Introduction
The employment in the small business is considered as the rising interest in the present years as well as the basic concern of the government of Saudi Arabia. The development policy of economy of the country enriched with the growing interest regarding the small business. The role of the small business organizations in the developing countries like Saudi Arabia can enhance the economical growth of the country. The influential strategies related to the promotion of the small business organization are considered as the basic factors for the growth of the small business industry. Moreover the major issue regarding the business is the unequal social norms for the male and female which affects the small business organizations.
Research background
In this proposal the main focus is based on the issues regarding the promotion of the small business enterprises. The growth of the small businesses is still facing a several challenges regarding the finance and the issue related to promotion of the companies. As per the views of Bélanger, Pierro & Kruglanski (2015), the poor and unorganized management skills regarding the business is considered as the result of the deficiency of adequate education and proper training. The lack of enough financial support can assure the small business enterprises to go in vain. It can be stated that the implication of the influential tactics in the small business can enhance the business profit and can influence the economy of the country. The country has implemented new policies for the purpose of growing the equal opportunity for both the men and women of the country. The two policies are the scheme of Saudi Nationalization and the employment of women in the retail sector helps both the men and women to join the workforce in various fields of the business.
Research problem
The young generation of the country is about two third of the total population of the country who suffers from the unemployment. The increasing interest in small business can help them to involve in it and take it as the profession to both the men and women of the country. As per the commercial report, it can be stated that more than 55% small business organizations are forced to stop the business operations within a year. The major issue related to the small business industry is about the promotion or exposure of the business. Employment growth in government sector of the Arabian country is very low about 3.25% (Raval, 2015). In order to mitigate the issue the government starts focus on the power generations, private sector and integration of information technology for both the men and women. It can also be stated that among the entire region, Saudi Arabia in the first of the fear toward the failure of approximately 39% and this country scored the highest number in the perceived opportunity of 75.8% (Raval, 2015). In recent years, the small business organizations can face the barrier for the unorganized business plan and promotion. However, both men and women face complications in promotions regarding the regulatory system of Saudi Arabia. The different types of strategies that can be effective in the small business purpose can resolve the issues related to the promotion of the business organization.
Purpose of the study
The purpose of this research proposal is to identify the influential tactics that are used by male and female business persons of Saudi Arabia in order to promote their small businesses. Moreover, this proposal will also help in determining the factors that has helped both businessman and businesswoman of Saudi Arabia to emerge as potential leaders.
Research question
1. What are the influential tactics that are used for promotion of small business in Saudi Arabia?
2. In what ways the influential factors applied by men are different from women in the small businesses of Saudi Arabia?
3. What are issues faced by men and women in order to promote their small business in Saudi Arabia?
4. How can the influential factors be modified to improve the promotion of small businesses in Saudi Arabia?
Literature Review
The influential tactics to promote the small business of Saudi Arabia
Both the men and the women associated with the small business industry of Saudi Arabia can be able to increase and improve their business policies through the strategies that will be effective in the business. As per the views of Karimi & Naghibi (2015), nowadays social media is considered as the important part of the business purposes. It can act as the communication channel between the business organizers and the customers. Through the social media the business men and women can promote their business policies, and they can expose these to the huge number of customers. Similarly Hassan (2015) stated that the infrastructure of the information is needed to facilitate the effective dissemination, communication and the processing of information. The implementation of ICT in the small business organization can improve the communication process and helps the small business organizations to reach their business policies to the maximum number of customers. The strategies related to the social media marketing have impacted upon the small business organizers. The social media can build the relationship and networking between the customers and the business organizations. The strategies related to the web branding and the strategies related to PR marketing can also be effective as well as the influential to the small business organization.
The ways in which the influential factors applied by men are different from women in the small businesses of Saudi Arabia
The process of applying the influential factors to the small business of Saudi Arabia, the women sometimes is the victim of gender discrimination of the society. In Saudi Arabia, the approaches of the women are restricted in many fields. Moreover the mobility of the women is often restricted in the country that is why they cannot take their business to the broad exposure and relate their businesses to the social media marketing. In all the business fields of Saudi Arabia, the business women are becoming an increasing public presence in the society of the country because the social norms still dictate the women to stay behind the closed door (Raval, 2015). The highly qualified or educated women of the country are often misunderstood for their active participation in the society.
In this context of introducing or promoting small business, the men can apply for the registration and license. However, Al-Ghamdi & Rhodes (2015) stated that the women require the legal representative of opposite sex for opening any organization or the purpose of business license. On the contrary Welsh et al. (2014) stated that the opportunity of higher education at home, familial encouragement, financial stability and moreover the social media are the factors that can be able to bring more women from the backward of the society into the workforce and the whole business world. It can be stated that a man who is interested in introducing small business can get the opportunities to follow the above mentioned marketing strategies whereas for a woman there is much of restrictions in the society. In the contrast, Tlaiss (2015) argued that besides all these problems regarding the business promotion for the women can be resolved through the implication of social media in relation to the business. The influential tactic like the promotion of the business policies through social media can be effective as the women will be able to operate this from home.
