AI-enabled marketing analytics for SMEs: multimethod evidence on application potential and adoption conditions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming marketing analytics by enabling advanced data processing, predictions, and decision support. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often face substantial barriers to AI adoption due to limited organizational, technological, and human resources. To bridge theoretical and practical perspectives, this study employs a hybrid approach combining a systematic literature review of 49 studies with an empirical survey of more than 100 SMEs. The findings identify organizational, technological, and user-related conditions, as well as AI application potential, that shape AI adoption in SMEs. Based on these insights, a conceptual framework is proposed that differentiates between opportunistic, operational, strategic readiness, and strategic AI use. The framework translates SMEs’ AI application potential and adoption conditions into practice, thus structuring AI-enabled marketing analytics, which provides SMEs with new opportunities for data-driven operations despite resource constraints.