

creation postulated in identifying productivity, satisfaction, and loyalty in many of the studies

(i.e., Bowman et al., 2000; Lepak et al., 2007; Smith et al., 2007). Value co-creation generally

indicates both parties (customer and firm) activities that help to increase performance. Based on

the past few studies (Amit et al., 2001; Grönroos et al., 2011), value co-creation examined

customer behavioral intention, loyalty, and effectiveness. This current study focuses on the

digital firm performance based on the influencing factors of value co-creation. The issue

with the current understanding of value co-creation is multi-folded. First and

foremost, value co-creation not conclusive, and neither is an understanding 13

of what consists of investigated. In literature, discussions about how

customers and employees can exchange ideas, knowledge, and information

as to their participation and citizenship behavior. Finally, the business

strategies formulated to determine how the firm can move from its current

competitive position to a new stronger one. The influencing factors of firm

performance able to enhance digital firm performance. The past few studies

considered this factor fundamentally examined by the firm client or

customer-oriented success (Mehran and Hamid, 1995; Huson et al., 2004).

This present study explained the body of knowledge across many areas in

terms of identifying digital firm performance. In the overall view, this study

is a unique and new investigation by debating recent and past studies. It

may indicate some other factors can be determined the digital firm

performance (see section 1.6).

1.3 Research Questions

Research questions are the action of the process that involves the

researcher assisting in the research field, were to examine their situations,

and recognize the problems (Berg, Lune, & Lune, 2004). In three types of

quantitative research questions, descriptive, comparative, and relationship-

based have impotence in the research field. The researcher involves the

relationship-based questions, what is identifies from the problem statements.

Specifically, research questions cover broadly asking questions that

underlying the answers to understand the research findings and objectives.

Following questions are the focus solution after observing the problems:

14

Question 1. To what extent social media marketing impacts value co-

creation and firm performance?

Question 2. To what extent the market orientation impacts value co-

creation and firm performance?

Question 3. To what extent the competitive intensity impacts value co-

creation and firm performance?

Question 4. To what extent the technological turbulence impacts value co-

creation and firm performance?

Question 5. To what extent the value co-creation impacts firm

performance?

1.4 Research objectives In general, the objectives of the research describe what the researcher

expects to achieve from the study. It creates the research more feasible and

focuses on the goal and explains the outcomes. Overall, objectives provide

an accurate description of the specific actions to reach the aim with problem

formulation. The following objectives stated for this study:

1.To examine social media marketing impacts value co-creation and firm

performance

2.To examine the market orientation impacts value co-creation and firm

performance

3.To examine the competitive intensity impacts value co-creation and firm

performance

15

4.To examine the technological turbulence impacts value co-creation and

firm performance

5.To examine the value co-creation impacts firm performance

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Underlined Theory: Social Exchange

This present study is fundamentally rooted following the social exchange

theory. Accordingly, Social Exchange Theory undertakes that relationships

between customer and organization exchanges in which a follower responds

a positive personal outcome by providing positive outcomes (Emerson,

1976). Positive responses (subjective norms of justice) from the followers are

the fundamental mechanism for social exchange. Also, continual social

exchange signs depend on affective responses with other exchanges

(Bettencourt, Brown, & MacKenzie, 2005). According to Cropanzano, Prehar,

& Chen, (2002), it predicts the people demand that seeks to reciprocate

those who benefit them. This established theory fully supports our proposed

model in specific relationships (influencing factors of value co-creation) based

on past studies.

2.1.2 Resource-Based View

16

This current study also followed Resource-Based View (RBV) to identify

the digital firm performance. The RBV is an established theory in strategic

management for the firm performance aspect. This theory draws essential

attention to the firm’s internal operation as a driver of competitive

advantage and signifies the resources that develop in the service and

operation. Besides, Furrer, Thomas, & Goussevskaia, (2008) have

investigated that to focus of inquiry changed the structure of the firm such

as structure conduct performance to the internal structure with the

resource, skill, and capability as the critical element of RBV. In very early,

Penrose (1959) investigated the resource possessed, deployed, and used by

the firm. This theory was cited later by (Wernerfelt, 1984), who reviewed the

organization as a bundle of assets or resources, which tied as semi-

permanently to the digital firms. Also, Prahalad & Hamel (1994) have

established the notion of core factors that focus on the critical category of

the resource and capability of a firm. Later, Barney (1991) also criticized

that resources are the primary source of firm performance (Ramos‐

Rodríguez & Ruíz‐Navarro, 2004). J. B. Barney (2001) has described that

resource-based view theory is strategically essential and useful resources

and competencies that should be viewed as a source of firm performance.

This theory supports the relationships of all influencing factors of firm

performance.

2.2 Social Media Marketing

17

Before we proceed to explore social media marketing, it is essential to

define and understand the meaning of the term “social media.” Kaplan &

Haenlein (2010) have investigated that social media is a group of internet-

based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundation

of the website and allow the creation and exchange of user-generated

content. Social media can take different forms, such as networking sites,

blogs, wikis, and microblogging sites. Now a day, the most widely adopted

social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and content sharing

website YouTube. The extensive literature has not reached a collective

agreement as far as defining social media marketing is concerned, apart

from the gaining popularity of social media marketing in the industry and

academia. Some researchers define as the interaction with existing and

prospective customer relationship (Felix, Rauschnabel, & Hinsch, 2017), while

a process of enhancing stakeholders’ value through marketing activities by

incorporating social media platforms in the marketing communication (Pham

& Gammoh, 2015). Nevertheless, some of the similar components of social

media marketing among those definitions are the use of social media

platforms and encouraging the user to spread social media marketing

contents (i.e., interaction, information personalization).

