Critical Success Factors for Sustainable Marketing: A Strategical Framework Using Key Performance Indicators in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Businesses in Oman

Abstract

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have limited employees, resources, and assets below a certain threshold. Many Oman’s SMEs exited and disconnected their business in 2020 due to the absence of marketing planning and strategy and their inability to formulate strategic marketing plans due to the lack of financial liquidity from investors. This paper aims to develop a framework for marketing strategic planning for Omani SMEs by identifying the current marketing strategies, examining critical success factors (CSFs) affecting marketing strategies, and proposing the framework for marketing strategic planning for Oman’s SMEs in the sales sector. Using the quantitative method, this study adopts a questionnaire survey on 364 Omani-owned SMEs in the sales sector. The paper's findings reflect that current marketing strategies are marketing mix strategy, social media marketing strategies, and online digital marketing; the problems in implementing marketing strategies are lack of marketing activities (marketing mix), branding, market fluctuation, and financial obstacles. The framework for marketing strategic planning for Oman’s SMEs in the sales sector is expected to consist of pharmaceutical and medical products, foodstuffs, cosmetic and aromatic products, multi-goods warehouses, building materials, restaurants, and sales activities. The research provides for the effective outcomes of the SME sales business in Oman, owing to the success of KPIs and CSFs. These are the leading contributors to implementing the SMEs business in Oman.