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Beyond the basics: Exploring the impact of social media marketing enablers on
business success

Prakash Singh

PII: S2405-8440(24)02466-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26435
Reference: HLY 26435

To appear in: HELIYON

Received Date: 12 July 2023

Revised Date: 9 February 2024
Accepted Date: 13 February 2024

Please cite this article as: , Beyond the basics: Exploring the impact of social media marketing enablers
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 Beyond the Basics: Exploring the Impact of Social Media
Marketing Enablers on Business Success
Prakash Singh
E-Commerce Department, College of Administrative and Financial Sciences, Saudi
Electronic University, Riyadh-11673, Saudi Arabia
Orcid Id: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7307-1932
Email Id: phdpsingh@gmail.com ; p.kishore@seu.edu.sa

Abstract

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In today's fast-paced world, social media marketing is crucial for businesses. However,

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many Saudi Arabian organizations need more skills and resources to use this strategy
effectively. This article outlines organizations' top issues when adopting social media
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marketing and provides valuable insights into how to overcome them. After conducting an
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extensive literature review and consulting with experts from various sectors, 19 critical issues
hindering social media marketing adoption in Saudi Arabian organizations were identified. The
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study employed the DEMATEL approach to analyze these issues and determine their impact
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level and cause-effect relationships. The study found that customer support, platform trust,
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secure data sharing, and perceived value significantly impact a business's social media
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marketing success. By addressing challenges like customer support, platform trust, and
perceived value, businesses can enhance their social media marketing success and promote
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themselves globally by attracting and retaining customers through their social media presence.
The insights gained from this research offer valuable guidance for Saudi Arabian organizations
looking to refine their social media marketing strategies. To overcome the challenges hindering
the adoption of social media marketing, businesses must address the "cause" and "effect"
category issues. By adopting a formal and pragmatic approach, Saudi Arabian organizations
can achieve sustainable growth and promote themselves to a global audience.

Keywords: Businesses, Critical issues, DEMATEL approach, Organizations, Social Media,

Social Media Marketing Enablers.

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1. Introduction
Social media platforms offer businesses a unique opportunity to expand their reach,
increase their visibility, and establish a strong brand presence in the global market [1, 2, 3].
Social media networking platforms have developed as an instrumental tool for businesses and
marketers to acknowledge customers' needs and offer viable resolutions to their marketing
challenges [4, 5, 6]. Even though this platform has become ubiquitous in people's lives and has
emerged as a critical tool for businesses, the term "Social Media Marketing" still appears to
have limited awareness among the business community [7, 8]. Social Media Marketing (SMM)
is a commercial marketing activity that leverages social media to positively influence
consumers' purchasing decisions [9]. With people increasingly using social media to trade and

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share information about products and services, businesses must integrate social media into their

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marketing strategies to engage customers and build long-term relationships [10, 11]. This has
made social media a primary platform for businesses to engage with customers and promote
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their products and services [4, 5]. However, the effectiveness of SMM campaigns depends on
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several enablers or critical success factors (CSF) that facilitate their success. Enablers, or CSFs,
are defined as factors that create favorable conditions for a particular phenomenon [4]. These
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enablers, or CSFs, are critical to the success of SMM campaigns, and identifying them is crucial
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for businesses seeking to leverage social media for improved marketing strategies [12]. In the
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contemporary business environment, social media has emerged as a vital component of

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communication and marketing strategies for companies operating nationally and

internationally, enabling virtual engagement between users and allowing for real-time social
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interactions between consumers and businesses [10, 11, 13].

Businesses can leverage their global connectivity and reach to connect with diverse
stakeholders, promote their offerings, facilitate social engagement, and achieve growth [3, 14].
However, companies recognize the potential of social media as a tool for building and
maintaining solid customer relationships [2, 6, 7]. Customers can quickly acquire vast
information about products, services, brands, and their interaction to learn more about products
and brands. The increase in social media community identity would enhance the brand
commitment of the customer [15, 16, 17]. However, customers face different challenges in
making purchase decisions due to the vast amount of information available and seeking proper
guidance, and social media has assisted them [18]. There is still limited awareness of SMM
enablers among the business community, regardless of the growing importance of this
phenomenon [7, 19]. Several studies have attempted to identify the key enablers of SMM,
including the use of customer engagement metrics [20, 21], social media analytics [4], and

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social media strategy [5] using diverse methodologies. However, limited studies on SMM
enablers employing the DEMATEL approach have been conducted in the Middle East,
particularly in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is undergoing rapid digital
transformation, and it becomes vital to study the critical success factors or enablers of SMM
among Saudi Arabian organizations. SMM has become a significant part of these businesses’
modern marketing strategies to reach target customers and build long-term relationships [22].
However, SMM practices are not adequately adopted as a marketing tool among companies in
the kingdom, and hence, how does social media impact businesses and consumers, and what
are the barriers to SMM seeking further investigation [23, 24, 25]. The kingdom has witnessed
widespread adoption of social media platforms, particularly among young Saudi Arabian

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consumers. Hence, it became vital for companies to adopt SMM to attract and retain these

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potential customers. A thorough understanding of the enablers of SMM and the factors that
prioritize them is required using the DEMATEL approach [26, 27]. The application of grey
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theory can be seen in various problems across different domains, demonstrating its versatility
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as a valuable tool for decision-making when a problem contains various components
with intricate relationships. For instance, [28] utilized the DEMATEL approach to evaluate the
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adoption of traceability systems in the food supply chain (FSC). At the same time, [29]
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quantified the cause-and-effect relationship between hurdles in adopting sustainable supply

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chain practices in the leather industry and [30] used it to study sustainable supply chains.
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Additionally, [31] applied the method to evaluate Chinese remanufacturers' internal

constraints in the auto parts sector. Nevertheless, to the best of my knowledge, studies in the
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literature have to apply this method in the context of social media marketing and its
interconnected predictors. While researchers have examined various social media phenomena
in different contexts, exploring the enablers of SMM from academic and industry experts has
received little attention [32, 33, 34].
Consequently, this study seeks to fill the research gap using the DEMATEL method to
recognize and prioritize SMM's CSFs or enablers. By doing so, this study seeks to offer insights
into the critical success factors that can help business marketers make informed decisions
regarding social media marketing. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge
on using SMM to enhance the effectiveness of SMM campaigns by identifying and prioritizing
SMM enablers [26, 27]. The present study employs the "Decision Making Trial and Evaluation
Laboratory (DEMATEL)" approach to evaluate the critical success factors of social media
marketing from marketers' perspectives [35]. The DEMATEL technique is a powerful tool to
investigate the contextual interrelationships between the critical success factors under study by

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exploring the cause-and-effect relationships between the critical success factors [36, 37, 38].
The DEMATEL method approach has been widely used in diverse research disciplines due to
its ability to solve complex business problems [36, 37]. The study contributes to prioritizing
the critical success factors or enablers of SMM through quantitative data analysis employing
the DEMATEL approach for creating a priority list that will significantly contribute to the
study. The Grey DEMATEL method is a highly effective approach that enables scholars and
researchers to identify and evaluate the cause-effect relationships between various enablers or
critical success factors. It involves several stages, including constructing a decision matrix,
calculating the Grey relational coefficient, constructing a Grey DEMATEL matrix, deriving
the Grey DEMATEL-based impact matrix, and identifying and ranking the key components

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[39]. The use of the Grey DEMATEL method underscores the rigor and validity of the study's

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findings, making this section essential reading for anyone interested in the social media
marketing landscape in Saudi Arabia. This study contributes to pinpointing the critical enablers
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of SMM, assessing their prioritization, and exploring their impact on global business strategies
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by reviewing existing literature and generating a questionnaire validated by industry and
academic experts. Furthermore, this study also contributes to augmenting theoretical and
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practical insights for academics, businesses, and marketers leveraging SMM strategies to gain
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a competitive advantage and explore the critical enablers of Social Media Marketing (SMM)
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and their causes and effects in the social media ecosystem from an academic and marketing
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perspective.
The study aims to bridge these identified research gaps by uncovering the answers to
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the stated research questions (RQ), namely, RQ1: What are the critical success factors or
enablers of Social Media Marketing (SMM) that support businesses and marketers in the social
media setting? RQ2: Which critical success factors or enablers of SMM hold the most
significant potential for supporting businesses and marketers in the social media setting? RQ3:
In what ways can prioritizing Social Media Marketing Enablers (SMME) enhance the
development and implementation of effective marketing strategies of businesses and marketers
in the social media setting? The article is organized as follows: Section 2 provides a review of
relevant literature on SMM enablers. Section 3 presents the methodology used and key results
of the study. The discussions are presented in section 4. Implications, Limitations, and future
research directions of the study are presented in section 5. The conclusion is summarized in the
article's final section, followed by references.

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2. Literature Review
2.1 Marketing Strategy
Marketing strategy is a critical component of a business that involves making
comprehensive decisions on market segmentation, marketing activities, and allocation of
resources to create, communicate, and deliver valuable products to customers [40]. It requires
the deliberate deployment of resources to interact with customers and competitors to achieve
specific organizational objectives [41, 42]. Marketing strategy is a business's choice of
activities and is central to creating and implementing marketing campaigns [43]. Research
suggests that both theory and practice are essential for optimal business outcomes and
improved customer experience [21]. The field of marketing strategy has several sub-domains

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that require further development to keep up with the changing times [20]. One such area that

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needs attention is social media as a marketing medium. [44] highlight that the study of SMM
enablers is another under-researched area within the marketing function. Understanding these
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enablers can assist marketers in determining the content and implementation of their marketing
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strategy on social media and allocating resources, including financial and human [21, 45].
Identifying and prioritizing these enablers is crucial for designing and implementing an
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effective marketing strategy [46, 47]. Therefore, the present study aims to fill this gap by
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exploring the enablers of Social Media Marketing (SMM) in literature and validating them
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with marketing experts from academia and practice.

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2.2 Social Media Marketing (SMM)

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The social networking site has become an innovative platform for communication,
networking, and content sharing. Many companies seek marketing and business opportunities
via these platforms [48, 49, 50]. The marketing industry has been transformed by social media,
which has become a powerful platform for people to connect, share knowledge, and exchange
opinions [4, 48, 51]. This widespread use of social media has led to significant changes in the
market, such as increased social connectedness, social interaction and influence, and improved
decision-making through access to customer data [21, 52]. Social media permits social
connectedness between businesses and customers, enabling more direct and personal
communication [53, 54]. Customers gradually embrace vital roles in co-creating marketing
content with businesses and their corresponding brands [55]. In turn, businesses and marketers
are glancing at digital social media marketing campaigns to drive customers, further
revolutionizing how businesses and customers interact and influence each other [56, 57, 58,
59]. By leveraging social media data, businesses can better understand customer needs and

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preferences, enhancing customer experience and better business results [60, 61]. Therefore,
businesses must use social media to gain valuable insights into customer behavior and
preferences and build more vital customers [21, 62, 63].

