DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES: ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
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Abstract
Women business owners play a significant role in the modern economy. This recent increase in women’s participation in the entrepreneurial spheres is associated closely with adopting technology and growing e-commerce practices. It is the path to new employment opportunities and enhanced self-improvement, which effectively addresses a wide range of social and economic issues on a global scale. Pakistan has been struggling with low economic growth and high unemployment rates. When it comes to entrepreneurship being an advantage to women, it is seen as an advantage to economic expansion and women empowerment. This study examines the strengths of technology adaptation for women’s entrepreneurship and its growth in Pakistan, how it helped to address the gender discrimination associated with female entrepreneurship, and its social, cultural, and economic ramifications. In this investigation, researchers used a purposive sampling technique. Hundred and twenty-six female business owners were on board for the present research in Islamabad and Rawalpindi—an interview guide was used to conduct in-depth interviews. The data shows that most women company owners launched their entrepreneurial ventures to increase their family income and to pursue their passions were manifested outcomes but had multiple other latent associated achievements. Most of the learning and adaptation to the digital tools was through learning by doing strategy, and very few had formal education in entrepreneurial and digital literacy skills where the cultural norms previously holding them back from entrepreneurship have been subjugated by technological adaptation. The critical advantages identified are knowledge and learning skills, mobility and traveling, decision-making capacity, networking, and mentor notification. A positive correlation was found between respondents’ education levels and digital fluency for online participation. These findings also point to the dominance of men in contemporary culture. This adaptation and participation of women had also been considered challenging for the males who were previously sole players in entrepreneurial domains.
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