SMALL ENTERPRISES’ MARKETING STRATEGY IN THE DIGITAL

ERA: STUDY OF HOTELS IN SWEDEN

Authored by: Daniel Tadesse & Tobias Pettersson

An Adapted Research Paper Presented to

The SHS Faculty of
Ave Maria College
Zamboanga del Norte

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Practical Research 2

By:

Jay D. Calasang
Krystelle A. Dimasuhid
Ira Jean R. Fernandez
Mary Noreyn F. Soliva
Trisha A. Velasquez

December, 2021

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 Ave Maria College
Vallesville, Fatima, Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte
Tel. No. (062) 926-4166 Email: [email protected]
___________________________________________________________________________

APPROVAL SHEET

This research paper entitled Small Enterprises’ Marketing Strategy in the Digital
Era: a Study of Hotels in Sweden reviewed, rewritten and submitted by Jay D. Calasang,
Krystelle A. Dimasuhid, Ira Jean R. Fernandez, Mary Noreyn F. Soliva, Trisha A.
Velasquez, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Practical Research 2 is hereby
accepted.

ARJIE P. ABELLANA
Adviser

Approved by the Oral Examination Committee with grade of _____________________.

ROMER B. VERGARA ARJIE P. ABELLANA

Member Member
ARJIE P. ABELLANA
Chair
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ACCEPTED in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Practical Research 2.

DOMINGO S. ARANAL, Ed. D

School Principal

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

TITLE PAGE ……….………………………………………………………......i

APPROVAL SHEET …………………………………………………………..

...............................................................................................................................ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………..

..............................................................................................................................iii

DEDICATION ……………………………………………………...................vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT …………………………………………………... vii

LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………………

............................................................................................................................viii

LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………

..............................................................................................................................ix

LIST OF APPENDICES ………………………………………………………

...............................................................................................................................x

ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………...xi

CHAPTER

I INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study ……………………………………..1

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 1.2. Statement of the Problem..........................................................3

1.3. Objectives of the Study.............................................................3

1.4. Significance of the Study..........................................................3

1.5. Scope and Limitation of the Study............................................5

1.6. Definition of Key Terms...........................................................5

II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

2.1. Related Literature ....................................................................7

2.1.1. Small Enterprises’ Marketing Strategy..........................7

2.1.2. The Role of Digitalization …………….........................9

2.1.3. Marketing Mix ……….....................................................10

2.1.4. Customer Satisfaction ………………………………….12

2.2. Related

Studies……………………........................................14

2.3. Conceptual Framework of the Study.......................................16

2.4. Theoretical Framework of the Study.......................................17

III RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1. Research Design......................................................................19

3.2. Research Locale …………………..........................................19

3.3. Respondents of the

Study…………………............................20
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 3.4. Data Gathering Procedure…...................................................20

3.5. Research Instrument…............................................................21

3.6. Validity and Reliability of Research Instrument….................22

3.7. Statistical Treatment………………………………………....23

IV PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION

OF DATA

4.1. Marketing Strategies for Competitive Advantage…….….….25

4.2. Influence of Digitalization to Small Enterprises.....................32

V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. Summary.................................................................................36

5.2. Conclusions ............................................................................38

5.3. Recommendations ..................................................................39

LIST OF REFERENCES ...........…..…………………..…………..…...…....40

APPENDICES...………………………………......…………………………..45

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 DEDICATION

This rewritten research study is wholeheartedly dedicated to all of our brothers and

sisters, relatives, mentors, friends, and classmates' encouragement to complete this task and

support us throughout the process. We are so pleased by their unconditional support and help

towards understanding what our chosen study is all about.

First of all, we entirely dedicated our re-written research study to our beloved parents,

who have been a source of inspiration and, when we felt like giving up, they’re the ones who

continue to give us support in terms of morals, spirituality, and finances.

Next, to the authors of this research study, Daniel Tadesse and Tobias Pettersson, we

dedicate this study to them not just because they are the writers, but because we are thankful

to them for this study. They made about the strategies and the effect of digitalization on

SME’s. For the reason that we now have a written study to make and it may be helpful for

future researchers and/or for one of the future owners of small enterprises or businesses.

Lastly, we dedicated this study to the Almighty God, thanking him for his guidance,

strength, mental power, protection, and abilities, as well as for providing us with the source

of inspiration, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Throughout this study, he provided us

with strength and, on his wings, we soared.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

With excitement and satisfaction, we now have the opportunity to finish rewriting and

studying on the research topic that we have chosen. It’s a joy for us to employ Daniel

Tadesse and Tobias Petterson’s research paper. First and foremost, we wish to thank the

researchers, Daniel Tadesse and Tobias Petterson, for conducting this research. The ability to

use this research is a huge assistance to us as future researchers, because it gives us a

foundation to build on if we do our research article soon.

We, the researchers, are grateful and fortunate to have parents who are patient and

understanding enough to allow us to meet and collaborate in order to efficiently and

effectively remake our chosen full-fledged research at its best.

We would like to show our gratitude to Mr. Arjie Abellana, our course facilitator in

Practical Research 2, for his help and guidance in properly comprehending our chosen

research study. His perseverance and patience in teaching and guiding us in remaking our

chosen full-fledged research is admirable.And of course, our heartfelt gratitude to God for

giving us the strength and courage to complete the research paper despite the difficulties we

are facing now.

Jay D. Calasang

Krystelle A. Dimasuhid

Ira Jean R. Fernandez

Mary Noreyn F. Soliva

Trisha A. Velasquez

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 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO TITLE PAGE NO

1 Conceptual Framework of the Study 16

2 Theoritical Framework of the Study 17

3 Satellite image of the regions Gävleborg and Härjedalen 19

viii
 LIST OF TABLES

TÁBLE TITLE PAGE

NO NO

1 Summary of data analysis on marketing mix 31

2 Summary of data analysis on utilization of digital channels 35

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 LIST OF APPENDICES

TITLE PAGE NO

A Sample Interview Questionnaire 47

B Discussion of the Research Questions 49

C Biographical Data of Jay D. Calasang 52

D Biographical Data of Krystelle A. 53

Dimasuhid

E Biographical Data of Ira Jean R. 54

Fernandez

F Biographical Data of Mary Noreyn F. 55

Soliva

G Biographical Data of Trisha A. 56

Velasquez

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 ABSTRACT

This study aims to look into small businesses' marketing strategies and the digital

technologies that may help them outperform competitors in the market and achieve a

competitive advantage. The major problem of the research is that, the researchers have been

researching SEMs for a long time, but the literature in this topic is lacking understanding

about the strategies that these small businesses utilize to compete against larger

corporations in this world. This study has utilized qualitative design where the researchers

collect data through making semi-structured in-depth interviews with several hotels in the

region of Gävleborg and Härjedalen. They had open-ended questions during the interview in

order to get the best out of the interviews and get as much information as they can get better

answer to their research questions. According to the study's findings, organizations must

acquire a dynamic ability to adapt to rapid changes in technology and market in order to

gain and keep a competitive advantage. Because everyone knows how to use social media as

a personal tool, the hotels in this study are fairly adaptive to digitalization. The researchers

concluded that the Small businesses do not have a competitive advantage. However, fulfill

the marketing mix requirements of the strategic planning process given each of the 4 Ps

equal weights.

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