Digital marketing and online freelancing: Assessing the competence and inclusion potential for persons with physical disabilities in Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro
Digitalni marketing i onlajn frilensing: procena kompetencija i potencijala za inkluziju osoba sa fizičkim invaliditetom u Srbiji, Hrvatskoj i Crnoj Gori
Abstract
Digital marketing and online freelancing offer important opportunities for expanding labor market inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs), particularly through flexible, remote work arrangements. However, the existing literature lacks research on the experiences of PWDs in digital marketing and their self-perceived competencies, particularly in the context of the platform economy in developing and post-transition countries. To address this gap, this study investigates the level of digital marketing experience and self-assessed competencies of persons with physical disabilities (PwPDs) in Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro. The data was collected from 398 PwPDs using a validated questionnaire based on the Digital Marketing Competence (DMC) framework. The results show that most respondents have only basic or no experience in digital marketing and consider their competencies across all DMC areas insufficient for independent work. A positive relationship was found between previous experience and self-perceived competence. These results point to the pressing need for inclusive, multi-level digital marketing training programs tailored to the needs of PwPDs. Such programs should also address gender and geographic inequalities in digital access. Limitations include a focus on self-assessment and only PwPDs. Future research should expand the sample and incorporate performance-based assessments to more comprehensively examine digital marketing competence.
Apstrakt
Digitalni marketing i onlajn frilensing predstavljaju značajne mogućnosti za proširenje inkluzije osoba sa invaliditetom (OSI) na tržištu rada, posebno kroz fleksibilne oblike rada na daljinu. Ipak, u postojećoj literaturi nedostaju istraživanja o iskustvima OSI u oblasti digitalnog marketinga i njihovim samoprocenjenim kompetencijama, naročito u kontekstu platformske ekonomije u zemljama u razvoju i post-tranzicionim društvima. U cilju prevazilaženja ovog istraživačkog jaza, studija ispituje nivo iskustva i samo-procenjenih kompetencija osoba sa fizičkim invaliditetom (OSFI) iz domena digitalnog marketinga u Srbiji, Hrvatskoj i Crnoj Gori. Podaci su prikupljeni od 398 OSFI putem validiranog upitnika zasnovanog na okviru digitalnih marketinških kompetencija (Digital Marketing Competen-ce – DMC). Rezultati pokazuju da većina ispitanika ima samo osnovno ili nikakvo iskustvo u digitalnom marketingu i da svoje kompetencije u svim oblastima DMC okvira ocenjuju kao nedovoljne za samostalan rad. Identifikovan je pozitivan odnos prethodnog iskustva i samoprocenjene kompetentnosti. Ovi nalazi ukazuju na hitnu potrebu za inkluzivnim, višeslojnim programima obuke iz digitalnog marketinga, prilagođenim potrebama OSFI. Takvi programi treba da obuhvate i rodne i geografske nejednakosti u digitalnom pristupu. Ograničenja istraživanja uključuju fokus na samoprocenu i isključivo OSFI kao ciljnu grupu. Buduća istraživanja treba da prošire uzorak i uključe procene zasnovane na stvarnim performansama, kako bi se digitalne kompetencije sagledale sveobuhvatnije.
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