According to (Zarrella & Zarrella, 2010) social media is best in the

context of the previous industrial and media paradigm, and traditional media

such as television, newspapers, radio, and magazines are one-way, static

broadcast technologies. With something read in the newspaper, it cannot

18

send the editorial staff instant feedback. New web technologies have made it

easy for anyone to create and distribute their content. Social media allows

customers to interact with firms instead of being passive targets of

corporations’ marketing messages. The digital marketing firms can focus on

consumers, respond to their needs, and create an ongoing dialogue. Social

media marketing allows firms to create new connections with customers

instead of sending messages to them. Social media is a natural, authentic

conversation between people about a subject of mutual interest (Scott,

2010). These systems allowed users to log-in to share software and data as

well as send a private message and post to the public message board. The

current trend toward social media is an evolution back to the Internet’s roots.

Since the (World Wide Web) initially created for a platform to facilitate

information exchange between users (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2012).

An organization can be used the social media platform to sell its product

and service through the marketing process, known as social media

marketing. The idea behind social media is far from groundbreaking.

Nevertheless, there seems to be confusion among managers and academic

researchers alike as to what exactly should be included under this term, and

how social media differ from the seemingly interchangeable related concepts

of User Generated Content (UGC). According to (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2009), a

formal definition of the term social media first requires drawing a line to two

related concepts. The World Wide Web by software developers and end-

users; a platform whereby content and applications are no longer created

19

and published by individuals, but instead are continuously modified by all

users in a participatory and collaborative fashion (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2009).

The platform of social media represents the ideological and technological

foundation. The term is applied to describe the various forms of media

content that are publicly available and created by end-users.

There is no systematic way of social media applications that can be

categorized. New sites appear in cyberspace every day that the scheme

considers applications that may be forthcoming. To create a classification

scheme systematically, a set of theories in the field of media research and

social processes, which are the two critical elements of them. Social presence

theory defined as the acoustic, visual, and physical contact that can be

achieved, and it allows emerging between two communication partners.

Social presence influenced by intimacy (interpersonal vs. mediated) and

immediacy (asynchronous vs. synchronous). The communication can be

expected to be lower for the telephone conversation than interpersonal and

for asynchronous than synchronous. The higher the social presence, the

more significant the social influence that the communication partners have

on each other's behavior (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). Goal communication is

the resolution of ambiguity and the reduction of uncertainty. It states that

media differ in the degree of richness they possess - that is, the amount of

information they allow to be transmitted in a given time interval and that

some media are more effective than others. The context of social media

assumed that a first classification could be made based on the richness and

20

the degree of social presence. Concerning the social dimension, the concept

of self-presentation states that in any social interaction, people have the

desire to control the impressions of other people form of them. It is

considered that the different social media applications and how businesses

can leverage for marketing, and it is essential to see them as parts of the

whole marketing mix. Marketers that understand their brand and positioning

on the market also have the vision. The social media strategy should,

therefore, fit with the established brand identity. However, it is crucial not to

blindly apply the same strategies for social media as offline broadcast

because that has shown to be one of the worst mistakes.

2.2.1Dimensions of social media marketing

a) Playfulness

It refers to feelings of happiness and isolation from reality felt during the

service. In the virtual world, it can bring customers enjoyment and pleasant

feelings, and it is an essential motivator for customers (Li & Chang, 2016).

Playfulness defined as a quality or orientation of behavior such that with this

orientation, dangerous behavior can be performed playfully (Maxwell, Reed,

Saker, & Story, 2005). When talking about playfulness, the focus is on what

customer contributes to the activity, that some people are more playful and

can bring more to the experience than others. Glynn & Webster (1992)

defines playfulness as a predisposition to define and engage in activities in a

nonserious or playful manner to increase enjoyment, and it as an “intrinsic

tendency toward playful encounters with the surrounding people, places or

21

objects. Lieberman, (1966) lists five dimensions to explain playfulness as a

personality trait, which are physical spontaneity, social spontaneity, cognitive

spontaneity, sense of humor, and manifest joy. Besides, highly playful

individuals prefer social interaction over single action, and for them, a lack of

excitement and something to respond to lead to the unpleasant experience

of boredom, stress and anxiety.

b) Trendiness

Social media provide the latest news and hot discussion topics and are

also core product search channels. Consumers more frequently turn to

various types of social media to obtain information, as they perceive them as

a more trustworthy source of information than corporate-sponsored

communication through traditional promotional activities (Mangold & Faulds,

2009). People often describe trendiness with similar words such as trendy,

modern, contemporary, avant-garde, and young. According to (Blijlevens,

Mugge, Ye, & Schoormans, 2013), trendiness might be a result of what is

currently in vogue. It is closely related to the notion of prevailing styles and

fashion. Accordingly, we define it as an attribute of product designs that deal

with the degree to which follows the up-to-date styles and fashion in the

market. It is closely related to novelty. However, it would be noted that

trendiness and novelty of a product design are not the same constructs.

Recent research shows that trendiness (traditional−trendy/modern) is only

one of the three dimensions that influence the novelty of a product design.

22

Next to trendiness, the dimensions emotion (rational−emotional) and

complexity (simple−complex) also influence novelty (Hung & Chen, 2012).

c) Customization

The level of customization describes the degree to which a service is

customized to satisfy an individual's preferences (Schmenner, 1986). By

personalizing their site, organizations can customize and express

individuality, building stronger brand affinity and loyalty (Martin & Todorov,

2010). In the social media world, customization refers to the intended

audience of the posted messages. Customization applied in a variety of other

industries. Many digital firms allow customers to suggest alterations to the

stated product. Although customized products increase consumer utility,

firms do not always gain from adopting mass customization, frequently

because customization reduces product differentiation in a competitive

context. If two or more firms offer a consumer the product that perfectly

addresses taste, then Bertrand competition will drive prices down to the

second-highest marginal cost.

