Date of Conferral

9-23-2025

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Gwendolyn Dooley

Abstract

Many small business leaders struggle to tailor online strategies that drive demand, limiting growth and differentiation in competitive digital markets. Business leaders must adopt data-informed, customer-centered approaches that align digital marketing efforts with consumer behavior and market expectations. Grounded in social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the online shopping marketing strategies that some small business marketing leaders use to increase demand for products and services. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with six small business leaders from Vancouver, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario; and Seattle, Washington. The four main themes identified using thematic analysis were (a) focus on marketing channel strategies; (b) personalized and trust-oriented customer engagement strategies; (c) goal-oriented innovation strategies; and (d) navigating barriers to strategic implementation. Recommendations included diversifying marketing channels, adopting new technologies, and maintaining a focus on target audiences to build customer trust, which plays a vital role in customer-vendor relationships. The implications for positive social change include potential for small business leaders to develop products that better align with consumer needs, promoting stress-free purchasing decisions, and strengthening consumer trust in vendors.

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