The issues faced by men and women in order to promote their small business in Saudi Arabia
The men and women who are engaged in small business organizations in Saudi Arabia can promote their business purposes and policies through the different marketing and digital strategies which can be considered as effective. Based on the views of Miao & Tran (2018), it can be depicted that implication of the influential tactics for the purpose of promoting the small business can face some issues regarding this. According to D’Souza ; Taghian (2017) the major issue is about the budget problem, for the small business enterprises, the investment of a huge amount of money for the promotion through the social media and other marketing strategies is not possible. The other issue is about the uncooperativeness of the private sectors of the country as they are not intended to associate with the small companies. Influenced from the views of Blankson, Cowan ; Darley (2018), the new organizers need the help from the experienced entrepreneurs. The deficiency of proper knowledge regarding the economy and the process of promotion may cause some serious issues for the men as well as the women associated with the small business.
Figure 1: Issues in promoting small business in Saudi Arabia
(Source: Hodges et al. 2015, p.23)
Theoretical concept
The marketing theory is considered as the complex system regarding the ideas which deals with the basic concerns of the best practices related to the publication or promotion of the product. In Saudi Arabia, the small business organizations must choose either to invest in the conventional advertising methods or the other forms of promotion that includes email and fliers. According to Hodges et al. (2015), the pricing theory is also an important part for the promotion of the business policies and also the products. The selection of the price for the product can be considered as the major task by the business organizers. The price of product can affect the interest of the customers and the primary sales. Based on the views of Alden ; Nariswari (2017), the main economic theory related to the supply and demand state that the higher price will be able to drive down the demand of the customer whereas the low price will raise the demand of products. The proper application of the pricing theory in the small business of Saudi Arabia can promote their purposes to the huge number of customers.
Figure 2: Theories
(Source: Al-Ghamdi ; Rhodes, 2015, p.234)
Literature gap
In this research proposal the primary focus is based on the influential tactics for the promotion of the small business industry of both the men and women. As per the research questions, the literature review of the above mentioned topic is done by the effort in researching the relevant information of the economic state of the country. In this context, the entire research proposal lacks the proper information regarding the factors applied by the both the men and women in promoting their business can be considered as the literature gap in this proposal.
Methodology
Research philosophy
Positivism research philosophy will be used by the researcher in order to identify the influential tactics that are applied by men and women for the promotion of small business in Saudi Arabia. Based on the views of Utami (2017), this philosophy will help researcher in collecting data regarding promotional influential tactics from natural phenomenon and address the research questions.
Research approach
Deductive approach will be used by the researcher in order to deduce a concrete outcome from the underlying theories that are associated with the influential factors of small business promotion. Based on the views of Khazma et al. (2016), it can be stated that this approach will allow the researcher to implement the underlying theories that are associated with the promotional.
Research design
The descriptive research design will be used by the researcher for the purpose of describing the characteristics phenomenon being studied. In this context, it will be helpful in the research work regarding the promotion of the small business. As per the views of Ahmad ; Saber (2015), it can be stated that this process will help the researcher in an accurate way.
Data collection method
In this research both primary and secondary qualitative data collection will be used in order identify the influencing factors used by both men and women in Saudi Arabia for promoting their SMEs. In case of primary qualitative data collection the researcher will select 5 men and 5 women who are the entrepreneur of the SMEs of Saudi Arabia for conducting an interview session. They will provide the information related to the factors they consider for promoting their business in the market of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand the data that will be collected using the secondary qualitative method will be used to analyse the factor that create an impact on the promotion process of the SMEs and can be used by both men and women. In this research the researcher will set a few themes in the secondary qualitative data collection on the identification of the factors that influences the promotion of the SMEs and used by both the men and women in Saudi Arabia, the way they can be applied and issues related to it.
Data analysis tools
The researcher with the help of primary qualitative survey will gain knowledge about the perception of the entrepreneurs of SMEs that are prevalent in Saudi Arabia. Along with the help of interview, the researcher will be able to identify the number of factors that influences promotion of SMEs in the particular country. Moreover, the discriminatory factors that are prevalent between men and women will also be analysed based on the interview. Secondary thematic analysis will be done based on the themes that are set on the influential factors that help in promotion of SMEs.
Ethical consideration
In this research the researcher will use data that will be collected from survey and interview as well as from the prevalent research works. As per the provisions of Data Protection Act, 1988, researcher will maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of the results that are collected from survey (Legislation.gov.uk, 2018). The researcher will not manipulate any data that are collected for the research in any condition.
