Identifying Challenges to Adoption of E- Marketing in SMEs by a Qualitative Approach

Since present study identifies challenges for adaption of e-marketing in SMEs is an applied- developmental research with a heuristic method. In addition, in order to collect data a semi-structured interview was applied. Population of study consisted of all of experienced and knowledgeable experts and professors in the field of information technology and e-marketing, therefore the sample of study was infinite. In qualitative data, suitable sample size for grounded theory of data is regarded as 20-30 subjects, then a sample size consisting 30 subjects was estimated through purposive snowball sampling method. After initial collection of questionnaires, raw data was encoded and common codes were conceptualized, ultimately 25 factors were classified and then these factors were classified and analyzed in 4 categories. Results of interview with experts indicated that two categories of environmental and systemic factors are effective upon adoption of e-marketing.

E-marketing, small and medium scale enterprises (SME), innovation diffusion theory, internet marketing, email marketin.