2.3 Social Media Marketing Dimensions

The significance of comprehending the role of social media in marketing cannot be
overstated, as highlighted by various researchers and managers [64, 65, 66]. The literature
on Social Media Marketing (SMM) provides a comprehensive understanding of this marketing
tool from diverse perspectives, as evidenced by numerous studies [32, 67, 68, 69]. The insights
offered by the SMM literature are precious to researchers and managers seeking to enhance

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their understanding of the dynamic world of social media marketing. The literature

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comprehensively understands SMM's various dimensions and applications, which can be
leveraged to drive business success. Moreover, SMM is an effective tool for fostering customer
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engagement and interactions, translating into increased brand loyalty and customer
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satisfaction. As a growing body of research indicates, SMM is a potent tool that
facilitates customer interactions and engagement [53, 70, 71]. SMM is a new-
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generation marketing tool that leverages social networks to enhance consumer attention and
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participation [72]. Furthermore, SMM utilized semantic and artificial intelligence to aggregate
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and manage user attitudes and opinions online [73]. Social media boosts the fanbase while
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guarding against fraudulent acts by conceited supporters on social media [74], and SMM
significance was studied to understand its potential and limitations [60]. The literature on
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Social Media Marketing (SMM) offers valuable insights into this marketing tool's diverse
dimensions and applications, emphasizing its potential to enhance customer engagement and
drive business success[75, 76, 77]. Through this comprehensive review, Table 1 provides a
comprehensive overview of the critical factors and enablers fundamental to successful SMM
implementation.

2.4 Social Media Marketing Enablers

The study’s author drew inspiration from the extensive literature on SMM to design a
comprehensive questionnaire that effectively explores the enablers of SMM and prioritizes
them based on their significance. Through deep research, the author identified 19 critical
success factors (CSFs) that enable the implementation of effective SMM practices, which are
presented in Table 1.

6
Table 1. Identification of Enablers or Critical Success Factors (CSF).
Code Critical Success Description Source (s)
Factor (Enabler)
SMME1 Simple and Easy It is an easy way to interact with customers, with little to no [53, 78]
to use complicated tasks.
SMME2 Perceived Value Assessing a product's value is determined by weighing the [21, 79]
benefits gained against the costs incurred.
SMME3 Customer Support All customer-business interactions enhance the customer [60, 75]
experience and strengthen their relationship with the business.
SMME4 Assurance A promise or a positive statement aimed at instilling confidence. [46, 80]
SMME5 Speed of Response The rate at which a device or measurement system responds and [44]
produces the output.
SMME6 Perceived Firm Stakeholders believe social media generates novel, creative, and [55, 68]
Innovativeness efficient ideas and solutions.
SMME7 Loyalty Intentions The willingness to make a repeat purchase following a positive [70, 81]

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experience.
SMME8 User friendly It is simple to navigate and meets the customer's needs. [71, 78]

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SMMEF9 Reliable Reliable and true to its commitments. [69, 82]
SMME10

SMME11
Safe for
Sharing
Useful
Data

for
securely.
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It allows stakeholders to exchange data within their network

Information obtained through social media platforms and tools

[33, 62]

[9]
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Information should be relevant to its intended purpose.
SMME12 Content creativity Marketing that captivates consumers through innovative ideas [71]
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and content on social media channels.

SMME13 Consumer The involvement and engagement of consumers in any event or [53]
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Involvement activity on social media.

SMME14 Control Social media platforms use different methods to maintain activity [70, 73]
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Mechanism within predetermined limits.

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SMME15 Public opinion The collection of opinions, attitudes, and beliefs a community [46]
expresses.
SMME16 Legal support Social media support offers legal knowledge and counseling for [54]
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users' rights and violations while safeguarding and advancing

online interactions.
SMME17 Appropriateness The appropriateness and relevance of using social media for a [63]
for business specific purpose or event within a business context.
SMME18 Customized Providing customized and personalized solutions means catering [75]
Engagement to each customer's unique needs.
SMME19 Trust on the The level of assurance users have in the security of online [83]
platform platforms encompasses people, technology, and processes.

3. Methodology Used and Results

3.1 Grey DEMATEL Approach and Data Collection Procedure
The present study has employed the DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and
Evaluation Laboratory) approach. This approach has the potential to CSF or enablers in social
media marketing effectively. By analyzing the interrelationships among criteria and identifying
the central criteria that represent the effectiveness of attributes, the DEMATEL approach can
help determine the prominent CSFs or enablers that contribute to the success of social media

7
marketing campaigns. Furthermore, employing the DEMETAL method to investigate the
degree of relationship among criteria can furnish valuable insights into the strengths and
weaknesses of distinct factors, facilitating businesses to devise more practical strategies and
accomplish better results [84, 85, 86]. The Grey DEMATEL approach employs Grey numbers
to translate the uncertainty reflected in the qualitative comments of the experts into numerical
ranges [87]. This facilitates the capture of inconsistencies in experts' views during the group
decision-making process, offering greater flexibility in decision-making [88]. This study
gathered valuable insights from experienced professionals in the retail, education, pharma, and
transportation domains in Saudi Arabia. The DEMATEL approach employed in this study
proposes a noteworthy advantage by not levying rigorous normality or independence

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restrictions on the sample data. This attribute of this approach permits researchers and scholars

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to collect valuable insights from experienced professionals, even with small sample sizes [89,
90, 91]. Moreover, existing literature endorses applying the DEMATEL approach as a popular
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and effective approach for Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) since it considers
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direct and indirect effects among critical success factors or enablers, augmenting the credibility
and robustness of the study's results [85, 90, 91].
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This powerful technique utilizes cause-based diagramming to uncover cause-effect

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correlations between elements [92]. This has been successfully applied in various
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circumstances to reveal the structure of complex cause-and-effect interactions, and experts

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have noted that it is well-suited to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity [85, 90, 91]. The
extensive use of the Grey DEMATEL approach highlights its popularity as a valuable tool for
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decision-making. This information is paramount in establishing the credibility and reliability

of the study's findings based on the DEMATEL approach. Furthermore, this approach portrays
a favorable tool for researchers and scholars to accumulate valuable research insights and make
scholarly decisions in intricate decision-making circumstances [91]. Consequently, the
DEMATEL approach was utilized in this study to achieve the desired outcome. It strengthens
the rigor and validity of the study's findings and offers valuable insights into the social media
marketing landscape in Saudi Arabia [92]. Figure 1 illustrates the study's framework, offering
readers a lucid and succinct visual representation of the methodology used for this study.

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Figure 1. The framework adopted for the study.

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Table 2. Experts’ Profiles highlighting their diverse backgrounds and expertise.

Expert Number Domain Experience

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Experts 1, 2, 11, 14, 18, and 21 Retail Between 05 to 10 years

Experts 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 15, and 17 Education Between 05 to 20 years
Experts 10, 12, 16, 19, and 20 Pharma Between 05 to 25 years
Expert 8 Transportation 06 years

Table 3. Linguistic Scale of Linguistic Variable and Its Grey Values.

Linguistic variable Grey values

Very High (VH) [0.75, 01.00]
High (H) [0.50, 0.75]
Low (L) [0.25, 0.50]

Very Low (VL) [00, 0.25]

No (N) [00, 00]

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 The experts' profiles are detailed in Table 2, highlighting their diverse backgrounds and
expertise. These professionals have over nine years of combined experience, making their
opinions highly valuable for this study. The research aimed to identify the key enablers of
successful SMM strategies and the opinions of 21 experts were collected through a
comprehensive questionnaire. The participants were asked to rate each component using
a linguistic scale that included words such as No/VL/L/H/VH, as shown in Table 3 for the
Grey number used in the Grey DEMATEL approach [93]. Out of the 40 experts approached,
21 responded and shared their insights, with six coming from the retail domain, nine from the
education domain, five from the pharma domain, and one from the transportation domain.

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3.2 Key Results

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This study has followed the below-stated steps of the grey DEMATEL approach to
prepare linguistic scale, data collection, analysis of collected data, and interpretation of key
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results of this study. The subsequent section expounds on the various stages of the DEMATEL
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approach, a potent analytical tool employed to identify and evaluate the relationships between
diverse CSFs or enablers of SMM.
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3.2.1 Step 1: Prepare linguistic Scale for Analysis

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The scale consists of five linguistic terms with assigned numerical values, ranging from
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no to very high influence. This standardized approach enhances accuracy and reliability by
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converting qualitative comments into numerical ranges. It is an essential tool for decision-
making processes involving multiple components with intricate relationships.
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3.2.2 Step 2: Develop an Initial Matrix

In this step, experts were asked to provide their ratings using the grey linguistic scale
in Table 2 to assess the correlation between components. Each expert's ratings were used to
create an initial matrix, resulting in K matrices if there were K experts. Once the initial
matrices were created, the grey linguistic scale was utilized to transform the linguistic data
acquired from the experts' ratings into grey numeric form. This transformation process enabled
the capture of the uncertainty and ambiguity inherent in expert opinions, facilitating more
𝑘
accurate and reliable analysis. Let, ⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 grey number, Then it is given as,
𝑘 𝑘 𝑘
⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 = (⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 ,⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 ) (1)

where, n is the number of selected factors, and K is the number of experts following relationship
𝑘 𝑘
1 ⩽ 𝑘 ⩽ 𝐾; and ⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 ,⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 represent the lower and upper limit for grey numbers respectively
for Kth expert.

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 𝑍̃𝑘 = [⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗
𝑘
]𝑛×𝑛 (2)
The individual direct-influence grey matrix is shown in Table .

Table 4. Individual direct-influence grey matrix.

S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S
M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M
M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M M
E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Code

V V V V V
SMME1 H H L H H L H H L L L L L L L H L H
V V V V V V V V V

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SMME2 H H H H H L H H H H H H H L H H H H
V V V V V V V V V V

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SMME3 H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H L H
V V V V V V
SMME4 L H H H L L H H H H H H H H H H L L

SMME5
V
H H H
V
H H
V
H
-pV
H
V
H
V
H
V
H H H H
V
H L
V
H L H
re
V V V V V V
SMME6 H H L H H L H H H H H H H H L H L H
V V V V
P

SMME7 L L L H H H H H H H H H H H L H L H
V V V V V V
al

SMME8 H H L H H L H L H H H H H H L H L H
V V V V V V
n

SMME9 H H L H H L H H H H H H H H L H L H
V V V V V V V V
ur

SMME10 L H L H H L H H H H H L H H L H H L
V V V V V V V V V V
SMME11 L L L H H L H H H H H L H H H H H H
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V V V V V V V V V N
SMME12 L L H H H H H H H L H H H H H H H O
V V V V V V V V V V
SMME13 L L H L H H H H H H H H H H H H H H
V V V V V V
SMME14 L H H H H H H L H H H H H H H H H H
V V V V V V V V V V
SMME15 L H H H H H H L H H H H H H H H H H
V
SMME16 L L H H H H H H H H H H H H H L H L
V V V V V V V V V V V V V
SMME17 H L H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H
V V V
SMME18 L L H H H H H H L L L L L H H H H H
V V V V V
SMME19 H H H H H H H H H H H H L L L H H H

11
 3.2.3 Step 3: Average Direct Relation Matrix
Further, all the matrices were integrated using the method of aggregation as given by
the grey theory using equation (3).
𝑘 𝑘
∑ ⊗𝑝𝑖𝑗 ∑ ⊗𝑝𝑖𝑗
𝑘 𝑘
⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 = ( , ) (3)
𝐾 𝐾

𝑍̃ = [ ⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 ]𝑛×𝑛 (4)

The group direct-influence grey matrix is shown in Error! Reference source not found..