Nevertheless, if a firm does not pursue customization, but its

competitors do, then the former would probably become worse off. In many

product categories today, the technological ingredients underlying product

customization is relatively mature and readily accessible to all firms. This

implies that adopting customization cannot ensure a competitive advantage

and, indeed, studies have shown that pursuing customization may lead to a

prisoner’s dilemma (Dewan, Jing, & Seidmann, 2003).23

d) Informativeness:

Informativeness is defined as the ability to inform users about product

alternatives that enable them to make choices yielding the highest value

(James & Vanden Bergh, 1990). Informativeness is a perceptual construct

that is measured via self-reported items. It encompasses rational appeal due

to its ability to help a consumer make an informed judgment about the

acceptance of the message, and therefore is conceptually distinct from an

emotional appeal. Informativeness defined as the integrity and applicability

of the information when it delivered to a customer in the advertising, and it

enhances the positive effect of the advertising (Haida & Rahim, 2015).

Informativeness was articulated as the extent to which a firm can provide

adequate information based on which customers can make better purchasing

decisions. Informativeness was addressed as a more perceptual construct

measured using a self-reported scale. This dimension is more related to the

sender’s ability to rationally attract the customer’s responsibility as it

empowers the customer to cognitively assess the adoption of information

and messages provided (Lee and Hong, 2016). Such an important role of

informativeness was noticed in the area of digital commerce, who highlighted

the impact of this construct on customers’ attitudes.

e) Word-of-Mouth

Social media associate WOM with online consumer-to-consumer

interactions about brands (Godey et al., 2016). Research shows that WOM

has higher credibility, empathy, and relevance for customers than marketer-

24

created sources of information on the Web. Social media are ideal tools for

WOM because consumers generate and spread brand-related information to

their friends, peers, and other acquaintances without constraints (Vollmer &

Precourt, 2008). Early studies on WOM has an essential impact on customer

decisions and helps to present good post-purchase wakefulness. Word-of-

Mouth might have different kinds of special effects in the present world.

Initially, it could be optimistic or unconstructive effects. Secondly, it could

influence the product, the brand, the service, or even the employees'

performance within the company. Word-of-Mouth effects might have different

targets on the customer. A successful product sharing could be affected by

positive word-of-mouth and a lack of adverse effects. In the earlier, online

shopping has crossed the space to become primarily well-known, particularly

among the little and wealthy (Chai & Kim, 2010). Due to the quality concerns

and other customer supposed risks, the challenges of e-shopping, mostly

concerning awareness and doubt that begun to surface (Sharma &Arroyo,

2012). Consumers want to purchase products from online markets, and they

need a positive, dependable, and honest evaluation of products. Online

systems and electronic-Word of-Mouth (e-WOM) help customers make such

up to date decisions.

2.2.2 Relationships between SMM, VCC and firm performance

Social media marketing is used across sectors and refers to the

utilization of social media technologies, channels, and software to create,

25

communicate, deliver, and exchange offerings that have value for an

organization's stakeholders (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Building a strong

relationship with customers is the main objective of marketing programs, and

customer relations are improved using social media (Odoom, Anning-Dorson,

& Acheampong, 2017). As a tool for customer relations, social media is used

to attract customers with user-generated content, engage customers using

online two-way social interactions, and retain customers through building

relationships with other members. A crucial part of effective customer

relations is delivering pertinent information at the correct time and forming a

personalized connection with the customer. It indicates that social media

marketing enhances relationship building in social media platforms.

Besides, social media marketing also enhances firm performance through

value co-creation; when a good relationship will create, the customer will

engage with the marketing segment. Traditional customer relationship

databases include personal information about the customers and are now

being augmented with social media data to obtain more detailed personal

information (Soler-Labajos & Jiménez-Zarco, 2016). Beyond being another

medium to communicate with one's audience, social media allows

professional relationships to be built, sustained, and strengthened with

friends, family, and even businesses. Marketers employ relationship

marketing strategies to build long-term relations that are mutually satisfying

with key parties, including customers (Kamboj, Sarmah, Gupta, & Dwivedi,

26

2018). A few studies have been considered between these relationships as a

direct and indirect effect in the literature.

In social media literature, Kapoor et al. (2018) find that social media has

been widely adopted as a marketing medium. In the private sector, social

media is often used as a communication tool to promote and sell products

and services; in the public sector, social media is often used to share

information and encourage user engagement (Royle & Laing, 2014). This

present study proposed model indicate that social media marketing increases

customer relationships in the social media platform by exchanging their

service and product. Besides, social media affects firm performance behavior

through customer value co-creation. While social media listening is extremely

valuable for businesses to understand better what their customers and the

public are saying about their products or services, not all consumers might

be comfortable with such practices (Akar & Topçu, 2011). The marketers use

social media that impact on customer purchasing intention and lead to a loss

of trust and a damaged relationship between the consumer and the firm

(Greenstein, Goldfarb, & Tucker, 2013). From this above discussion, we

formulated three hypotheses as follows:

H1a: Social media marketing has a positive impact on value co-creation

H1b: Value co-creation mediates between Social media marketing and firm

performance

2.3 Market Orientation

27

Researchers have found that market orientation could help firms to keep

their strategic objectives in a dynamic environment (Anwar & Sohail, 2003;

Narver, Slater, & MacLachlan, 2004). One of the main characteristics of

market orientation is the focus to put customers' interest first. Jaworski &

Kohli (1993) further suggest that market orientation is a way to improve

business performance and perform on higher levels, which in turn is a way of

tracking and respond to customer needs. It is also affected by the

environment, which implies that businesses that appear in more competitive

environments may also need a higher degree of market orientation (Jaworski

& Kohli, 1993). During the last decade, the construct of market orientation

has been the object of considerable interest and attention from researchers.

