S-commerce success for SMEs in an emerging economy: a technology-organization-environment-based approach

Purpose This study aims to examine a competency model of social commerce (s-commerce) for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) performance and explores the moderating effect of locus of control on s-commerce success. Design/methodology/approach Based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, the authors collected 414 samples and analyzed them using structural equation modeling. Findings The study finds that information and communication technologies, business processing, security and privacy, trust and governmental support each have a significant positive effect on s-commerce success for SMEs. Customer service, organizational culture and support from business partners do not significantly affect s-commerce success. In addition, locus of control strongly moderates the relationships between specific TOE factors – namely, business processing, security, trust and government support – and s-commerce success, either strengthening or weakening these effects depending on the individuals’ locus of control. Research limitations/implications The study records data from a single country and looks at SMEs from a variety of industries, thus caution is required to generalize the findings. Practical implications This study highlights how emerging technologies drive s-commerce success, especially in boosting revenue and sales through advanced generation and materials. Social implications These results highlight the value of s-commerce in the TOE framework for understanding key aspects of SME performance and sustainability. Originality/value This study identifies key future research areas for SMEs’ e-commerce, emphasizing digital marketing strategies to guide future research on s-commerce growth.