Market-Based Digital Platforms: Do They Primarily Support Post-Pandemic Creative Adaptation? ^†

Abstract

Small and medium-sized businesses make a significant contribution to Indonesia’s economy. The goal of this essay is to assess the degree to which strategy and the digital marketing environment have an impact. Data collection was carried out by observation and the distribution of 120 questionnaires, and the research approach employed was quantitative research using SPSS 23. The findings of the article demonstrate that SMEs strategies may swiftly adjust to changes in technology by paying attention to features of functions, interpersonal communication, access, incentives, and the quality of production and services.

1. Introduction

Due to the impact of COVID-19, some sectors have declined, but not the SMEs sector [1]. During the pandemic, the SMEs sector was in great demand in investment because the value of its assets continued to increase; it was without much fluctuation, and it was also known as a relatively low-risk sector [2,3,4]. Especially now in this post-COVID era, conditions are getting better: the growth rate of digital platforms and e-commerce increased from 9.7% to 10.1% in January 2022, especially in digital transactions for the sale of products and services [5].

Market place in digital at various forms of service are one of the most influential factors in product sales; therefore, it is essential to treat and approach sales transactions digitally and to approach seller sales marketing with regard to various forms of service in order to prioritize them in choose better strategy [6,7,8]. Even though they are selected and processed, the majority of digital platform and e-commerce applications are not seen in large numbers due to the fact that the terms and conditions that apply to various digital platforms vary, thereby impeding the number of types and the delivery of goods and services [8,9,10]. Based on the problems mentioned above, this paper is designed to describe the factors that can influence various forms of service in choosing the appropriate form of e-commerce in marketing products and services as one of the beginnings of the post-COVID-19 adaptation [11]. In writing this paper, the factors that will be discussed are interpersonal communication, incentives, access and quality.

2. Material and Methods

2.1. Strategy

Strategy comes from the Greek word strategos, which means general. The word strategos itself is a combination of the words stratos, which means soldiers, and ego, which means leader. Therefore, the word strategy literally means “Art” and “General”. The general in this sentence refers to the main concern of the top management of the organization.

Strategy is a shared means with long-term goals to be achieved [2,3,7]. Business strategies can include geographic expansion, diversification, acquisitions, various forms of product service, market penetration, tightening, divestment and innovation [12,13]. Strategy is an action potential that requires a decision from top management and a large number of company resources. Therefore, strategy is an action or activity carried out by a person or company to achieve the goals or objectives that have been set.

2.2. Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication, is communication between several individuals. Interpersonal communication is a face-to-face interaction between two or more people, in which the sender of the message can convey the message directly and simultaneously the recipient of the message can receive and respond to the message directly [9,10,14].

H1: 

Is there any impact of interpersonal communication on the digital strategy of small businesses?

2.3. Incentives

Incentives is the fee that the buyers must pay for the products and services received and is a reward for the sellers for his investment [10,11,15]. The incentives rate is the charge given to a transaction (usually called the fee on the transaction) or a policy that has been taken on interest rates, which is then published by marketplace platform. Interest is a measure of the price of resources used by the buyers that must be paid to the sellers.

H2: 

Does it appear that incentives have a big impact on the digital strategy of small businesses?

2.4. Access

Accessibility is the extent to which customers can easily obtain and use a product [16]. Accessibility has 2 dimensions: 1. Availability: this refers to factors such as supply relative to demand, the extent to which the product is stored in marketplace display, and matters related to products and services. 2. Convenience: this refers to factors such as the time and effort required to obtain a product, The capacity to locate products in multiple locations and the convenience of product searching by users.

H3: 

Does it appear that access have an impact on the digital strategy of small businesses?

2.5. Quality Improvement

Quality improvement itself can be interpreted as an action or effort made to increase product value for customers through increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of processes and activities through company operations [6]. Epistemological quality improvement can also be interpreted by increasing the degree and level and by enhancing and intensifying production, among other factors.

H4: 

Does quality affect small business strategy on digital platforms?

2.6. Digital Transactions

Cashless payments, also known as digital transactions, can be accomplished through mobile banking or other virtual transaction devices [16]. Because of the availability of this facility, individuals do not have to move from where they are seated in order to complete their transactions. Everything can be done, but only through the use of a smartphone that is connected to the internet [12,13]. Digital product are one type of service or digital transaction financing provided by sellers to customers who want to buy, especially to buy product or services. The strong need to buy products and services. which is not matched by people’s purchasing power, drives the demand for this services.

2.7. Methods

The approach to writing this paper uses a quantitative approach. The notion of a quantitative approach is an approach that principally uses post positivists in developing science [13].