Table 5. Group direct-influence grey matrix.

SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM

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ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME ME
Code
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

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(0.66 (0.48 (0.35 (0.63 (0.57 (0.39 (0.59 (0.45 (0.41 (0.41 (0.47 (0.34 (0.54 (0.44 (0.40 (0.59 (0.34 (0.57
7,0.9 8,0.7 7,0.6 1,0.8 1,0.8 3,0.6 5,0.8 2,0.7 7,0.6 7,0.6 6,0.7 5,0.5 8,0.7 ,0.69 5,0.6 5,0.8 5,0.5 1,0.8
SMME1 (0,0) 17) 38) 07) 81)
(0.54
8,0.7
(0.61 (0.48 (0.61
9,0.8 8,0.7 9,0.8
21)
(0.34
5,0.5
43)
(0.51
2,0.7
-p 45)
(0.47
6,0.7
02)
(0.63
1,0.8
67)
(0.44
,0.66
67)
(0.27
4,0.5
26)
(0.69
,0.94
95) 98) ) 55)
(0.31 (0.36 (0.32
(0.5, ,0.56 9,0.6 1,0.5
45)
(0.45
2,0.7
95)
(0.53
6,0.7
21)
(0.47
6,0.7
re
SMME2 98) (0,0) 69) 38) 69) 95) 62) 26) 81) 7) ) ) 0.75) ) 19) 71) 02) 86) 26)
(0.36 (0.73 (0.69 (0.69 (0.46 (0.61 (0.31 (0.47 (0.34 (0.34 (0.31 (0.67 (0.44 (0.57 (0.46 (0.38 (0.53 (0.65
9,0.6 8,0.9 ,0.94 ,0.94 4,0.7 9,0.8 ,0.56 6,0.7 5,0.5 5,0.5 ,0.56 9,0.9 ,0.69 1,0.8 4,0.7 1,0.6 6,0.7 5,0.9
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SMME3 19) 88) (0,0) ) ) 14) 69) ) 26) 95) 95) ) 29) ) 21) 14) 31) 86) 05)
(0.52 (0.48 (0.52 (0.28 (0.28 (0.26 (0.28 (0.59 (0.56 (0.31 (0.45 (0.71 (0.36 (0.58 (0.35 (0.29 (0.47 (0.39
4,0.7 8,0.7 4,0.7 6,0.5 6,0.5 2,0.5 6,0.5 5,0.8 ,0.81 ,0.56 2,0.7 4,0.9 9,0.6 3,0.8 7,0.6 8,0.5 6,0.7 3,0.6
al

SMME4 74) 38) 74) (0,0) 36) 36) 12) 36) 45) ) ) 02) 64) 19) 33) 07) 48) 26) 43)
(0.61 (0.52 (0.48 (0.52 (0.52 (0.53 (0.51 (0.51 (0.47 (0.46 (0.32 (0.53 (0.29 (0.53 (0.46 (0.56
n

9,0.8 (0.5, (0.5, 4,0.7 8,0.7 4,0.7 4,0.7 6,0.7 2,0.7 2,0.7 6,0.7 4,0.7 1,0.5 6,0.7 8,0.5 6,0.7 4,0.7 ,0.81
SMME5 69) 0.75) 0.75) 74) (0,0) 38) 74) 74) 86) 62) 62) 26) 14) 71) 86) 48) 86) 14) )
ur

(0.67 (0.52 (0.47 (0.29 (0.45 (0.46 (0.48 (0.46 (0.48 (0.47 (0.31 (0.52 (0.29 (0.51 (0.45 (0.51
9,0.9 4,0.7 6,0.7 8,0.5 (0.75 2,0.7 4,0.7 8,0.7 4,0.7 8,0.7 6,0.7 (0.5, ,0.56 4,0.7 8,0.5 2,0.7 2,0.7 2,0.7
SMME6 29) 74) 26) 48) ,1) (0,0) 02) 14) 38) 14) 38) 26) 0.75) ) 74) 48) 62) 02) 62)
Jo

(0.28 (0.27 (0.28 (0.35 (0.70 (0.71 (0.72 (0.53 (0.29 (0.54 (0.39 (0.57 (0.46 (0.54 (0.41 (0.51 (0.48 (0.52
6,0.5 4,0.5 6,0.5 7,0.6 2,0.9 4,0.9 6,0.9 6,0.7 8,0.5 8,0.7 3,0.6 1,0.8 4,0.7 8,0.7 7,0.6 2,0.7 8,0.7 4,0.7
SMME7 36) 24) 36) 07) 52) 64) (0,0) 76) 86) 48) 98) 43) 21) 14) 98) 67) 62) 38) 74)
(0.65 (0.53 (0.57 (0.56 (0.58 (0.61 (0.31 (0.47 (0.31 (0.48 (0.34 (0.52 (0.31 (0.32 (0.32 (0.66 (0.45 (0.72
5,0.9 6,0.7 1,0.8 ,0.81 3,0.8 9,0.8 ,0.56 6,0.7 ,0.56 8,0.7 5,0.5 4,0.7 ,0.56 1,0.5 1,0.5 7,0.9 2,0.7 6,0.9
SMME8 05) 86) 21) ) 33) 69) ) (0,0) 26) ) 38) 95) 74) ) 71) 71) 17) 02) 76)
(0.52 (0.61 (0.45 (0.60 (0.65 (0.59 (0.72 (0.66 (0.71 (0.70 (0.66 (0.54 (0.69 (0.63 (0.45 (0.64 (0.69
4,0.7 9,0.8 2,0.7 (0.5, 7,0.8 5,0.9 5,0.8 6,0.9 7,0.8 4,0.9 2,0.9 7,0.9 8,0.7 ,0.94 1,0.8 2,0.7 3,0.8 ,0.94
SMME9 74) 69) 02) 0.75) 57) 05) 45) 76) (0,0) 93) 64) 52) 17) 98) ) 81) 02) 93) )
(0.41 (0.52 (0.28 (0.48 (0.44 (0.34 (0.46 (0.39 (0.29 (0.27 (0.29 (0.46 (0.53 (0.51 (0.27 (0.28 (0.31 (0.66
7,0.6 4,0.7 6,0.5 8,0.7 ,0.69 5,0.5 4,0.7 3,0.6 8,0.5 4,0.5 8,0.5 4,0.7 6,0.7 2,0.7 4,0.5 6,0.5 ,0.56 7,0.9
SMME10 67) 74) 36) 38) ) 95) 14) 43) 48) (0,0) 24) 48) 14) 86) 62) 24) 36) ) 17)
(0.51 (0.29 (0.52 (0.61 (0.47 (0.48 (0.51 (0.51 (0.52 (0.46 (0.51 (0.52 (0.53 (0.48 (0.53 (0.52
2,0.7 8,0.5 4,0.7 9,0.8 6,0.7 8,0.7 (0.5, 2,0.7 2,0.7 (0.5, 4,0.7 4,0.7 2,0.7 4,0.7 6,0.7 8,0.7 6,0.7 4,0.7
SMME11 62) 48) 74) 69) 26) 38) 0.75) 62) 62) 0.75) (0,0) 74) 14) 62) 74) 86) 38) 86) 74)
(0.48 (0.41 (0.47 (0.45 (0.48 (0.45 (0.44 (0.52 (0.52 (0.72 (0.34 (0.51 (0.33 (0.32 (0.54 (0.63
8,0.7 7,0.6 6,0.7 2,0.7 8,0.7 2,0.7 ,0.69 4,0.7 4,0.7 (0.25 (0.5, 6,0.9 5,0.5 2,0.7 3,0.5 1,0.5 8,0.7 1,0.8
SMME12 38) 67) 26) 02) 38) 02) ) 74) 74) ,0.5) 0.75) (0,0) 76) 95) 62) 83) 71) 98) 57)
(0.42 (0.40 (0.56 (0.53 (0.46 (0.59 (0.51 (0.52 (0.53 (0.51 (0.51 (0.52 (0.53 (0.51 (0.48 (0.51
9,0.6 5,0.6 ,0.81 6,0.7 4,0.7 5,0.8 2,0.7 4,0.7 6,0.7 2,0.7 2,0.7 4,0.7 (0.5, 6,0.7 2,0.7 (0.5, 8,0.7 2,0.7
SMME13 79) 55) ) 86) 14) 45) 62) 74) 86) 62) 62) 74) (0,0) 0.75) 86) 62) 0.75) 38) 62)
(0.35 (0.40 (0.33 (0.31 (0.44 (0.33 (0.29 (0.51 (0.32 (0.29 (0.29 (0.27 (0.27 (0.34 (0.29 (0.31 (0.29 (0.31
7,0.6 5,0.6 3,0.5 ,0.56 ,0.69 3,0.5 8,0.5 2,0.7 1,0.5 8,0.5 8,0.5 4,0.5 4,0.5 5,0.5 8,0.5 ,0.56 8,0.5 ,0.56
SMME14 07) 55) 83) ) ) 83) 48) 62) 71) 48) 48) 24) 24) (0,0) 95) 48) ) 48) )