A range of definitions of market orientation has been suggested and refined,

and operationalized measures developed (Matsuno, Mentzer, & Özsomer,

2002; Narver et al., 2004). The extent to which business managers and their

firms have adopted a market orientation has not been examined widely in a

digital firm perspective. However, there are compelling reasons to believe

that business managers are interested and motivated to attend and try out

the ideas of market orientation. In today’s competitive environments,

customers are a scarce “resource.” It identified that market orientation

consists of two market strategies, mainly market-driven and market driving

strategies.

Questions have been raised about the actual benefit of marketing

orientation. According to (Narver et al., 2004), previous studies have

28

suggested that market orientation may detract from business innovation. The

linked-to the issue that firms put their only focus on listening and respond to

the wishes of their customer. This understanding only refers to the active

part of marketing orientation, which is customer-led and refers to a more

market-driven strategy. A market-driven strategy identified to be a reactive

strategy to the market. It favors gradual adjustments to changes in the

business environment, in which the firm tries to have adaptive learning

throughout the firm (Hallikas, Karvonen, Pulkkinen, Virolainen, & Tuominen,

2004). The market-driven strategy engages in carefully in the market, and

investigates customer needs to later develop differentiated products and

services for the identified segments to satisfy the needs. According to

(Narver et al., 2004) further question the previously found relationship

between market orientation and innovation by claiming that these have not

yet considered the proactive part of market orientation, the market driving.

The market driving is about to discover, understand, and satisfy latent needs

of the customers, rather than the expressed needs. Tuominen et al. (2004)

referred to the market driving strategy as a proactive approach, which means

to create something fundamentally and radically new by generative learning.

Market driving strategies bring with it a high risk means that there often is a

high risk of implementing market driving strategies, with limited capital.

However, if the implementation is successful, there are unlimited upside

potentials.

29

2.3.1 Relationships between market orientation VCC and firm

performance

To survive the business, firms need to attend enough customers who

willing to purchase their products and services at a price that at least covers

the costs involved. Usually, firms also need to pay attention to competitors

because goods and services influence customers’ preferences and choices

(Dickson, 1996). A firm believed in providing a unifying focus and clear vision

that will lead to improved access to information and understanding centered

around creating superior value for customers (Kohli & Jaworski, 1990). It also

believed that firms toward the market (i.e., customers and competitors)

should have excellent prospects for attracting enough profitable customers

(Kohli and Jaworski, 1990). Thus, market orientation is assumed to be highly

beneficial for business firms and other types of firms. According to Kohli and

Jaworski (1990), it is the organization-wide generation of market intelligence

about current and future customer needs, dissemination of the intelligence

across departments, and organization-wide responsiveness to it. Besides,

market orientation consists of three stages; (1) generation, (2) dissemination

of market intelligence, and (3) responsiveness to it. One question of a

market-oriented process from the behavioral perspective is how firms behave

in the context of the “actual” business process. It is noted that market

orientation related to the customer and competitors that enhance customer

and firm exchange ideas and knowledge. It also increases firm performance

based on market observation and customer demand. More specifically, the

30

content and method for the utilization of market orientation are not explicit.

Kohli and Jaworski (1990) pointed out that market orientation is a broader

concept that includes not only customer needs but also exogenous market

factors that affect co-creation. However, the context of an actual business

situation, all such orientation is not significant, and the method of using them

is different depending on the situation. Based on the above discussions, we

hypothesize as follows:

H2a: Market orientation has a positive impact on value co-creation

H2b: Value co-creation mediates between Market orientation and firm

performance

2.4 Competitive intensity

The essence of competition allows talking about its significant influence

on the productive level of the competitiveness of the firms on a level of

achievement by the competitive market (Ceptureanu, 2015). The

competitiveness of the firm's acts in the form of an external force of

counteraction of its activity (Dacin, Dacin, & Tracey, 2011). Hence, the

estimation of the productivity level of the competitiveness of the firm

assumes carrying out the scale of competitive intensity as one of its defining

factors. The literature allows ascertaining the fact that the estimation of

competitive intensity given by its manifestation (Chen, Wang, Nevo, Benitez-

Amado, & Kou, 2015). It is carried out not by an estimation of the activity of

the considered subject of a competition, but the factors causing their

manifestation with a certain level of intensity. Thus, the competitive intensity

31

correlates with the size of manifestation or the set of rules assuming. The

competitive intensity is of global importance at the market analysis as it

allows revealing the general appeal of intrusion on the market, making

strategy of promotion of the goods, preliminary estimating activity results.

Competitive intensity can be defined as a situation where competition is

fierce due to the number of competitors in the market and the lack of

potential opportunities for further growth. As competition further intensifies,

the results of a firm’s behavior will no longer be deterministic but stochastic

as the behavior is heavily influenced by the actions and contingencies

undertaken by competitors. Thus, under conditions of intensifying

competition, predictability, and certainty diminishes. When the competition is

less intense, firms can operate with their existing systems to fully capitalize

on the transparent predictability of their behavior. However, when the

competition is intense, firms will have to adapt accordingly. The firm will

need to engage in risk-taking and proactive activities that effect co-creation

and firm performance. One of the most important differences is that Porter

(1991) views the market environment as partly exogenous and partly subject

to influences by the firms' actions. Porter (1991) chose to focus on the role of

a firm's activities and positioning as a fruitful avenue for the development of

a dynamic theory of strategy. For Porter (1991), a successful firm is one with

an attractive relative position, which can arise from either the selection of a

cost base lower than the competition or from the firm's ability to differentiate

32

offerings and command a premium price that exceeds the accumulation of

extra costs (Spanos & Lioukas, 2001).

