Abstract
A changing market landscape (for instance, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit) has accelerated the digital development efforts of small firms for survival. Despite the acknowledged importance of content creation in digital marketing for small business development, the subject matter remains under-researched and poorly understood. Through the lens of dynamic capabilities, this thesis adopts a case study approach to help understand how small firms use digital technologies as resources in response to changing market dynamics. This thesis addresses the gaps in knowledge regarding dynamic capabilities and digital marketing development within the small firm context. Drawing on qualitative data (interviews and analyses of social media and website content) from six small firms located in Northern Ireland between 2020 and 2022, this study focuses on a narrow but information-rich sampling frame.The findings highlight the positive influence of small firm owner-manager characteristics on competitive dynamics. Building on this, the findings suggest that, while the need for building an online presence was not previously alien to the case firms, the pandemic prompted them to reassess the true value of digital technologies. This thesis highlights the importance of “sensing” capability for small firms to identify potential business opportunities. This included how some of the case firms demonstrated both market and digital awareness, enabling them to adapt by transitioning to or expanding their online operations during the lockdown period. This thesis also emphasises the importance for small firm owner-managers to re-evaluate potential growth opportunities that online customer engagement offers; and thereafter think strategically (then act tactically) about how to reconfigure the organisation by leveraging resources needed for their long-term digital marketing development.
This thesis also acknowledges that while the insights are not statistically generalisable, they are analytically generalisable through the concept of context-bound transferability. The findings are intended to inform understanding of similar small firm contexts, rather than to predict outcomes across broader populations.
Thesis is embargoed until 30th September 2027
| Date of Award | Sept 2025 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Sponsors | Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS) |
| Supervisor | Mark Durkin (Supervisor), Aodheen McCartan (Supervisor) & Barry Quinn (Supervisor) |
Keywords
- small firm marketing
- dynamic capabilities
- digital marketing development
- content marketing
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