12
 (0.31 (0.66 (0.51 (0.51 (0.67 (0.64 (0.69 (0.42 (0.65 (0.70 (0.56 (0.72 (0.70 (0.61 (0.44 (0.72 (0.70 (0.70
,0.56 7,0.9 2,0.7 2,0.7 9,0.9 3,0.8 ,0.94 9,0.6 5,0.9 2,0.9 ,0.81 6,0.9 2,0.9 9,0.8 ,0.69 6,0.9 2,0.9 2,0.9
SMME15 ) 17) 62) 62) 29) 93) ) 79) 05) 52) ) 76) 52) 69) (0,0) ) 76) 52) 52)
(0.52 (0.31 (0.44 (0.44 (0.34 (0.44 (0.42 (0.48 (0.45 (0.39 (0.31 (0.31 (0.29 (0.27 (0.27 (0.27
4,0.7 ,0.56 ,0.69 ,0.69 5,0.5 ,0.69 9,0.6 8,0.7 2,0.7 3,0.6 ,0.56 ,0.56 8,0.5 4,0.5 4,0.5 (0.25 4,0.5 (0.25
SMME16 74) ) ) ) 95) ) 79) 38) 02) 43) ) ) 48) 24) 24) (0,0) ,0.5) 24) ,0.5)
(0.52 (0.36 (0.32 (0.57 (0.39 (0.36 (0.28 (0.33 (0.35 (0.33 (0.40 (0.36 (0.36 (0.33 (0.33 (0.29 (0.29 (0.34
4,0.7 9,0.6 1,0.5 1,0.8 3,0.6 9,0.6 6,0.5 3,0.5 7,0.6 3,0.5 5,0.6 9,0.6 9,0.6 3,0.5 3,0.5 8,0.5 8,0.5 5,0.5
SMME17 74) 19) 71) 21) 43) 19) 36) 83) 07) 83) 55) 19) 19) 83) 83) 48) (0,0) 48) 95)
(0.36 (0.58 (0.51 (0.54 (0.52 (0.47 (0.44 (0.46 (0.46 (0.47
(0.5, 9,0.6 (0.5, 3,0.8 2,0.7 8,0.7 (0.5, 4,0.7 6,0.7 ,0.69 (0.5, 4,0.7 4,0.7 (0.5, (0.5, (0.5, (0.5, 6,0.7
SMME18 0.75) 19) 0.75) 33) 62) 98) 0.75) 74) 26) ) 0.75) 14) 14) 0.75) 0.75) 0.75) 0.75) (0,0) 26)
(0.61 (0.66 (0.66 (0.52 (0.69 (0.46 (0.67 (0.67 (0.46 (0.65 (0.71 (0.57 (0.69 (0.52 (0.40 (0.70 (0.45 (0.70
9,0.8 7,0.9 7,0.9 4,0.7 ,0.94 4,0.7 9,0.9 9,0.9 4,0.7 5,0.9 4,0.9 1,0.8 ,0.94 4,0.7 5,0.6 2,0.9 2,0.7 2,0.9
SMME19 69) 17) 17) 74) ) 14) 29) 29) 14) 05) 64) 21) ) 74) 55) 52) 02) 52) (0,0)

3.2.4 Step 4: Develop Normalized Direct Relation Grey Matrix

The normalized direct-influence grey matrix 𝑋 was attained using equation (12), and

of
corresponding data are shown in Table .

ro
Table 6. Normalized direct-influence grey matrix.
SM
Co ME
de
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
-p SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
SM
ME
re
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

SM (0.04 (0.03 (0.02 (0.04 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03
P

ME 3,0.0 1,0.0 3,0.0 1,0.0 7,0.0 5,0.0 8,0.0 9,0.0 7,0.0 7,0.0 1,0.0 2,0.0 5,0.0 8,0.0 6,0.0 8,0.0 2,0.0 7,0.0
1 (0,0) 59) 47) 39) 57) 53) 41) 54) 45) 43) 43) 47) 38) 51) 44) 42) 54) 38) 53)
al

SM (0.03 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.04 (0.02 (0.01 (0.04 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03
ME 5,0.0 ,0.05 1,0.0 ,0.05 2,0.0 3,0.0 1,0.0 1,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 4,0.0 2,0.0 ,0.03 4,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0
n

2 51) (0,0) 6) 47) 6) 38) 49) 47) 57) 43) 32) 6) 48) 6) 4) 37) 45) 5) 47)
ur

SM (0.02 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.04
ME 4,0.0 7,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.04 ,0.05 ,0.03 1,0.0 2,0.0 2,0.0 ,0.03 4,0.0 8,0.0 7,0.0 ,0.04 4,0.0 4,0.0 2,0.0
3 4) 64) (0,0) 6) 6) 6) 6) 6) 47) 38) 38) 6) 6) 44) 53) 6) 41) 5) 58)
Jo

SM (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.03 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.01 (0.03 (0.02
ME 4,0.0 1,0.0 4,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 7,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 6,0.0 ,0.03 9,0.0 6,0.0 4,0.0 7,0.0 3,0.0 9,0.0 1,0.0 5,0.0
4 5) 47) 5) (0,0) 34) 34) 33) 34) 54) 52) 6) 45) 62) 4) 54) 39) 35) 47) 41)

SM (0.04 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.01 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03
ME ,0.05 2,0.0 2,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 3,0.0 3,0.0 1,0.0 ,0.04 1,0.0 4,0.0 9,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.04 6,0.0
5 6) 48) 48) 5) (0,0) 47) 5) 5) 5) 49) 49) 47) 6) 37) 5) 35) 5) 6) 52)

SM (0.04 (0.03 (0.03 (0.01 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.01 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03
ME 4,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 8,0.0 9,0.0 ,0.04 1,0.0 ,0.04 1,0.0 1,0.0 2,0.0 ,0.03 4,0.0 9,0.0 3,0.0 9,0.0 3,0.0
6 6) 5) 47) 35) 64) (0,0) 45) 6) 47) 6) 47) 47) 48) 6) 5) 35) 49) 45) 49)

SM (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.02 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.03 (0.01 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03
ME 8,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 3,0.0 5,0.0 6,0.0 7,0.0 4,0.0 9,0.0 5,0.0 5,0.0 7,0.0 ,0.04 5,0.0 7,0.0 3,0.0 1,0.0 4,0.0
7 34) 34) 34) 39) 61) 62) (0,0) 63) 5) 35) 51) 41) 53) 6) 51) 43) 49) 47) 5)

SM (0.04 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04
ME 2,0.0 4,0.0 7,0.0 6,0.0 7,0.0 ,0.05 ,0.03 1,0.0 ,0.03 1,0.0 2,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.03 1,0.0 1,0.0 3,0.0 9,0.0 7,0.0
8 58) 5) 53) 52) 54) 6) 6) (0,0) 47) 6) 47) 38) 5) 6) 37) 37) 59) 45) 63)

SM (0.03 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04 (0.04
ME 4,0.0 ,0.05 9,0.0 2,0.0 9,0.0 2,0.0 8,0.0 7,0.0 3,0.0 6,0.0 5,0.0 3,0.0 5,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 1,0.0 4,0.0
9 5) 6) 45) 48) 55) 58) 54) 63) (0,0) 57) 62) 61) 59) 51) 6) 57) 45) 57) 6)

13
SM (0.02 (0.03 (0.01 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.01 (0.01 (0.02 (0.04
ME 7,0.0 4,0.0 8,0.0 1,0.0 8,0.0 2,0.0 ,0.04 5,0.0 9,0.0 8,0.0 9,0.0 ,0.04 4,0.0 3,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 ,0.03 3,0.0
10 43) 5) 34) 47) 44) 38) 6) 41) 35) (0,0) 34) 35) 6) 5) 49) 34) 34) 6) 59)

SM (0.03 (0.01 (0.03 (0.04 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03
ME 3,0.0 9,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.05 1,0.0 1,0.0 2,0.0 3,0.0 3,0.0 2,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.04 3,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0
11 49) 35) 5) 6) 47) 47) 48) 49) 49) 48) (0,0) 5) 6) 49) 5) 5) 47) 5) 5)

SM (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.01 (0.03 (0.04 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.04
ME 1,0.0 7,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 8,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 6,0.0 2,0.0 7,0.0 2,0.0 3,0.0 1,0.0 1,0.0 5,0.0 1,0.0
12 47) 43) 47) 45) 47) 45) 44) 5) 5) 32) 48) (0,0) 63) 38) 49) 37) 37) 51) 55)

SM (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03
ME 8,0.0 6,0.0 6,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.04 8,0.0 3,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 3,0.0 3,0.0 4,0.0 2,0.0 4,0.0 3,0.0 2,0.0 1,0.0 3,0.0
13 44) 42) 52) 5) 6) 54) 49) 5) 5) 49) 49) 5) (0,0) 48) 5) 49) 48) 47) 49)

SM (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.01 (0.03 (0.02 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.02 (0.01 (0.02 (0.01 (0.02
ME 3,0.0 6,0.0 1,0.0 ,0.03 8,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 3,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 9,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 2,0.0 9,0.0 ,0.03 9,0.0 ,0.03
14 39) 42) 37) 6) 44) 37) 35) 49) 37) 35) 35) 34) 34) (0,0) 38) 35) 6) 35) 6)

of
SM (0.02 (0.04 (0.03 (0.03 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04
ME ,0.03 3,0.0 3,0.0 3,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 4,0.0 8,0.0 2,0.0 5,0.0 6,0.0 7,0.0 5,0.0 ,0.05 8,0.0 7,0.0 5,0.0 5,0.0

ro
15 6) 59) 49) 49) 6) 57) 6) 44) 58) 61) 52) 63) 61) 6) (0,0) 44) 63) 61) 61)

SM (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01 (0.01

16 5) 6) 44) 44) 38) 44) 44) 47) 45) 41) 6)

-p
ME 4,0.0 ,0.03 8,0.0 8,0.0 2,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 5,0.0 ,0.03 ,0.03 9,0.0 8,0.0 8,0.0 6,0.0 8,0.0 6,0.0
6) 35) 34) 34) (0,0) 32) 34) 32)
re
SM (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.03 (0.02 (0.02 (0.01 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.02 (0.01 (0.01 (0.02
ME 4,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 7,0.0 5,0.0 4,0.0 8,0.0 1,0.0 3,0.0 1,0.0 6,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 1,0.0 9,0.0 9,0.0 2,0.0
P

17 5) 4) 37) 53) 41) 4) 34) 37) 39) 37) 42) 4) 4) 37) 37) 35) (0,0) 35) 38)

SM (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.02 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03 (0.03
al

ME 2,0.0 4,0.0 2,0.0 7,0.0 3,0.0 5,0.0 2,0.0 4,0.0 1,0.0 8,0.0 2,0.0 ,0.04 ,0.04 2,0.0 2,0.0 2,0.0 2,0.0 1,0.0
18 48) 4) 48) 54) 49) 51) 48) 5) 47) 44) 48) 6) 6) 48) 48) 48) 48) (0,0) 47)
n

SM (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.04 (0.03 (0.04 (0.03 (0.02 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04
ME ,0.05 3,0.0 3,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.04 4,0.0 4,0.0 ,0.04 2,0.0 6,0.0 7,0.0 4,0.0 4,0.0 6,0.0 5,0.0 9,0.0 5,0.0
ur

19 6) 59) 59) 5) 6) 6) 6) 6) 6) 58) 62) 53) 6) 5) 42) 61) 45) 61) (0,0)
Jo

1
𝑋̃ = ∗ 𝑍̃ (5)
𝑟

where,

𝑟 = 𝑚𝑎𝑥 (∑𝑛𝑗=1 ⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 ) (6)

1≤𝑖≤𝑛

3.2.5 Step 5: Construction of Grey Total Relation Matrix

The Grey total relation matrix 𝑇̃ is defined as,
𝑇̃ = 𝑋̃(𝐼 − 𝑋̃)−1 (7)
where I is the identity matrix, and 𝑋̃ is the normalized direct-influence matrix. The Grey total
relation matrix 𝑇̃ is presented in Table .

