The Influence of Digital Marketing Development and Business Ethics on Competitive Advantage among MSMEs in Cikarang

Abstract

This study aims to examine the influence of digital marketing development and business ethics on the competitive advantage of MSMEs in Cikarang. In the increasingly competitive digital business environment, MSME actors are required not only to optimize digital-based marketing strategies but also to uphold ethical values in their business operations. This research employed a quantitative approach by distributing questionnaires to 60 MSME actors in Cikarang. The collected data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results indicate that digital marketing development and business ethics have a positive and significant effect on MSME competitive advantage, both partially and simultaneously. However, business ethics demonstrates a stronger influence than digital marketing. These findings suggest that customer trust, transparency, honesty, fairness, and social responsibility are essential elements in strengthening sustainable business competitiveness. Therefore, MSMEs should not rely solely on digital promotion, but also integrate ethical business practices into their daily operations. The combination of adaptive digital marketing and consistent ethical conduct can help MSMEs build a stronger and more sustainable competitive position in the market.