In writing this paper, the research variables to be investigated are independent variables, interpersonal communication (X1), incentives (X2), access (X3), and quality (X4), while the dependent variable is digital platform strategy(Y). The proposed framework is based on the results of a theoretical study, which will be explained in the section below. To make it easier to understand this framework, it has been depicted in Figure 1:

A bivariate Pearson (Pearson product-moment correlation) test with a 5% significance level will be utilized as one of the most frequently employed validity tests (0.05). If the r count exceeds the r 5% threshold, then the item is valid.

$$r_{\mathrm{xy}}=\frac{\mathrm{N}{{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}\mathrm{XY}-{{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}\mathrm{X}{{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}\mathrm{Y}}{\sqrt{\left(\mathrm{N}{{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}{\mathrm{X}}^2-({{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}\mathrm{X}{)}^2\right)\left(\mathrm{N}{{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}{\mathrm{Y}}^2-({{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}\mathrm{Y}{)}^2\right)}}$$

(1)

The number of sample questionnaires and the total number of questions are both included in the Pearson formula. The score is then divided by the square root of the total number of respondents, and the impacted variables are subtracted from the total number of affected variables.

SMEs strategies is a small part of the entire transaction cycle but also has a significant impact on the transaction sector and the Indonesian economy particularly in online product and services [16]. The SMEs sector was in great demand in investment because the value of its assets continued to increase, without much fluctuation and also known for its relatively low risk. The results used reliability testing method is the Cronbach’s Alpha method.

$${\mathrm{r}}_{11}=\left(\frac{\mathrm{k}}{\mathrm{k}-1}\right)\left(1-\frac{{{\displaystyle \sum }}^{\text{}}{\partial }^2\mathrm{b}}{{\partial }^2\mathrm{t}}\right)$$

(2)

The T test was used to test the hypothesis data, the t-test was conducted to test how the influence of each independent variable individually on the dependent variable [13]. The hypothesis was tested with a significance level of =5% (0.05). The linear relationship between two or more independent variables (interpersonal communication, incentives, access, and quality) was measured, with the dependent variable being the payment process.

Y = b₁X₁ + b₂X₂ + b₃X₃ + b₄X₄

(3)

The most frequently used reliability testing method is the Cronbach’s Alpha method. A variable is said to be reliable if it gives a Cronbach’s Alpha value above 0.60, while the T test is used to test the hypothesis data. The t-test was conducted to test the influence of each independent variable on the dependent variable. The hypothesis tested with a significance level of =5% (0.05). Our research measured the linear relationship between two or more independent variables (interpersonal communication, incentives, access, and quality), with the dependent variable being the SMEs strategies.

Based on the

Table 1. Reliability test results for all variables.

Variable	Cronbach Alpha (α)	Conclusion
Interpersonal communication (X1)	0.740	Reliable
Incentives (X2)	0.669	Reliable
Access (X3)	0.689	Reliable
Quality (X4)	1.000	Reliable
Strategy(Y)	0.515	Reliable

Sources: Authors data collection, 2022.

, it can be concluded that all the variables used in this study are valid and reliable, because the standard is if the Cronbach’s Alpha value is above 0.5 then the research instrument is considered reliable. In the table, all the values of Cronbach’s Alpha variables in the study meet because >0.5.

3. Results and Discussion

The T test is a test used to determine the significance of the influence of individual independent variables on the dependent variable. The results of the T test are as follows in

Table 2. T-test results and multiple regression analysis.

Coefficients a
Model		Unstandardized B	Coefficients Std.Error	Standardized Coefficients Beta	t	Sig.
1	(Constant)	2.390	1.839		1.300	0.203
	Interpersonal Communication (X1)	0.320	0.119	0.422	2.691	0.011
	Incentives(X2)	0.088	0.134	0.071	0.655	0.517
	Access(X3)	0.554	0.160	0.496	3.462	0.002
	Quality(X4)	–0.320	0.331	–0.122	–0.968	0.340

^a Dependent Variable:Strategy (Y). Sources: Authors data collection, 2022.

.

The value of the t table = t (0.05/2; 38-4-1) = (0.025; 33) = 2.024. Based on the results of the calculations using the SPSS ver. 23, it can be seen through the T test that quality is influenced by the interpersonal communication variable. It is known that the Sig value for the effect of X1 on Y is 0.011 < 0.05 and the t value is 2.691 > t in Table 2.024, so it can be concluded that H1 is accepted, which means there is an effect of H1 on Y. Thus, H1 is accepted so that the first hypothesis is also accepted, namely, the better the application of interpersonal communication, the better strategy. Strategy is influenced by the incentives variable t count 0.655 < t Table 2.024, so it can be concluded that H1 is rejected, which means that there is no effect of X2 on Y. Thus, H1 is rejected so that the first hypothesis is also rejected, namely, the better the application of SMEs, the more it does not support the strategy. The strategies is affected by the access variable.