14
Table 7. Grey total relation matrix.
SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM
Co
SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1
de
ME1 ME2 ME3 ME4 ME5 ME6 ME7 ME8 ME9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
SM (0.03 (0.08 (0.06 (0.06 (0.08 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.05 (0.07 (0.05 (0.07
ME 9,0.2 ,0.30 8,0.2 1,0.2 2,0.3 4,0.3 2,0.2 6,0.3 7,0.2 2,0.2 2,0.2 7,0.2 3,0.2 8,0.2 5,0.2 8,0.2 3,0.2 9,0.2 7,0.3
1 51) 5) 9) 87) 21) ) 83) 05) 92) 77) 79) 87) 97) 79) 87) 64) 91) 82) 12)
SM (0.07 (0.03 (0.07 (0.06 (0.08 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.05 (0.08 (0.07 (0.05 (0.06 (0.05 (0.06 (0.07 (0.07
ME 3,0.2 9,0.2 6,0.2 9,0.2 1,0.3 ,0.28 9,0.2 9,0.2 8,0.3 3,0.2 4,0.2 ,0.29 3,0.3 4,0.2 1,0.2 3,0.2 4,0.2 1,0.2 2,0.3
2 98) 48) 96) 93) 19) 5) 89) 96) 01) 76) 68) 8) 05) 64) 81) 58) 81) 92) 05)
SM (0.06 (0.08 (0.04 (0.08 (0.08 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.05 (0.08 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.08
ME 4,0.2 6,0.3 ,0.25 3,0.3 8,0.3 9,0.3 8,0.3 1,0.2 1,0.3 ,0.28 ,0.28 9,0.2 6,0.3 3,0.2 5,0.3 3,0.2 2,0.2 3,0.3 4,0.3
3 97) 17) 3) 14) 33) 01) 04) 96) 02) 1) 2) 85) 26) 8) 02) 75) 86) 01) 25)
SM (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.03 (0.05 (0.05 (0.05 (0.05 (0.07 (0.06 (0.05 (0.06 (0.08 (0.05 (0.07 (0.05 (0.05 (0.06 (0.06
ME 7,0.2 6,0.2 7,0.2 5,0.2 7,0.2 3,0.2 1,0.2 4,0.2 2,0.2 7,0.2 2,0.2 2,0.2 2,0.3 4,0.2 ,0.28 2,0.2 2,0.2 4,0.2 3,0.2
4 82) 79) 77) 34) 84) 67) 6) 7) 85) 71) 58) 7) 03) 54) ) 48) 58) 74) 85)
SM (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.04 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.05 (0.07 (0.05 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07
ME 8,0.3 1,0.3 ,0.29 2,0.3 4,0.2 (0.07 1,0.2 3,0.3 3,0.3 9,0.2 9,0.2 8,0.2 2,0.3 6,0.2 2,0.2 2,0.2 1,0.2 8,0.2 8,0.3
5 08) ) 5) 01) 72) ,0.3) 95) 05) 02) 87) 89) 91) 09) 7) 97) 62) 92) 94) 17)

of
SM (0.08 (0.07 (0.06 (0.05 (0.09 (0.03 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.05 (0.07 (0.05 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07
ME 1,0.3 2,0.2 8,0.2 8,0.2 ,0.32 9,0.2 6,0.2 9,0.2 9,0.2 5,0.2 7,0.2 7,0.2 3,0.3 4,0.2 ,0.29 2,0.2 9,0.2 6,0.2 4,0.3

ro
6 08) 97) 9) 84) 9) 51) 87) 98) 95) 81) 84) 88) 07) 66) 2) 59) 87) 89) 1)
SM (0.05 (0.05 (0.05 (0.06 (0.08 (0.08 (0.03 (0.08 (0.07 (0.05 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07 (0.05 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07
ME 8,0.2 6,0.2 6,0.2 1,0.2 6,0.3 3,0.3 7,0.2 5,0.3 2,0.2 5,0.2 1,0.2 2,0.2 7,0.3 3,0.2 1,0.2 9,0.2 9,0.2 8,0.2 4,0.3
7 85)
SM (0.08
ME 1,0.3
81)
(0.07
3,0.3
78)
(0.07
4,0.2
87)
(0.07
4,0.3
25)
(0.08
,0.32
09)
(0.07
7,0.3
43)
(0.05
7,0.2
13)
(0.04
,0.25
-p 97)
(0.06
9,0.2
7)
(0.05
6,0.2
87)
(0.06
7,0.2
82)
(0.05
9,0.2
1)
(0.07
4,0.3
74)
(0.05
4,0.2
93)
(0.05
8,0.2
65)
(0.05
4,0.2
87)
(0.07
8,0.2
9)
(0.06
6,0.2
09)
(0.08
7,0.3
re
8 09) ) 98) 01) 1) 05) 8) 5) 96) 73) 85) 81) 1) 67) 82) 62) 98) 9) 23)
SM (0.08 (0.08 (0.07 (0.08 (0.09 (0.09 (0.08 (0.09 (0.04 (0.08 (0.09 (0.09 (0.09 (0.07 (0.09 (0.08 (0.07 (0.08 (0.09
ME 2,0.3 7,0.3 6,0.3 ,0.33 2,0.3 ,0.34 4,0.3 5,0.3 9,0.2 6,0.3 ,0.33 ,0.34 4,0.3 7,0.3 ,0.34 ,0.31 4,0.3 8,0.3 6,0.3
P

9 42) 45) 3) 8) 66) 8) 37) 56) 92) 31) 8) 2) 61) 19) 3) 7) 24) 42) 64)
SM (0.05 (0.06 (0.05 (0.06 (0.06 (0.05 (0.06 (0.05 (0.05 (0.03 (0.04 (0.05 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.04 (0.04 (0.05 (0.07
ME 9,0.2 5,0.2 ,0.25 3,0.2 4,0.2 4,0.2 ,0.26 8,0.2 1,0.2 ,0.21 8,0.2 ,0.25 4,0.2 2,0.2 3,0.2 5,0.2 9,0.2 2,0.2 6,0.2
al

10 66) 71) 4) 69) 83) 61) 3) 67) 58) 2) 46) 2) 78) 55) 66) 34) 49) 55) 91)
SM (0.07 (0.05 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.06 (0.03 (0.07 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.07
n

ME 2,0.3 9,0.2 1,0.2 8,0.3 4,0.3 1,0.3 ,0.29 3,0.3 2,0.3 8,0.2 7,0.2 1,0.2 2,0.3 7,0.2 1,0.2 7,0.2 8,0.2 2,0.2 6,0.3
11 04) 89) 98) 08) 18) 01) 5) 06) 02) 88) 44) 95) 11) 83) 98) 78) 91) 99) 16)
ur

SM (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.07 (0.05 (0.06 (0.03 (0.08 (0.05 (0.06 (0.05 (0.05 (0.07 (0.08
ME 9,0.2 4,0.2 7,0.2 6,0.2 3,0.3 7,0.2 4,0.2 2,0.2 1,0.2 1,0.2 7,0.2 7,0.2 6,0.3 5,0.2 9,0.2 4,0.2 6,0.2 2,0.2 ,0.31
12 93) 87) 87) 89) 09) 9) 83) 97) 93) 64) 81) 39) 17) 64) 88) 58) 72) 91) 1)
Jo

SM (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07 (0.07 (0.04 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.07
ME 8,0.3 6,0.2 4,0.3 4,0.3 4,0.3 8,0.3 1,0.2 4,0.3 4,0.3 9,0.2 ,0.29 1,0.2 3,0.2 7,0.2 3,0.3 6,0.2 9,0.2 ,0.29 6,0.3
13 01) 98) 02) 05) 2) 09) 98) 09) 05) 9) 2) 97) 69) 84) 01) 78) 93) 8) 17)
SM (0.05 (0.05 (0.04 (0.04 (0.05 (0.04 (0.04 (0.05 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04
ME ,0.23 2,0.2 7,0.2 6,0.2 8,0.2 8,0.2 5,0.2 9,0.2 7,0.2 4,0.2 4,0.2 3,0.2 6,0.2 4,0.1 8,0.2 1,0.2 5,0.2 5,0.2 9,0.2
14 9) 41) 33) 35) 57) 37) 3) 5) 36) 24) 25) 27) 42) 85) 33) 14) 28) 31) 45)
SM (0.06 (0.08 (0.07 (0.08 (0.09 (0.08 (0.08 (0.07 (0.08 (0.08 (0.08 (0.09 (0.09 (0.08 (0.04 (0.06 (0.09 (0.09 (0.09
ME 8,0.3 9,0.3 9,0.3 ,0.33 5,0.3 8,0.3 9,0.3 6,0.3 9,0.3 8,0.3 ,0.32 1,0.3 5,0.3 1,0.3 7,0.2 8,0.3 ,0.33 1,0.3 5,0.3
15 27) 45) 32) 7) 67) 45) 41) 37) 45) 33) 7) 41) 61) 21) 85) 03) 8) 43) 63)
SM (0.06 (0.04 (0.05 (0.05 (0.05 (0.05 (0.05 (0.06 (0.05 (0.05 (0.04 (0.04 (0.05 (0.04 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04 (0.04 (0.04
ME 2,0.2 9,0.2 6,0.2 6,0.2 4,0.2 7,0.2 5,0.2 ,0.25 7,0.2 1,0.2 7,0.2 7,0.2 ,0.25 3,0.2 6,0.2 4,0.1 3,0.2 6,0.2 8,0.2
16 58) 44) 48) 52) 61) 52) 46) 8) 52) 38) 34) 38) 3) 26) 38) 88) 32) 38) 51)
SM (0.06 (0.05 (0.04 (0.06 (0.05 (0.05 (0.04 (0.05 (0.05 (0.04 (0.05 (0.05 (0.05 (0.04 (0.05 (0.04 (0.02 (0.04 (0.05
ME 2,0.2 3,0.2 9,0.2 5,0.2 7,0.2 2,0.2 6,0.2 1,0.2 2,0.2 8,0.2 3,0.2 1,0.2 5,0.2 7,0.2 ,0.24 4,0.2 8,0.2 7,0.2 3,0.2
17 6) 49) 43) 61) 66) 49) 39) 5) 49) 36) 42) 43) 59) 31) 3) 24) 03) 42) 59)
SM (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.07 (0.07 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.07 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.06 (0.03 (0.07
ME 1,0.2 2,0.2 9,0.2 5,0.3 5,0.3 3,0.3 9,0.2 3,0.3 9,0.2 4,0.2 8,0.2 6,0.2 1,0.3 6,0.2 9,0.2 4,0.2 8,0.2 8,0.2 2,0.3
18 99) 9) 93) 03) 17) 01) 92) 03) 96) 81) 86) 88) 07) 79) 93) 72) 88) 48) 09)
SM (0.08 (0.08 (0.08 (0.08 (0.09 (0.07 (0.08 (0.09 (0.07 (0.08 (0.08 (0.08 (0.09 (0.07 (0.07 (0.08 (0.07 (0.09 (0.05
ME 6,0.3 8,0.3 8,0.3 ,0.33 5,0.3 7,0.3 8,0.3 1,0.3 7,0.3 4,0.3 8,0.3 1,0.3 3,0.3 5,0.3 2,0.3 4,0.3 3,0.3 ,0.34 1,0.3
19 42) 43) 38) 5) 65) 32) 37) 49) 31) 27) 33) 29) 57) 13) 22) 16) 19) ) 02)

