ELECTRONIC MARKETING ORIENTATION OF RESTAURANTS IN THE CONTEXT OF BATTICALOA REGION

Abstract

Restaurants hold significant importance in a Country.ltContributing to cultural preservation, economic growth, tourism, social interactions, job creation, food security, and overall well-being. In the era of digitalization, electronic marketing has become a significant tool for restaurants to reach a broader market and compete with larger firms. The present study aims to investigate the EMO of restaurants in the Batticaloa region, Sri Lanka, and the factors affecting it. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 147 restaurants operating in Batticaloa. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS (25.0), and the findings revealed that the restaurants had a high level of EMO, and the mean score was 3.82 out of 5. The results also showed that perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility, and customer pressure had a positively impacted EMO, while perceived complexity had a negative impact. The study's contribution is that it provides insight into the EMO of restaurants in the Batticaloa region, which can aid in the formulation of strategies to enhance restaurants' competitiveness. Additionally, it contributes to the literature on EMO by investigating the factors that affect it in the context restaurant's. Based on the findings of this study, restaurants in Batticaloa region should focus on enhancing their perceived relative advantage, perceived compatibility, and customer pressure to increase their EMO. Additionally, they should address the negative impact of perceived complexity by simplifying their electronic marketing strategies. Restaurants should also be aware of the impact of competition and adjust their electronic marketing strategies accordingly. However, the study has some limitations, such as the sample size being restricted to restaurants in the Batticaloa region, and the study's cross-sectional nature, which limits the ability to generalize findings. Therefore, future research can be conducted with enlarger sample size. In conclusion, the present study provides valuable insights into the factors that affect EMO in restaurants. The findings can be used by restaurants. and policymakers to formulate effective strategies to enhance restaurants' competitiveness and contribute to the economic growth of the region.