Given that the value of Sig. for the effect of X3 on Y is 0.002 <0.05 and the value of t count is 3.462 > t Table 2.024, it can be concluded that H1 is accepted, which means there is an effect of H3 on Y. Thus, H1 is accepted so that the first hypothesis is also accepted, namely, the better the implementation of access, the better the strategies. The strategies is influenced by the incentive variable; it is known that the value of Sig. for the effect of X4 on Y is −0.968 < 0.05 and the value of the t arithmetic is 0.340 < t Table 2.024, so it can be concluded that H1 is accepted, which means there is an effect of X4 on Y. Thus, H1 is accepted so that the first hypothesis is also accepted, namely, the better the application incentives, the better strategies.

Based on the results of calculations

Table 3. F-test results.

ANOVA a
Model		Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F	Sig.
1	Regression	79.976	4	19.994	15.740	0.000 b
	Residual	41.919	33	1.270
	Total	121.895	37

^a Dependent Variable: Strategy (Y); ^b Predictors: (Constant), Interpersonal Communication (X1), Incentives (X2), Access (X3) Quality (X4). Sources: Authors data collection, 2022.

, it can be seen through the F test that the statistical calculation shows the calculated F value = 15.740 > F table = 2.65 and that the significance is 0.000 < 0.05. It can be concluded that the payment process is jointly and significantly influenced by the variables of interpersonal communication, quality, access, and incentives. Multiple linear regression analysis that the constant value is 2.390, for interpersonal communication the value is 0.320, for incentives the value is 0.088, for access the value is 0.554, and for quality the value is −0.320. The multiple linear regression equation can be obtained as follows:

Y = 2.390 + 0.320 × X₁ + 0.088X₂ + 0.554X₃ − 0.320X₄ + e

(4)

The constant value of strategy (Y) is 2.390, which means that if the variables X1, X2, X3, X4 are equal to zero, namely, interpersonal communication, incentives, access, and quality, equal to 2.390.e.

The X1 coefficient of 0.320 means that every time there is an increase in the X1 variable (interpersonal communication) by 1%, strategy increases by 0.320 (32%), and every time there is a 1% decrease in the X1 variable (interpersonal communication), then the strategy process decreases by 0.320 (32%). A positive sign means that it shows a unidirectional influence between the independent variable and the dependent variable. According to the value of the X2 coefficient, which is 0.088, the strategy increases by 0.088 (or 8.8%) for every 1% increase in the X2 variable (which represents the incentives), whereas the strategy decreases by 0.088 (or 8.8%) for every 1% reduction in the X2 variable.

The value of 0.554 for the X3 coefficient indicates that whenever there is a 1% rise in the X3 variable (access), the strategy will increase by 0.554 (55.4%), and whenever there is a 1% drop in the X3 variable (access), the strategy will decrease by 0.554 (55.4%). One interpretation of a positive sign is that it indicates that there is only one route of causality between the independent variable and the independent variable.

The X4 coefficient is −0.320, and the value shows a negative (opposite direction) effect between the independent variable and the dependent variable. This means that every time there is an increase in the X4 variable (quality) by 1%, then the strategy will decrease by −0.320 (−32%), and every time there is a decrease in the X4 variable (quality) by 1%, the strategy will increase by 0.554 (55.4%).

From the results of calculations (

Table 4. The results of the Coefficient of Determination (R2).

Model Summary
Model	R	R Square	Adjusted R Square	Std, Error of the Estimates
1	0.810 a	0.656	0.614	1.127

^a Predictors: (Constant), Interpersonal Communication (X1), Incentives (X2), Access (X3) Quality (X4). Sources: Authors data collection, 2022.

), it can be seen that the coefficient of determination (adjusted R2) obtained is 0.614. This means that 61.4% of strategy decisions can be explained by the variables of interpersonal communication, incentives, access and quality. Meanwhile, the remaining 38.6% (100–61.4%) of strategy decisions by developers are influenced by other variables not examined in the research of this paper.

4. Conclusions

The post-pandemic period, small and medium enterprises must always look for strategies, apart from innovating they must also make creative adaptations. With so many market places or digital platforms in Indonesia, should pay attention to how to communicate with customers, provide various incentives, provide easy access to display products and services and improve the quality of services and goods produced. The most crucial aspect of running a SMEs in the market is to have strategic abilities that stay up with market advancements.