LEVERAGING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GROWTH: OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL-SCALE TEXTILE AND FASHION ENTREPRENEURS IN EMERGING DIGITAL ECONOMIES

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37335/ijek.v14i1.385

Keywords:

Social media, textiles, fashion, professionals, digital economy and small businesses.

Abstract

In the context of a less digitalised economy, small-scale textile and fashion professionals face unique challenges and opportunities in leveraging social media for growth. Drawing on the social media engagement theory, this study explores the strategic potential of social media marketing as a transformative tool for these professionals. The study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the data collected. Purposive sampling techniques were employed to gather data from 457 textile and fashion professionals from two business regions of the country. The study findings revealed that four of the proposed hypotheses were significant, while two were not. The findings indicate that effective social media strategies can significantly impact small fashion brands by providing cost-effective marketing solutions that reach a global audience. The study contributes to understanding the nuanced strategies employed by small businesses that leverage emerging innovations to create sustainable growth pathways in less-digitalised economies such as Ghana.

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Author Biographies

Kweku Safo-Ankama, Department of Textile Design and Technology, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi, Ghana

Kweku Safo-Ankama is an Associate Professor at Takoradi Technical University, Ghana. He has a strong interest in environmental sustainability, green textile art practices, and the introduction of sustainable material use in textile art. He specialises in Textile Design and Technology. Holding a PhD, MA in Art Education, MTECH in Textiles and Fashion and a BA in Art, Textiles, with a focus on textiles and performance costumes, his research and practice focus on Ghanaian traditional textiles, fabric decoration, and waste utilisation. As a studio-based researcher, he champions sustainability by transforming discarded textiles into new art forms. He has published in national and international journals and serves as an external assessor for technical universities and a reviewer for academic journals.

John Amoah, Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurial Studies, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi, Ghana

Dr. John Amoah is a distinguished academic and researcher currently serving as a Lecturer at the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurial Studies at Takoradi Technical University (TTU) in Ghana. Dr Amoah has established himself as a committed scholar in the field of Business & Management, with a specialised focus on Marketing. He holds a PhD in Marketing Management from Tomas Bata University in Zlín, the Czech Republic. He has published in several reputable journals and has attended various conferences around the globe. His research areas include SME Development, Service Marketing, Sustainability, and Applied Marketing Research, among others. 

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Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Safo-Ankama, K., Amoah, J., & Egala, S. B. (2026). LEVERAGING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR GROWTH: OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL-SCALE TEXTILE AND FASHION ENTREPRENEURS IN EMERGING DIGITAL ECONOMIES. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge, 14(1), 129–150. https://doi.org/10.37335/ijek.v14i1.385

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026): International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge

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International Journal of Entrepreneurial Knowledge (ISSN 2336-2960) is published by the Center for International Scientific Research of VŠO and VŠPP in cooperation with the following partners:

  • University College of Business in Prague, Czech Republic
  • University of Entrepreneurship and Law, Prague, Czech Republic
  • School of Business and Administration of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, Portugal
  • Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications, University of Zilina, Slovakia
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