The estimation of the competitive intensity includes: (1) the analysis of

the distribution of market shares among competitors; (2) the analysis of

growth rates of the market; (3) the analysis of the profitability of the market.

For further estimation of interference of the competitive intensity and the

distribution of market shares among the firms, it is necessary to assess the

competitive intensity in the set commodity market utilizing a measurement

of the degree of similarity of market shares of competitors (Bowman &

Gatignon, 1995).

H3a: Competitive intensity has a positive impact on value co-creation

H3b: Value co-creation mediates between Competitive intensity and firm

performance

2.5 Technological Turbulence

According to (Lichtenthaler, 2009), technological turbulence is a factor in

the external environment of a firm, besides market turbulence and

competitors’ intensity. Autry, Grawe, Daugherty, & Richey, (2010) stated that

technological firm had recognized as the primary driver of industrial growth

as well as a significant cause of social disruption through the obsolescence of

existing technologies, businesses and economic systems. Technological

turbulence creates firm opportunities, and present challenges to incumbent

firm and established norms. In some cases, it can even present ethical

dilemmas (Hall & Rosson, 2006) (Terawatanavong, Whitwell, Widing, &

33

O’Cass, 2011). When new technologies quickly emerge, the requirements for

dealing with the fast-changing environment may lie beyond the co-creation

and performance (Chen et al., 2012). In such circumstances, we propose that

the challenge-driven adjustment to motivation dominates until co-creation

increases to a certain threshold, where the stress-driven adjustment to

motivation becomes dominant. Together, the challenge and stress-related

effects contribute to a relationship between co-creation and performance

(Bendoly and Hur, 2007).

According to information processing theory, in a technologically

turbulent environment, firm structures are needed to match the intensive

information processing requirements resulting from high environmental

uncertainty (Galbraith, 1973; Tushman and Nadler, 1978). A rapidly changing

technological environment characterized by firm performance and fast

technological obsolescence (Atuahene-Gima & Li, 2004). It may create

opportunities for firms to build superior competitive positions by changing or

upgrading their products (Sheng et al., 2011, p. 4), and may also create

challenges that uncertainty leads to high failure rates (Cunha et al., 2014;

Ciborra, 1996). Fast-changing environments require firms to access new

knowledge and provide new solutions faster to maintain a competitive

advantage (Cankurtaran et al., 2013).

The technological turbulence affects value-co-creation, which indicates

the measurement of customer cooperation to determine competitiveness.

Notably, technological turbulence from uncertainty can enhance both firm

34

and customer participation. Firms face low levels of technological turbulence

are more likely to attract potential partners, many of whom are facing higher

levels of competitiveness and, thus, have more opportunities to engage with

the customer. Firms that face high levels of competitive intensity have a

greater desire to engage due to their need to reduce competitive pressures.

However, the desire to co-creation is a necessary but not sufficient condition

for collaboration; firms must also possess the resources that make them

attractive to potential partners in order to be able to access more resources

through their relationships (Gulati, 1995; Eisenhardt and Schoonhoven, 1996;

Dyer and Singh, 1998; Stuart, 1998; Ahuja, 2000; Park et al., 2002). Based on

the above discussion, we hypothesize as follows:

H4a: Technological turbulence has a positive impact on value co-creation

H4b: Value co-creation mediates between Technological turbulence and firm

performance

2.6 Value co-creation

Within the competitive marketplace, firms must find an effective means

of a good relationship with their customer. Gaining the competitive

consistency by creating customer value, quality product or service to meet,

exceed customer’s needs and expectations. Customer awareness of digital

marketing and satisfaction provided with maintaining a healthy interaction.

Thus, it is developed a good relationship with their customers to enable in

the make profit. Interaction is always establishing a good communication

process to create mutual understanding for both parties. The communication

35

indicates two forms, such as internal and external communication or

interaction. Internal interaction exchanging ideas and information within the

organization while external shared with and gathered from customer,

distributor, competitor, and suppliers (Jerald & Baron Robert, 2008). There is

formal interaction through officially entitled message flow between customer

and employee positions. This type of interaction is usually a pre-planned,

systematic, and formal process of transferring information, whether written

or by speech. According to (Gilley, Dixon, & Gilley, 2008) investigated

directions of interactions that are necessary to develop effectiveness in the

organization, and managers should understand and utilize for improvements.

Interaction usually consists of information that involves managers in order to

able to be efficient in their job and responsibilities. Thus, professional success

often depends on how well understand the customer and how well

understand employees themselves in the interaction process. An effective

interaction includes realization and mutual understanding between

customers and employees, and it may require motivation, inspiration, and

check-in priority (Sadikoglu & Zehir, 2010). Accordingly, customer choice

priority is also most famous for the firms to make in good relationships and

facilitate them by provided services. Customer service is an extended

concept related to the social media platforms of digital firms with marketing,

economy, management, and it is spreading in the interaction research

between employees and customers. It has no been retained attention in the

interaction research, although service interactions are an integral part of our

36

lives (Ford, 2001). Several researchers have conducted and attempted to

propose various definitions to realize the concept of product/service

interaction (Barros, Dumas, & Ter Hofstede, 2005; Keck & Kuehn, 1998). Ford

(1999) also investigated that this interaction represents products and

professional assistance in exchange for another individual value or

cooperation.

