Digitalization and Women Entrepreneurship

Abstract

Digitalization is a technological evolution along with human development. However, it has not been considered in a similar stream in the context of women's entrepreneurship. Therefore, the research aims to investigate the function of digitalization on women's entrepreneurship in the context of the emerging country, Bangladesh. Thus, the study applied a qualitative strategy considering interpretivism and constructivism paradigms. Consequently, one entrepreneur and eight customers of the case company were interviewed using an open-ended questionnaire via Microsoft Forms. The research thematized responses using Microsoft Office.

The findings illustrate that digitalization for women entrepreneurship means applying social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, while bKash, Nagad, and Rocket are used for online payment systems. Digitalization brings more customers into the business via virtual meetings and e-commerce. It also enhances operational efficiency through booking systems. Moreover, entrepreneurs get business autonomy, social positioning, partnerships, and knowledge resources. The success story of women entrepreneurship via digitalization indicates customer interactions, revenue generation, online payments, service quality, customer satisfaction, and online reviews. Theoretically, the study illustrates that women entrepreneurs must have digital skills for business sustainability, aligning with the principles of human capital theory.

The research suggests that women entrepreneurs must have the required technological skills. The government should also provide financial incentives and soft skills development training for women entrepreneurs.