An Analysis of the Impact of Integrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by Entrepreneurs in Product Marketing: A Study of SMEs in Imo State

Abstract

The study analyzed the impact of integrating Information and Communication Technology by entrepreneurs of SMEs in marketing their products in Imo State. A cross sectional survey research design was adopted for the study. The target population was 1,760 SMEs operating in Imo State. The sample size was three hundred and twenty-five (325) respondents drawn from 10 selected sectors of SMEs across Imo State. This sample size was obtained using the Taro Yemen’s formula. Out of the 325 questionnaire distributed, 261 were retrieved giving a questionnaire response rate of 80.31%. Descriptive statistics was employed to analyse data. The Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient at 0.05 level of significance was used to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed that ICT has a significant impact on the product marketing strategy of SMEs in Imo state. The study concluded that when ICT as an innovative and pro-active marketing strategy is applied by entreperneurs of vairous SMEs it will result in an increase in customer’s patronage, increase in sales and an overall increase in profit. The study therefore recommended amongst others that; effort should be made both by the state and federal governments to train SMEs on the use of ICT and that the government should partner with network providers to provide lower cost data for businesses.