15
3.2.6 Step 6: Develop the Crisp Total Relation Matrix
The modified 'Converting Fuzzy Data into Crisp Scores (CFCS)' method is a valuable
tool for converting fuzzy data into crisp scores, enabling more accurate and reliable analysis of
complex data [94, 95]. The step-by-step outline of the modified CFCS method in the context
of grey numbers involves converting linguistic data into numerical values using the grey
linguistic scale, calculating the weighted average of these values using the grey relational
coefficient (GRC), determining the maximum and minimum values of the weighted average
for each component, calculating the range of the weighted average, normalizing the range using
the maximum possible range, and finally, converting the normalized range into crisp scores
using the modified CFCS method. Below is the step-by-step outline of the modified CFCS

of
method, presented in the context of grey numbers:

ro
i) Transforming into a crisp number
⊗ 𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 = (⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 − 𝑚𝑖𝑛 ⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 ) /Δ𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑚𝑖𝑛 (8)
𝑗 -p
re
⊗ 𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 = (⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 − 𝑚𝑖𝑛 ⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 ) /Δ𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑚𝑖𝑛 (9)
𝑗
P

where Δ𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑚𝑎𝑥 ⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 − 𝑚𝑖𝑛 ⊗ 𝑝𝑖𝑗 (10)
𝑗 𝑗
al

ii) Determine the total normalized crisp values:

n

(⊗𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 (1−⊗𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 ))+(⊗𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 ×⊗𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 )

ur

𝑝𝑖𝑗 = ( ) (11)
(1−⊗𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 +⊗𝑝̇ 𝑖𝑗 )
Jo

iii) Determine the crisp values:

∗
𝑝𝑖𝑗 = (𝑚𝑖𝑛 ⊗ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 + (𝑝𝑖𝑗 × Δ𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑚𝑖𝑛 )) (12)
𝑗

The crisp Total Relation Matrix was obtained in the below equation (13).

∗
T = [ 𝑝̃𝑖𝑗 ] (13)

3.2.7 Step 7: Calculation of Prominence and Influence Values

Table 8 displays the crisp total relation matrix, which provides a comprehensive
overview of the cause-and-effect relationships between various components in the social media
marketing landscape in Saudi Arabia.

16
Table 8. Crisp total relation matrix.
SM SM SM SM SM SM SM
Cod
SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM SM ME SMM SMM SMM ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1 ME1
e
ME1 ME2 ME3 ME4 ME5 ME6 ME7 ME8 ME9 10 EM11 EM12 EM13 4 5 6 7 8 9
SM 0.15 0.21 0.20 0.19 0.23 0.21 0.19 0.21 0.20 0.186 0.188 0.197 0.201 0.19 0.19 0.17 0.20 0.18 0.22
ME1 3937 9192 062 3179 2001 1138 1138 6412 0938 993 669 152 675 2649 559 5864 5048 8736 2147
SM 0.20 0.15 0.21 0.20 0.22 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.21 0.187 0.175 0.213 0.214 0.17 0.18 0.16 0.19 0.20 0.21
ME2 9304 1385 0278 3229 9567 1746 0203 5581 4855 028 341 907 325 2435 9492 8543 1905 383 3542
SM 0.20 0.23 0.15 0.22 0.24 0.20 0.21 0.19 0.21 0.188 0.189 0.190 0.237 0.19 0.21 0.18 0.19 0.21 0.23
ME3 2317 171 5379 7838 4312 9283 7115 9652 0447 278 297 457 511 0317 3779 7308 3523 1836 6043
SM 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.13 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.17 0.19 0.187 0.167 0.182 0.218 0.16 0.19 0.16 0.16 0.18 0.19
ME4 4433 1303 054 9692 8025 4512 8139 702 9624 191 463 907 841 7228 5275 1382 7561 6988 3411
SM 0.22 0.20 0.20 0.21 0.17 0.20 0.20 0.21 0.21 0.198 0.200 0.201 0.216 0.17 0.20 0.17 0.20 0.20 0.22
ME5 0408 931 5346 1135 1343 861 5996 4539 195 938 576 176 384 8166 7953 0892 4008 2784 582
SM 0.22 0.20 0.20 0.18 0.24 0.15 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.191 0.195 0.198 0.215 0.17 0.20 0.16 0.19 0.19 0.21
ME6 2126 7987 0175 8959 2757 3354 7094 636 4648 854 58 074 383 4107 3624 7884 9164 8435 833
SM 0.18 0.18 0.18 0.19 0.23 0.22 0.14 0.22 0.20 0.177 0.200 0.190 0.220 0.18 0.20 0.17 0.19 0.20 0.21
ME7 9212 5818 3737 3126 779 387 7292 7611 7916 569 428 258 616 5918 4799 7213 8692 0798 8246
SM 0.22 0.21 0.20 0.21 0.22 0.21 0.18 0.15 0.20 0.180 0.196 0.188 0.218 0.17 0.18 0.17 0.21 0.19 0.23

of
ME8 2035 0452 9754 2201 9962 6992 6074 6967 485 379 64 271 841 4912 7905 1253 2809 9634 6929
SM 0.24 0.25 0.23 0.24 0.27 0.25 0.24 0.26 0.18 0.242 0.249 0.252 0.269 0.22 0.25 0.22 0.22 0.25 0.27

ro
ME9 6688 2458 4415 2757 1399 6597 4805 6477 799 159 284 517 162 6923 3536 7586 8781 0764 3035
SM
ME1 0.17 0.18 0.16 0.18 0.19 0.17 0.17 0.17 0.16 0.123 0.157 0.162 0.189 0.17 0.18 0.14 0.15 0.16 0.20
0 8047
SM
ME1 0.21
-p
6046 3373 2576 2496 1292 6805 8175 7226 537 305 374 432 3347 1063 7511 9436 5536 7019

0.19 0.20 0.22 0.22 0.20 0.20 0.21 0.21 0.198 0.147 0.205 0.217 0.19 0.20 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.22
re
1 2624 3321 8315 0224 4108 9696 4953 469 1015 94 798 712 487 4909 808 1587 068 9577 3645
SM
ME1 0.20 0.19 0.19 0.19 0.21 0.19 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.171 0.193 0.144 0.231 0.17 0.19 0.16 0.18 0.20 0.22
P

2 2884 5615 7476 8722 7044 9439 3062 8139 4642 422 907 531 364 432 9618 8807 0169 3684 3566
SM
ME1 0.20 0.20 0.21 0.21 0.22 0.22 0.20 0.21 0.21 0.201 0.203 0.207 0.168 0.19 0.21 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.22
al

3 7603 4112 3141 5141 5435 0521 7913 7577 4922 626 297 655 683 5471 0893 1155 3499 756 4764
SM
n

ME1 0.15 0.15 0.14 0.14 0.17 0.15 0.14 0.16 0.15 0.140 0.141 0.141 0.153 0.10 0.14 0.13 0.14 0.14 0.15
4 4336 7099 8646 9251 1326 1469 4519 8127 0132 236 359 944 184 3028 8926 2895 3648 5696 738
ur

SM
ME1 0.22 0.25 0.23 0.24 0.27 0.25 0.25 0.23 0.25 0.244 0.234 0.252 0.270 0.23 0.18 0.20 0.24 0.25 0.27
5 6333 4278 7036 1924 5191 3221 1001 9177 3641 271 49 637 315 1152 1543 9895 9477 387 1576
Jo

SM
ME1 0.17 0.15 0.16 0.16 0.17 0.16 0.16 0.17 0.16 0.154 0.148 0.151 0.162 0.14 0.15 0.10 0.14 0.15 0.16
6 5024 6573 4079 6846 1456 7557 1948 3606 7878 482 928 442 87 111 0432 5365 5264 0533 0292
SM
ME1 0.17 0.16 0.15 0.17 0.17 0.16 0.15 0.16 0.16 0.151 0.157 0.157 0.170 0.14 0.15 0.14 0.11 0.15 0.16
7 6499 2671 5962 9079 6428 2618 1549 2098 1612 248 904 984 238 726 6562 0302 6008 3944 917
SM
ME1 0.20 0.19 0.20 0.21 0.22 0.21 0.20 0.21 0.20 0.191 0.197 0.197 0.214 0.19 0.20 0.18 0.19 0.15 0.21
8 8755 6263 3485 4192 3955 1658 2011 2604 5147 197 691 993 171 1084 3131 5915 9021 0726 6406
SM
ME1 0.25 0.25 0.24 0.24 0.27 0.23 0.24 0.25 0.23 0.237 0.244 0.236 0.266 0.22 0.22 0.22 0.22 0.25 0.19
9 0255 1946 8135 08 345 6004 7388 7863 5276 577 561 65 091 0885 5287 9734 4342 0969 6793

To obtain the sum of rows (D) and columns (R), we add up the values in each row to
yield the D values and the values in each column to yield the R values. This provides valuable
information on the relevance and dominance of each factor in the social media
marketing landscape in Saudi Arabia, which are as shown:
T = [𝑡𝑖𝑗 ]n x n, i, j = 1,2,…….n (14)

17
 D = [ ∑𝑛𝑗=1 𝑡𝑖𝑗 ] n x 1= [𝑡𝑖 ]n x 1 (15)

R = [ ∑𝑛𝑖=1 𝑡𝑖𝑗 ]1 x n= [𝑡𝑗 ] 1 x n (16)

Table 9 provides valuable information on the prominence and influence of different

factors in the social media marketing landscape in Saudi Arabia. The table displays the results
of adding and subtracting the D (dominance) and R (relevance) values assigned to each factor
in the analysis.
Table 9. Prioritization and cause-and-effect groups of enablers.

of
Code CSF/Enabler D R D+R D-R Rank Cause/Effect

ro
Simple and Easy to use Effect
SMME1

Perceived Value
3.773-p 3.853 7.6226 -0.080 8

Effect
re
SMME2 3.746 3.818 7.564 -0.071 10
Customer Support Cause
SMME3 3.936 3.730 7.666 0.207 7
P

SMME4 Assurance 3.452 3.821 7.272 -0.369 15 Effect

al

Speed of Response Effect

SMME5 3.865 4.198 8.063 -0.333 4
n

Perceived Firm Innovativeness Effect

SMME6 3.786 3.830 7.615 -0.044 9
ur

Loyalty Intentions Cause

SMME7 3.771 3.699 7.470 0.072 13
Jo

User friendly Effect

SMME8 3.817 3.903 7.720 -0.086 6
Reliable Cause
SMME9 4.677 3.815 8.492 0.863 2
Safe for Data Sharing Effect
SMME10 3.263 3.555 6.818 -0.292 16
Useful for Information Cause
SMME11 3.897 3.591 7.488 0.307 12
Content creativity Cause
SMME12 3.708 3.674 7.382 0.035 14
Consumer Involvement Effect
SMME13 3.941 4.057 7.998 -0.116 5
Control Mechanism Effect
SMME14 2.803 3.435 6.238 -0.632 19
Public opinion Cause
SMME15 4.631 3.717 8.349 0.914 3
Legal support Effect
SMME16 2.976 3.311 6.287 -0.335 18
Appropriateness for business Effect
SMME17 3.009 3.623 6.632 -0.614 17
Cause
SMME18 Customized Engagement 3.825 3.736 7.561 0.090 11
Cause
SMME19 Trust on the platform 4.574 4.088 8.662 0.486 1

18
3.2.8 Step 8: Develop the cause-effect diagram
Figure 2 provides a comprehensive visual representation of the cause-and-effect
relationships between various factors in the social media marketing landscape in Saudi Arabia.

