THE STUDY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE MARKETING MIX AS AN EFFORT TO INCREASE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Abstract

SME have basically implemented the marketing management by itself. This study aims to examine the application of marketing management to SME as well as their collation of core competencies as competitive advantage. The subject of this study is SME which produced durable products (not food), with 69 SME total samples. The data collection is done by spreading the questionnaire. The study result shows that there are many SMEs which are practicing the marketing mix even though they are not aware of it. The implementation of a marketing mix is in term of products, place and price which are already in the high category or in well implemented. But unfortunately for the promotion mix has a low score, it has a meaning that SMEs have not optimized the marketing well. The marketing mix aspect with a core competence has a high correlation, it means that marketing mix gives the influence to establish the competence of SMEs so that it can become a competitive advantage for SME.

Keywords: Marketing mix, Competitive advantage, SME