In this study, the researcher believes that customer product/service

interaction will be enjoyable when the contact would be helpful, experienced,

and pleasant service provided by an employee. By exercising so, the

customer will get quality of the product is correctly appear to social media

platform retain their relationships and popularity by interaction information,

reputation, features, facilities, and overall standard. There are some of the

factors that are providing interactions such as activities and the existence of

the organization. There is the main thing between employee and customer

interaction, which is the satisfaction of mutual understanding as corporate

relations in order to understand product function and facilities. There is only

providing quality so that the organization always relates to the customer in

terms of essential survival and profit (Deng et al., 2010; Bolton, 1998).

2.6.2 Customer-organization relationships

The co-creation-based relationship is an essential and vital weapon for

the success of any organization. The relationships of them bring interaction,

and these interactions are most important for pursuing business. Without

interactions, the business will not survive appropriately in the market for

37

better performance. Few customers are challenging to handle, although the

interactions system goes through to get the organization to win and bring

loyalty as a long-term condition. In this sense, the relationships and

interactions appear to become prevalent through communication by verbal

and non-verbal for complex and diverse, which increases the number of a

computerized and automated system. It formulated to be a feeling of care,

friendliness, regular communication between the customer and the service

provider. Chung et al. (2012) identified that interaction is communication or

link two or more than two people to accomplish an ordinary object through

their interaction. Customers from all kinds of work of life, need to have

interacted and rating with the employees, either in the initial stage or

establishing and maintenance phase on how compliance with their

interpersonal level of interactions (Schutz, 1996), demand getting, control

and emotions. There are some foundational interactions developments of

behavioral constructs as uncommonly attentive behavior, standard grounding

behavior, information sharing behavior, and connecting behavior. The

relationship between customer and service provider sometimes depends on

employee appearance of being polite to remain interactions. The

conceptualization of interaction has demonstrated into multiple groups such

as employee and customer, leader and subordinate, employee and co-

worker, customer, and other customers.

The literature on interactions have investigated in different context and

classifications (e.g., Bitner, Booms, & Stanfield Tetreault, 1990; Dwyer,

38

Schurr, & Oh, 1987; Gremler & Gwinner, 2000). Clark and Mills (1993) have

illustrated two basic modes of interaction, such as communal and exchange.

The cooperative mode of interaction is governed by the expectation and

social belonging and accompanied by the desire of mutual responsiveness to

individual needs. It is participated in a communal interaction by

demonstrating general concern for another person. Exchange mode of

interaction governs by the quest to accomplish a task and expectation of

immediate repayment for benefits, which is given previously. Guteks et al.,

(1999) has considered the interaction between customer and employee into

two main groups such as encounter and relationships. Service encounter has

occurred in the organization between the customer and random service

provider. Thus, relationships, in contrast, are recurred interactions between

customer and service providers by knowing each other in-depth and more

personal level. Interactions very shortly described as simple, unemotional,

and occur in a public place, which defined as transactional. The interactions

that have continuity, emotional involvement, and intimacy can be defined as

a relationship.

Mutual co-operation is not only about information and communication

but also describes something more in-depth. It is built a relationship between

two people and activity by sharing into parties in accordingly information,

feelings, experiences, and thoughts as well. It is significant to understand the

meaning of open and active interaction for organizations' overall activities

among firms and customers. F. Flores et al. (1998) considered that

39

interaction could easily lead to a situation of individual focus and their

energies on individual and organizational goals, the complexity of successful

management activities. Nurturing and developing knowledge requires the

community to work together and a culture of continuous mutual interaction

as the strength of an organization. When employees are getting some

chances to learn new skills together, then only they can manage future

challenges of work, isolation and reduce loneliness, especially in workplaces

where most of the time, work is done individually (Hatonen, 1999). So, this is

more important things in the workplace or in an organization for the

employees to solve problems effectively.

2.6.4 Relationship between co-creation and digital firm performance

Customers also recognize that (especially in highly competitive markets)

good buyer-seller relationships are essential for the success of both

customers and sellers. Particularly in-service organizations, customers often

want to be "relationship customers" and prefer personalized communication

with the company representative. They want someone who knows them and

understands their needs (Elbedweihy, Jayawardhena, Elsharnouby, &

Elsharnouby, 2016). Thus, relationship marketing can be beneficial to all

participants. Companies have loyal, satisfied customers who recommend

them to others and generate positive word-of-mouth. Customers have

efficient, dedicated suppliers they have a good relationship and depend on

for consistent service/product. Consequently, (Escalas & Bettman, 2005)

refer to the consumer’s self-brand connection that develops when

40

associations with the brand are employed to construct the self or

communicate the self-concept to others called brand co-creation. While

recent research has explored both the antecedents and consequences of

customer co-creation, studies that consider engagement with social media

are only beginning to emerge. However, this present study investigates the

relationship between value co-creation and digital firm peformance. It

contributes a more profound recognition of nature and dynamics, facilitating

co-creation behavior within social media platforms. Social media platforms

provide users with an interactive avenue to create value and engage with the

firm (Brodie et al., 2013). Users create social media content through their

contributions, comments, and likes. Subsequently, their input facilitates the

engagement and interaction of other members. Therefore, companies want

to encourage their followers not just passively to consume content, but

actively exhibit co-creation in such a way that they comment and create new

content.

