Navigating Digital Transformation: The Moderating Role of Dynamic Capabilities in Transforming Subjective Norms into E-Marketing Adoption in Zanzibar’s Tourism SMEs

Hilal Maabad  Ame; Amani Gration  Tegambwage; Omari Khalifa  Mbura

Hilal Maabad Ame Department of Business Administration and Management, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
Amani Gration Tegambwage Department of Business Administration and Management, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
Omari Khalifa Mbura Department of Marketing. The University of Dar es Salaam Business School, Dar es Salaam. Tanzania

Keywords: E-marketing adoption, Subjective norms, Tourism SMEs (SMTEs), Dynamic capabilities, Digital transformation

Abstract

In light of the digital transformation in the tourism sector and the low rate of e-marketing adoption among small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs), this study aims to examine the impact of subjective norms on e-marketing adoption among SMTEs in Zanzibar, with dynamic capabilities as a moderator. Data were collected from 216 SMTEs in Zanzibar, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used for analysis. Drawing on the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), the study examined the influence of competitive pressure, customer pressure, and cultural influences on e-marketing adoption, with dynamic capabilities as a moderator. The results reveal that competitive pressure and cultural influences significantly influence e-marketing adoption, while customer pressure exerts adverse effects. Moreover, dynamic capabilities significantly strengthen the relationship between competitive pressure and e- marketing adoption but do not moderate the effects of customer pressure and cultural influences. These findings contribute to the theoretical framework of the DTPB by demonstrating that customer pressure may discourage e-marketing adoption in resource- constrained environments, while highlighting the role of dynamic capabilities in strengthening the influence of competitive pressure on e-marketing adoption. For managerial practitioners, this suggests the need for a more structured, market-oriented digital strategy, while policymakers should complement market competition with targeted capability-development interventions, including subsidised digital training programmes focused on SEO, social media marketing, and analytics to accelerate e-marketing adoption in the tourism sector.