Facing Difficulties in Culinary SMES: Innovative Performance and Digital Marketing as Mediators

This study investigates the interplay between entrepreneurial marketing, digital marketing, innovation performance, and marketing outcomes in the culinary SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in Palu, Indonesia. Employing a quantitative approach and purposive sampling, 5830 SMEs were surveyed via questionnaires between August and September 2021. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) facilitated analysis. Results reveal significant relationships: entrepreneurial marketing correlates with digital marketing and innovative performance; digital marketing positively influences marketing performance; and innovative performance is linked to marketing performance. Digital marketing serves as a mediator between entrepreneurial marketing and marketing performance, while innovative performance mediates the connection between entrepreneurial marketing and marketing outcomes. These findings suggest that culinary SMEs should constantly use digital marketing to promote their products as well as showing the value of putting new products on the market that are specifically catered to the needs of the target market.

Keywords:
Culinary; SMEs; Digital Marketing; Marketing Performance