Cause-Effect Relationship
D-R
SMME1
SMME19 1 SMME2
0.486 0.8
SMME18 SMME3
0.6
0.4
SMME17 -0.08 -0.071 0.207 SMME4
0.09 0.2

of
0
-0.2
SMME16 SMME5

ro
-0.4 -0.369
-0.614
-0.335 -0.6 -0.333

SMME15
0.914 -0.632
-p -0.8
-0.044 SMME6
re
0.072
-0.116
P

SMME14 -0.086 SMME7

-0.292
0.035
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SMME13 SMME8
0.307
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SMME12 SMME9
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0.863
SMME11 SMME10
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Figure 2. The cause-effect diagram for the enablers of Social Media Marketing.

This diagram is essential for understanding the complex interplay between different
components and how they influence each other. D+R illustrates the 'total importance' of the
issues. In contrast, D-R, signifying the 'net influence' of the issues and classifying them into
cause and effect categories. If D-R is positive, it means the net influence of the issue is positive,
classifying it in the cause group. If D-R is negative, it means the net influence of the issue is
negative, classifying it in the effect group [39]. The results and discussions of this study are
presented in the next section, highlighting notable findings centered on the causal diagram.
Figure 2 provides an overview of these findings and is a valuable tool for visualizing the
complex relationships between various components in the social media marketing landscape
in Saudi Arabia.

19
4. Discussions
The study's first research question (RQ1) investigates CSFs or enablers of SMM that
support businesses and marketers in the social media setting. The study delivers a fresh
perspective by pinpointing 19 key issues hampering the adoption of SMM presented in Table
9 under the cause category, which includes issues with positive (D+R) scores and the effects
category comprising issues with negative (D-R) scores. It is worth emphasizing that the cause
category issues significantly impact the effects category, and hence, businesses must prioritize
addressing these prominent issues during SMM adoption. Figure 3 depicts the issues related
to cause and effect, and using the Stimulus (S), Organism (O), and Response (R) model, the
theoretical grounding has been presented, and a conceptual model was designed to outline the

of
SMM enablers.

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-p
P re
n al
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Figure 3. Conceptual framework and Theoretical Grounding using the S-O-R Model.

The S-O-R model, introduced by Woodworth in 1929, presents a practical framework

for comprehending how external stimuli interact with internal strategies to shape consumer
behavior [96, 97]. In the context of social media marketing, the model underscores the
significance of various critical success factors or enablers, such as content creativity, customer
support, customized engagement, loyalty intentions, public opinion, reliability, trust on the
platform, and usefulness for information, as probable stimuli that can impact consumers'

20
internal states [97, 98, 99]. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of SMM strategies,
including appropriateness for business, assurance, control mechanism, customer involvement,
legal support, perceived firm innovativeness, perceived value, safety for data sharing, simple
and easy to use, speed of response, and user-friendly, in augmenting consumers' responses [97,
98, 99]. By identifying these CSFs or enablers, businesses and marketers can better
comprehend the needs and preferences of their target consumers and devise more effective
SMM strategies by boosting marketing campaigns using social media platforms. Companies
can design effective SMM strategies that are captivating stimuli and facilitate positive internal
states. This can further stimulate more desirable consumer responses. Hence, the conceptual
model presented in Figure 3 can act as a marketing tool and support businesses and marketers

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in comprehending and enforcing the S-O-R model in SMM campaigns to remain competitive

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in today's digital business environment.
The second research question (RQ2) uncovers critical success factors or enablers of
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SMM that hold the most significant potential for supporting businesses and marketers in the
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social media setting. The R+C scores serve as a significant indicator of the importance of issues
related to SMM enablers or CSFs. In essence, issues with higher R+C scores are prioritized
P

more in the ranking process. Based on this scoring system, the top ten emerging issues are
al

presented in Figure 4. The top ten issues are all essential in their own right, and businesses
n

should prioritize them accordingly when implementing SMM practices by understanding the
ur

significance of these issues on the success of a business's SMM campaigns. However, it is

essential to note that these issues play a crucial role in adopting and implementing SMM
Jo

practices in the business community. Trust on the platform has been ranked first, consistent
with prior studies' findings. For instance, building trust on social media platforms is crucial for
user engagement, and brands can build customer trust through long-term interactions and
communication on social media platforms [100]. Similarly, the trust developed on the platform
can positively impact social media adoption [101]. Reliable has been ranked as the second
significant issue and existing studies support that reliable interactions facilitated online allow
social media users to reflect on their identity and engage better [102]. Furthermore, social
media platforms need to engage with users to build trust in the content, which enhances the
reliability and credibility of the source of content [103].

21
 of
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-p
P re
Figure 4. Prioritizing the significance of SMM Enablers of CSFs
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Public opinion has been ranked third, associated with the second issue. By
n

incorporating trust on the social media platform and extending reliability regarding its usage,
ur

businesses and marketers can create a positive public opinion through reliable social media
Jo

contents [104, 105]. Moreover, adequate customer support and user-friendly navigation can
create a positive attitude toward a brand among users, leading to increased engagement and
adoption rates [106]. Perceived ease of use augments social media adoption [107]. However,
inadequate social media content tools and navigation can cause substantial losses to businesses
[108]. Therefore, it is crucial for businesses to carefully consider and address these issues to
achieve success in SMM campaigns. However, speed of response was considered as the most
crucial factor in the SMM efforts which was further influenced by key issues namely, trust on
the platform, public opinion, and reliable, highlighting its prominence in the overall SMM
strategy [106]. However, Saudi Arabian organizations may not be fully aware of the potential
benefits of SMM in restructuring their business strategies to achieve long-term organizational
goals and are encouraged to pay more attention to these significant issues.
The study's third research question (RQ3) presents the prioritization of SMMEs that
enhance the development and implementation of effective marketing strategies of businesses

22
and marketers in the social media setting. The results of this study are consistent with previous
studies highlighting the importance of addressing these issues to achieve success in SMM [104,
107, 108, 109]. In today's fast-paced business environment, effective utilization of SMM and
speed of response can significantly enhance productivity and outcomes. The positive influence
of online social networks on business performance was explored, and the barriers that deter
companies from effectively innovating through social media were discovered [47]. Several
CSFs of SMM in the context of health promotion using this approach were explored [110].
Furthermore, this study provides valuable insights into organizations' challenges when
integrating SMM into their strategies. In contrast, CSFs for health promotion via social media
were researched to identify barriers companies encountered in their SMM efforts [111]. The

of
consequences of SMM on passenger retention were explored, and the challenges companies

ro
encountered in adopting SMM were identified [112]. Similarly, another study underlined how
social media capabilities enable businesses to augment internationally; this study diverged by
-p
identifying the barriers that hamper businesses from harnessing the full potential of SMM [6].
re
Furthermore, as an enabler of empowerment for women in small businesses, social media
pivoted the spotlight to the challenges businesses confront in adopting SMM [113]. However,
P

another study highlighted social media as a stimulus for pivoting marketing focus, which
al

revealed the critical issues hamper this SMM adoption [114]. Customer involvement in SMM
n

is affected by their trust on the platform and the reliability of the platform, including people's
ur

perception of that platform and marketing initiatives [106]. Since industries are fragmented,
the implications of these enablers of CSFs may differ from one organization to another.
Jo

Hence, Saudi Arabian organizations may emphasize developing and implementing effective
SMM strategies to build competitive advantage and flourish in the digital business landscapes
by harnessing the power of social media platforms.

5. Implications of the study, Limitations of the study, and Future research directions
5.1.1 Theoretical Implications
The study findings contribute to the existing literature on SMM by presenting insights
into enablers or critical success factors of social media marketing by outlining the cause-effect
relationship of one enabler with another. Further, this research has served to augment the
conceptual understanding of SMM enablers and enrich available SMM literature where limited
research about SMM is available, specifically in the Saudi Arabian context. This study
proposes a conceptual model grounded in the S-O-R model, which can help academics,
scholars, and researchers conduct further studies. The study's findings offer future research

23
avenues for the academic community in Saudi Arabia and beyond, enabling them to develop a
conceptual or analytical model based on the results of this study. Moreover, future researchers
can explore the identified critical issues in diverse sectors and geographical settings and
contribute to the theoretical body of knowledge in the field of SMME. Therefore, this study
has significant implications for the Saudi Arabian academic community as a valuable reference
for future research in the field of SMM.

5.1.2 Practical Implications

The findings of this study are highly significant and contribute immensely to the
existing body of knowledge on SMM, providing marketers with valuable, evidence-based

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insights to plan their marketing strategies related to social media. By prioritizing CSFs,

ro
organizations can optimize their SMM efforts and allocate their resources effectively for
maximum benefit, which is crucial in today's highly competitive business environment. This
-p
study is essential for businesses seeking to enhance their social media presence and drive
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business success through effective SMM practices to achieve their goals. The study's outcomes
provide a comprehensive understanding of the enablers of SMM and facilitate the development
P

of a roadmap for organizations to navigate the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of social
al

media marketing. Marketers and companies may consider employing the enablers of this study
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to boost SMM communications and digital customer engagement, enhance market share, and
ur

build brand loyalty and online reputation. The top ten issues or SMM enablers can be used as
an effective communication tool over social media platforms. The experts’ opinions are critical
Jo

in identifying the key enablers contributing to successful SMM strategies in Saudi Arabia.
Overall, this study provides a unique and valuable perspective on the SMM landscape in Saudi
Arabia, and the insights gathered from experienced professionals can be highly beneficial for
marketers and businesses looking to establish a solid social media presence. This study can
augment the conceptual understandings of organizations in Saudi Arabia and worldwide and
assist them in understanding the enablers of SMM. With the widespread acceptance of several
social media networking platforms, companies in the kingdom may use them for their
electronic presence and to run promotional campaigns. Furthermore, marketing professionals
may consider carefully integrating the study's key findings and redesigning their overall
marketing strategy by adding SMM as an integrated marketing communication tool. Therefore,
this study has significant implications for the Saudi Arabian business community.

