The role of digital marketing in mediating the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the intensity of competition on business performance

Abstract

This study aims to explain the role of digital marketing adoption in mediating the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the intensity of competition on business performance, which is seen from the perspective of financial performance and non-financial performance. This research was conducted on the culinary sector SMEs in Bali. The size of the sample used is 210 culinary sector SMEs with a purposive sampling approach, namely the culinary sector SMEs that have adopted digital marketing. The analytical tool used is SEM-PLS. The results of the study show that the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the intensity of competition has a negative and significant effect on business performance, both financial and non-financial performance. The adoption of digital marketing was unable to mediate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the intensity of competition on financial performance, but the adoption of digital marketing was capable in mediating the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and the intensity of competition on non-financial performance. Therefore, the adoption of digital marketing needs to be re-optimized to improve business performance, both financial and non-financial performance.