TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Impacts of Social Media on SME’s Customer Equity: A Conceptual Model
AU - Labib, Ebtisam AU - Nasruddin, Ellisha AU - Nasir Kadir Ali, Noor 
JO  - International Business Management
VL  - 12
IS  - 1
SP  - 32
EP  - 45
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1993-5250
DO  - ibm.2018.32.45
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=ibm.2018.32.45
KW  - Social media
KW  -small businesses
KW  -customer equity
KW  -commitment-trust theory
KW  -co-creation
KW  -effect
AB  - With the present borderless trend taking over the ways of the world, the trade and business sector
too have begun adopting the applications made available at social media platforms to interact with online
consumers. As such, many firms have devised fresh marketing strategies via social media to cater to
the demands and needs of online consumers. Thus, researchers worldwide have asserted that Small and
Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) should embed the application of social media in their business approach to
enhance their financial status as well as in strengthening the national economy. As a result, consumers have
emerged as the primary factor for both large conglomerates and budding firms. Therefore, all business platforms
should begin incorporating the social media platforms to gain higher customer equity. Moreover, additional two
aspects which are trust and commitment have been proven to play essential roles in retaining good
relationships with customers. As such this study presents a two-prong approach. First, it investigates the
usage of Social Media Marketing Activities (SMMA) among small businesses in gaining higher customer
equity from the perspective of consumers. Second, it proposes a new conceptual framework by taking into
consideration the commitment-trust theory which is integrated with the framework developed by Kim and Ko,
along with six constructs in order to verify the effects of social media upon customer equity among small
businesses. In addition, this research essentially looks into the moderating role of "Co-Creation" based on the
relationship between SMMA and customer trust.
ER  -