Ireland's food and drink sector: the effect of Brexit on SME adoption and use of social media marketing.

Abstract

This paper examines whether SMEs within Ireland’s food and drinks sector adopting and using social media marketing (SMM) and do they see Brexit as a factor. The research avails of qualitative and quantitative methods and applies the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) model to a random sample of SMEs within this sector. Online surveys are analysed using partial least squares structural equations modelling (PLS-SEM) software SMART-PLS. This paper includes the seven explanatory variables from UTAUT: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, with the addition of two constructs from UTAUT2: hedonic motivation and habit. Data from usable questionnaires were collected from SMEs in Ireland The main conclusion from this research explores the impact Brexit has on SMEs. Will SMEs increase their time or marketing budgets on SMM as Britain leaves the European Union? Further, to what extent will Brexit affects SMEs in Ireland’s food and drinks industry plans for growth in 2017?