H8: Value co-creation has a positive impact on firm performance

2.7 Digital Firm Performance

There are numerous definitions of performance management to be

found in the literature (M. Armstrong & Baron, 2005; Biron, Farndale, &

Paauwe, 2011; Tiernan, Morley, & Foley, 2006). For example, as defined by

(Artley & Stroh, 2001), performance is:

41

“A systematic approach to performance improvement through an ongoing

process of establishing strategic performance objectives, measuring

performance, collecting, analyzing, reviewing, and reporting performance

data and using that data to drive performance improvement.”

Alternatively, as proposed by (Andersen, Henriksen, & Aarseth, 2006),

performance is actively monitoring the organization’s levels to improve

continuously. According to Armstrong (2003) described that firm performance

is a process for establishing a shared understanding about to be achieved

and an approach to managing and developing people in a way that increases

the probability that goals and objectives will be achieved. It is apparent from

these definitions that firm performance is a systematic approach to

performance guided by the organization’s goals, objectives, and strategy. It

is also apparent that performance is linked to an organization’s strategic

objectives and achievement of goals. First, the performance helps to ensure

that the actions and operations of a firm aligned with its strategy. It is

essential for strategic success and as argued that performance considered to

facilitate this because it has the potential to provide the structure to manage

all aspects of the firm (Said, HassabElnaby, & Wier, 2003).

Firm performance enables to evaluate and control efficiency, quality,

and consistency of actions and the processes used to achieve objectives

(Ballantine & Brignall, 1995; Cho, Ibrahim, & Yan, 2019; Said et al., 2003).

Thus, the techniques associated with performance highlight operational

aspects needing attention, therefore allowing evaluation and control (Melia,

42

2009). According to Otley (1999), a general performance considers such

problems, “what are the key objectives of a firm’s overall future success, and

how does it go about evaluating its achievement for each of these

objectives? What strategies and plans have the firm adopted, and what are

the processes and activities that will be required for it to implement these

successfully? According to (Fletcher, 2001), a comprehensive human-

resource-related performance, which is “an approach to creating a shared

vision of the purpose and aims of the firm, helping each employee

understand and recognize their part in contributing and doing manage the

performance. It consists of three phases: a) Setting expectations for

operational performance, b) Maintaining a dialogue between supervisor and

employee to keep performance on the track, c) Measuring actual

performance relative to performance expectations.

Customer relationship Development is the first stage in the performance

process that offers the foundation for an active process (Schneier, Beatty, &

Baird, 1987). It helps to encourage commitment and understanding by linking

the employees' work with the firm's goals. It usually includes identifying key

value drivers of stakeholders, for example, shareholders, customers, and

employees of the firm. According to (Ahmad & Azman Ali, 2004), goals

describe something to be accomplished by individuals, departments, and

firms over a period. Claver-Cortés et al. (2007) stated that a firm goal needs

to be defined and agreed on a firm strategy’s performance. They further

indicated that productivity gains would correlate with the extent of top

43

management support for and employees' participation in the process of

setting objectives. It is a motivational process that also gives the distinct

feeling of being involved and creates a sense of ownership for the firm

(Nyembezi, 2009).

2.8 Research Framework

This present study proposed that a research framework has adapted

from past different studies. The social media marketing, market orientation,

competitiveness and technological turbulence act as independent variables

with dimensions. The mediator has added in the framework, namely: value

co-creation. Finally, the dependent variable is digital firm performance acts

as a primary area of the identifications, with a total of five hypotheses.

Figure (1): The conceptual framework

3.0 Methodology

44

Research methodology refers to the overall approaches of an

investigation. The flow of the research undertaken from the theoretical

foundation and the analysis of the collected data provides a conclusion

(Saunders & Lewis, 2014). Collis and Hussey (2013) have argued that there

is no exact right or wrong answer to research. Before commencing the

discussion on research methodology, this chapter begins with the

justification of the research philosophy of positivism stance, philosophical

paradigm, research methodology, and research approaches. Later, this

chapter discusses the operationalization of constructs and explains the

instruments of the variables with the research setting of this study. The

formulation of the research idea and topic leads to identify and set the

questions in an investigation. It is the pioneering point of the study process

as well as the most complex part of any study (Collis and Hussey 2013;

Saunders, Lewis, and Thornhill 2007). Authors posit that once the idea and

research topic are adequately outlined, then the researcher should select

the most appropriate research method to investigate the phenomenon

followed by research design, data collection instrument, analyzing tool, and

technique. Therefore, it increases the need for a clear statement on

research objectives, or else the complete success of the research could be

undone. This study follows the guidelines suggested by (DiBella, Nevis, &

Gould, 1996) to test the theories: social exchange and resource-based view.

Authors have argued that the ideal way to measure the impacts of digital

firm performance. The research process has followed below accordingly.

45

3.2 Paradigm

The paradigm refers to a pattern indicating a conceptual framework

shared by a community of scientists for assessing problems and solutions.

Understanding the research paradigms is the first and most crucial step in

any researcher’s journey. The reason may all research is based on some

underlying philosophical assumptions. In brief, the paradigm is simply a

set of the fundamental belief that systematically supervises the research

investigation and influences researchers’ preferences: (i.e., ontology,

epistemology, methodology) (Guba & Lincoln, 1994). The ontology engages

with how the assembled and where two considerations exist objectivism and

constructivism. Objectivism recognizes reality as an external phenomenon

in existing human consciousness. This approach keeps the mind of the

researcher out of the portrait and indicated that knowledge must be purely

objective and valid (Martin, 2017). Consequently, constructivism

assessments both knowledge and reality as socially constructed through

relationships and interactions, also prescribe truth and realities by the

human mind and personal level of opinion (Young & Collin, 2004). This

study has followed objectivism, where researchers concentrate on

examining the objectives that provide a valid value for the findings.

