DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AS A TOOL IN MEASURING BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN OWERRI, IMO STATE.

Abstract

Digital transformation which is imperative for all businesses, from the small to the big enterprise, is the
process of using digital technologies to create new or modify existing business processes, culture, and
customer experiences to meet changing business and market requirements. The purpose of this paper is to
investigate how digital transformation affects marketing activities in small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) in Owerri, Imo State. The primary research question focuses on the current evolution of marketing
activities performed by organizations. A descriptive research design was used. The conceptual frame work
was developed to identify the variables, dimensions and indicators to prepare effective questionnaire. The
primary data are collected through questionnaire which consists of 34 questions to each relevant area. The
questionnaire was distributed among 50. The study employed regression technique and based on the
hypothesis tested, it was clear that there is strong positive relationship between all independent variables
(Compatibility, Cost Effectiveness, Trust and Interactivity) and dependent variable (Business Performance)
in the conceptual framework. Hypothesis of all null hypotheses are rejected and alternative hypothesis of
all variables have to be accepted. It can be proved on significant test of analysis with evaluating Sig. value
less than alpha (0.05) level (0.000< 0.05). It means all independent variables have an impact to the
dependent variable. The findings shown that digital technologies are widely used in marketing in the
enterprises studied, despite the fact that these technologies are often classified as traditional tools. IT
technologies and digital tools also have an impact on marketing, assisting in the development of customer
relationships and increasing the value of each organization.