Digital Social Marketing in Philippine Mission-Centric Social Enterprises: Exploring Founders' Influence and Strategic Approaches

Abstract

This dissertation examines how founders' cultural-cognitive orientations and communication practices shape digital social marketing strategies in Philippine mission-centric social enterprises. The research introduces the Founder-Driven Authentic Digital Storytelling Framework through digital ethnography and case studies as a novel theoretical contribution integrating cultural sensitivity with strategic communication in digital spaces.

The study reveals that effective digital social marketing emerges from founders' ability to authentically adapt communication while aligning with their cultural values and social missions. The research demonstrates that successful digital engagement requires founders to balance cultural understanding with strategic storytelling across digital platforms.

The findings establish authentic digital storytelling as the primary mechanism for building trust and fostering meaningful connections with target communities. The introduced framework provides a structured approach to understanding how founders' personal narratives and cultural backgrounds influence their digital marketing strategies.

This work makes significant theoretical contributions by synthesizing authentic digital storytelling with cultural-cognitive and communication accommodation perspectives in social enterprise marketing. The practical implications offer actionable insights for social enterprise founders seeking to enhance their digital marketing impact while maintaining mission alignment.