Moreover, epistemological nature indicates that the criteria need to fulfill

scientific theory and contribute to scientific progress. It has the common

objectives to explain the essence of research and to predict further

developments (Hollis & Lukes, 1982). This study follows the positivistic in

46

the significant social science research area where the social reality exists

externally as of core idea in the operational concept of quantitative

measurement (Hunt, 1990). Before claiming research output, proponents of

positivism stress the significance of reliability and validity of measurement

contribute to depth knowledge (Brannick & Coghlan, 2007). Following the

idea of positivism, this study deduces a series of hypotheses, especially in

chapter two, describing the relationships between the focal constructs as

well as their outcomes. Then these hypotheses are subjected to analytical

testing. This approach allows us to accept, reject, or to modify a

hypothesized relationship and is consistent with a positivistic logic to

scientific research. Layder (1993) has argued that the central concern of a

researcher under the positivism philosophical paradigm is to test the theory

through quantitative data (mostly survey, experiments, and indexed data)

and statistical technique. In this study, the researcher collects quantitative

data through a self-administrative questionnaire survey and investigates the

validity, reliability, model fit, and structure model through statistical analysis

by following guidelines provided by researchers.

3.3 Research Design

A quantitative research approach is used considering the research

model, hypotheses, and objectives developed in this study. The quantitative

approach is a research methodology that collects out the quantify data in

47

order to use statistics for analyzing data sets (Malhotra, Kim, & Patil, 2006).

A quantitative approach allows a researcher to build up statistical evidence

in terms of strengthening the relationships among variables. Even though

quantitative methods are incapable of providing in-depth clarification. The

determination of the reliability and validity, hypothesis testing of the

measurement variables, quantitative methods can be used (Zikmund &

Babin, 2007). This research follows a survey-based methodology for

collecting data, which advantages for this study. Geyskens, Steenkamp, and

Kumar (1999) explained that survey-based methods give advantages to

assemble a large amount of data about an individual respondent at one

time, and it is flexible for collecting data. Accordingly, the quantitative

approach survey-based methods can collect many data samples quickly and

efficiently. Information about respondents’ beliefs, motives and attitudes

provides by an effective survey design in the study field in the case of

research, measure the perceptions of digital firm customer (Zikmund &

Babin, 2007). Therefore, this study needs a self-administrative questionnaire

for assuming the responsibility of key employee reading and responding to

the questions. The researcher can distribute questionnaires to respondents

in different firms. This method is appropriate to collect date from different

form’s employees relatively short periods.

3.4 Data Collection and sampling

48

Data collection focuses on the digital firm’s key employees in Nigeria.

Probability sampling (simple random sampling) is used as a judgment

sampling approach. A sample of more than 600 questionnaires will distribute

to the digital firm’s customer, and valid respondents will be considered for

statistical analysis. Based on digital firm contact, either researcher or

representative appointments will be made to the general manager by

issuing the university authorization letter. The firm authority required some

of the completed surveys for the most natural way of understanding

questionnaires. The respondents will be over 18 years old in the sense of

ability to answer the question in a short time, much understanding. The

questionnaire is the main instrument using to collect data from digital firms

from employee feedback about their experience. According to (Krejcie &

Morgan, 1970), the population size of the target area directs its sample size

of the study.

3.6 Analysis technique

After collecting data, research will compile and calculate first using

(SPSS.24) Social Package for Social Science software. The valid data will input

accordingly into two parts; data view and variable view. The variable view will

input all the variables with levels or items, and a 5-Likert-scale and data view

will put all the collected data according to valid response for each item. SPSS

will analyze the descriptive, frequency, standard deviation, mean, and

normality test. For reliability and validity, AMOS will identify the Cronbach

Alfa (>.7), Composite Reliability (>.7), and Convergent Validity (>.5).

49

Besides, data will be analyzed quantitatively through, multiple regression,

path analysis, model fit, modification index, and hypothesis testing direct and

indirect using (SEM) Structural Equation Modelling by Analysis for Moment

Statistics (AMOS.24).

4.0 Research plan and Gantt chart

The research would complete systematically within the pre-determined

time. The timeline of the proposal from January 2018, and it is going on as

continuous progression to three chapters of the proposal. During the

research methodology courses in the first semester accumulated to learn

research methodology by (Quantitative Research Method and Research for

Social Science). August 2018, I fully started the journey of doing the main

research. The study prepares (including reputed journals, previous theses,

data sources, industry case studies, and annual reports). Finally, the idea of

the research has been identified with gaps and contributions.

50

Activities

Estimated Starting date

Estimated Accomplishment

Year 2018 Year 2019 Year 2020 2021

Jan-

Feb

Mar

-Ap

rM

ay-

Jun

Jul-A

ug

Sep-

Oct

Nov-

Dec

Jan-

Feb

Mar

-Ap

rM

ay-

Jun

Jul-A

ug

Sep-

Oct

Nov-

Dec

Jan-

Feb

Mar

-Ap

rM

ay-

Jun

Jul-A

ug

Sep-

Oct

Nov-

Dec

Jun-

Feb

literature build up and question

7-07-2018

31-11-2018

Underpinning theoretical model and theory

1- 12-2018

31-07-2019

Research methodology

1-08-2018

30-11-2019

Proposal submission and corrections

1-12-2018

31 -Dec-2019

Data collection

1-Jan-2020

30-June-2020

Analysis

1-Jul-2020

30-12-2020

0

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