In South Korea, small businesses account for approximately 67% of all enterprises and play a pivotal role in employment generation and sustaining local economies. However, many face significant challenges in maintaining business continuity due to rapi...
In South Korea, small businesses account for approximately 67% of all enterprises and play a pivotal role in employment generation and sustaining local economies. However, many face significant challenges in maintaining business continuity due to rapid shifts in the business environment and insufficient digital adaptation. This study empirically examines the impact of business knowledge assets and digital absorptive capacity on small business sustainability intention. Furthermore, it investigates the mediating role of customer experience (CX)-based marketing capability and the moderating effects of human capital and government support dependency.
Data were collected from 200 small business owners and employees through an online survey. Structural equation modeling was conducted using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. The results indicate that both business knowledge assets and digital absorptive capacity positively influence CX-based marketing capability, which in turn significantly enhances business sustainability intention. Moreover, CX-based marketing capability partially mediates the relationship between business knowledge assets and sustainability intention, while fully mediating the link between digital absorptive capacity and sustainability intention.
In terms of moderating effects, human capital negatively moderates the relationship between digital absorptive capacity and CX-based marketing capability, and government support dependency negatively moderates the relationship between business knowledge assets and sustainability intention. These findings highlight the critical role of CX-based marketing capability in fostering sustainable business practices among small enterprises. The study also underscores the importance of balancing human capital development with adaptability and flexibility, as well as the need for differentiated government support strategies that reinforce the self-reliance of small businesses.