24
5.2 Limitations of the Study
The present study has several limitations. First, this research focuses on SMM only and
cannot be generalized to other digital marketing tools. The study's scope was limited to only
Social Media Marketing Enablers (SMME) and 19 substantial issues. Future research could
expand the scope to include other factors influencing SMM strategies and validate the present
study by conducting further studies on other digital marketing tools or issues. Second, this
study cannot be generalized as it is limited to Saudi Arabian contexts and has employed the
DEMATEL approach. The study's focus on Saudi Arabian organizations provides valuable
insights into SMM adoption in the kingdom. However, future researchers could explore the
findings' generalizability to other countries and regions. Future research should validate the

of
results of this study in other countries, particularly in the context of the MENA (Middle East

ro
and North Africa) region, using different research approaches. While the DEMATEL approach
was used exclusively in the study, other methods could complement the findings. A mixed-
-p
method approach could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the research topic.
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Third, the present study focused on collecting data from experts from academia and industry
with a limited sample size. Future studies should examine the. The sample size of 21 experts
P

who provided insights from four different sectors, namely, retail, education, pharma, and
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transportation, was critical in identifying key elements of successful social media marketing
n

strategies. However, expanding the sample size and including experts from other sectors could
ur

provide a more comprehensive view of the topic in further studies. These limitations provide
future research opportunities to enhance the theoretical understanding of SMM in Saudi Arabia
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and beyond.

5.3 Future Research Directions

The study's limitations have opened up new opportunities for future research on social
media marketing strategies. Researchers, academics, and scholars can address the limitations
by expanding the sample size to include more than 21 experts from diverse sectors, educational
backgrounds, skills, and experiences. In addition, future research could investigate the adoption
of social media marketing among global organizations to understand how SMM enablers differ
from the Saudi Arabian context. Moreover, researchers could conduct an in-depth study by
identifying more than 19 issues in the context of Digital marketing enablers, E-Business
enablers, and E-commerce enablers. Future research directions in the form of research
questions (FRQ) are presented in Table 10.

25
Table 10. Future Research Directions.
Future Research Questions
Study Research Research Geographical Research (FRQ)
Source Theme Context Context Methodology
[47] Social Media Saudi FRQ1: How do social media
Marketing Business Arabia/Global Literature Review, marketing enablers drive
Enablers Transformation Case Studies, business transformation?
Surveys,
DEMATEL
Approach,
Empirical
Approach
Social Media Marketing Saudi Literature Review, FRQ2: What are the
[67] Marketing Arabia/Global Case Studies, comprehensive strategic actions
Strategy Empirical for successful social media
Approach, marketing in marketing
DEMATEL organizations?
Approach

of
FRQ3: What elements
[75] Strategic Marketing Saudi comprise a holistic framework

ro
Social Media Arabia/Global Literature Review, for strategic social media
Marketing Conceptual marketing, and how can
Framework organizations implement it
-p Development,
DEMATEL
effectively?
re
Approach
FRQ4: How has social media
[114] Evolution of Marketing Saudi marketing evolved, and what
P

Social Media Evolution Arabia/Global Literature Review, are the implications for
Marketing Conceptual businesses and marketing
Framework, strategies?
al

DEMATEL
Approach
Social Media
n

[68] and Innovation Saudi FRQ5: How does social media

ur

Innovation Arabia/Global Systematic contribute to innovation in

Literature Review, organizations, and what are the
DEMATEL future research directions in this
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Approach area?
Social FRQ6: How does the structure
[53] Network Innovation Saudi of social networks influence
Structure and Arabia/Global Network Analysis, innovation performance in
Innovation Surveys organizations, and what are the
DEMATEL mechanisms at play?
Approach
[33] Social Media Social Saudi FRQ7: What are the
Enablers and Networking Arabia/Global Literature Review relationships between social
Inhibitors media enablers and inhibitors in
the context of social networking
sites?

[6] Social Media International Saudi Surveys, Network FRQ8: How do social media-
in Business Arabia/Global Analysis, specific advantages enable the
International Literature Review, network embeddedness of
Ventures international entrepreneurial
ventures?
[112] FRQ9: How do social media
Social Media Saudi Arabia DEMATEL marketing activities affect
Impact on Airline Industry /Global Approach, passenger retention in the
Retention Literature Review airline industry?

26
 These research themes encompass diverse domains, contexts, and methodological
approaches, reflecting the multifaceted nature of social media marketing's influence on various
aspects of business and society. From social media marketing enablers driving business
transformation to investigating the intricate relationship between social media marketing and
passenger retention in the airline industry, a wealth of uncharted territory is awaiting scholarly
exploration. Scholars could craft comprehensive strategic frameworks that guide organizations
in maximizing social media's potential while delving into the unexplored intersection of social
media and innovation. Developing holistic strategic frameworks can help organizations
navigate the ever-evolving social media landscape effectively. Understanding the evolution of
social media marketing over time and its transformative impact on businesses and marketing

of
strategies is paramount for scholars and practitioners alike. Exploring the factors influencing

ro
consumer behavior in the context of social media marketing can yield actionable insights for
marketers seeking to enhance their online presence. In conclusion, the table outlines a
-p
comprehensive research agenda that underscores the dynamic nature of social media marketing
re
enablers.
P

6. Conclusion
al

Social media has emerged as a crucial marketing tool for businesses worldwide,
n

enabling them to connect with their target audience and adapt to the ever-changing business
ur

landscape. However, identifying the enablers of SMM adoption is crucial to ensure sustainable
business development. This study investigates the critical issues hindering SMM adoption in
Jo

Saudi Arabian organizations. To accomplish this goal, the study conducted an extensive
literature review and consulted experts from various sectors, including retail, education,
pharma, and transportation, to identify 19 key issues that impede the adoption of SMM in Saudi
Arabian organizations. The study then analyzed these issues using the DEMATEL approach to
determine their impact level and cause-effect relationships. The study's findings highlighted
several critical causal issues that significantly affect the adoption of social media marketing in
Saudi Arabian organizations. For instance, issues related to customer support and trust on the
platform were instrumental in determining a business's social media marketing success.
Similarly, safe data sharing and perceived value significantly impact a business's social media
presence. This study contributes significantly to social media marketing by shedding light on
the critical issues hindering its compelling adoption in Saudi Arabian companies. What sets
this research apart from existing studies is its distinctive focus on identifying the barriers and
challenges organizations face when harnessing the absolute prospect of social media for

27
marketing purposes. While many previous studies have investigated the enabling aspects of
social media marketing, this study brings a different approach by pinpointing 19 critical issues
that serve as roadblocks to successfully implementing social media marketing strategies.
Unlike studies that underline the positive consequence of social media on business performance
or empowerment, this study delves deep into the challenges companies encounter when
incorporating social media marketing into their overall business strategies. Furthermore, this
study embraces the DEMATEL approach to investigate these issues, furnishing a robust
framework for understanding their impact levels and cause-effect relationships. This analytical
technique adds depth and accuracy to the findings, making them favorably actionable for
businesses seeking to enhance their social media marketing strategies. This research presents a

of
novel outlook by underscoring organizations' barriers and challenges in adopting social media

ro
marketing strategies. By pinpointing these barriers, businesses and marketers can accumulate
valuable insights into overcoming them, eventually directing to more successful and
-p
compelling social media marketing campaigns. This body of research provides a
re
comprehensive understanding of SMM from various perspectives, highlighting its potential to
foster customer interactions and engagement. The author of the present study has undertaken
P

a rigorous effort to synthesize the extensive body of literature on factors and enablers affecting
al

the effectiveness of SMM. By effectively synthesizing the existing literature, the study has
n

provided valuable insights into the diverse dimensions of SMM, emphasizing the critical
ur

success factors (enablers) that businesses should consider when developing their SMM
strategies.
Jo

This study is a helpful aid for academics and practitioners aiming to helm the intricate
landscape of social media marketing in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The study recommends that
businesses in Saudi Arabia address "cause" and "effects" category issues when implementing
social media marketing practices. By addressing the "cause" issues, businesses can positively
impact the "effects" and enhance their overall social media marketing success. This approach
can help organizations overcome challenges and leverage the opportunities offered by social
media marketing to promote themselves globally. While the sample size of 21 experts provided
valuable insights from four sectors, including retail, education, pharma, and transportation,
expanding the sample size and including experts from other sectors could provide a more
comprehensive view of the topic. Nonetheless, the study's focus on Saudi Arabian
organizations provides valuable insights into social media marketing adoption in the region.
The research directions collectively offer a vibrant landscape for future investigations, ensuring
that the field of SMM remains at the forefront of contemporary academic inquiry and industry

28
practice. This study provides valuable insights for Saudi Arabian organizations to understand
the most significant SMM enablers to achieve profitable growth. By addressing the identified
issues, Saudi Arabian organizations can overcome challenges and leverage the opportunities
offered by social media marketing to promote themselves globally. The insights from this
research can be valuable for researchers, academics, and scholars worldwide seeking to
understand social media marketing enablers. Future studies could explore the generalizability
of the findings to other countries and regions and address the limitations of previous research
to make valuable contributions to this field and provide useful insights for organizations
seeking to improve their SMM strategies.

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Declarations

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Author contribution statement
Author: Conceived and designed the experiments; Performed the experiments; Analyzed and
-p
interpreted the data; Contributed reagents, materials, analysis tools, or data; Wrote the paper.
re
Funding statement
This work was not supported by funding.
P

Data availability statement

al

Data included in article/supp. Material/referenced in the article.

Declaration of interest’s statement
n
ur

The author declares no competing interests.

Jo

Author Biography

Dr. Prakash Singh

Dr. Prakash Singh is an Assistant Professor at Saudi Electronic University, holding a Ph.D. in
Marketing Management from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India. He has over nine years
of experience in the field and has authored more than 11 research papers in prestigious journals
indexed in Scopus, ABDC, and Web of Science. Dr. Singh's research interests mainly focus on
E-Learning, E-Commerce, MSME, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability, Digital currency, and
Consumer Behaviour. He employs a highly efficacious teaching approach incorporating
Gamification, Learning By Doing, and a Case-based teaching approach to facilitate optimal
student learning outcomes.

29
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Declaration of interests

☒ The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships
that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

☐ The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered
as potential competing interests:

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