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Article
Publication date: 12 January 2023

Uttam Chakraborty and Santosh Kumar Biswal

The use of social media is becoming increasingly important for entrepreneurial marketing as a way to gain psychological empowerment through female entrepreneurship. The…

1347

Abstract

Purpose

The use of social media is becoming increasingly important for entrepreneurial marketing as a way to gain psychological empowerment through female entrepreneurship. The participation of female entrepreneurs on social media has witnessed an increasing trend. The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of social media participation on female entrepreneurs towards digital entrepreneurship intention and their psychological empowerment.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study integrates the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework with uses and gratification theory to understand and determine a theoretical framework in understanding the importance of social media for female entrepreneurship in the contemporary digital era. To ensure internal consistency of the latent constructs, this study determines Cronbach’s alpha for all the variables. Further, exploratory factor analysis is performed to ensure the unidimensionality of the latent constructs. Structural equation modelling is performed to test the theoretical framework.

Findings

Data analysis confirms the significant effect of social media participations on female entrepreneurs towards their digital entrepreneurship intention which further affects their psychological empowerment.

Originality/value

The practical contributions of this study highlight the importance of female entrepreneurship which is essential for attaining self-reliance by reducing the socio-economic barriers. Further, female entrepreneurs’ participation in social media communities enhances the levels of empowerment.

Details

Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship, vol. 25 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-5201

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 November 2023

Efe Imiren, Paul Lassalle, Samuel Mwaura and Katerina Nicolopoulou

This paper, through empirical evidence, presents a framework for exploring how entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of building legitimacy in a digital context. In so doing, this…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper, through empirical evidence, presents a framework for exploring how entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of building legitimacy in a digital context. In so doing, this paper goes beyond the seemingly forgone conclusion that legitimacy is important for the entrepreneur's success by focusing on the contextualised mechanisms through which digital legitimacy is built.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical findings are drawn from semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 digital entrepreneurs in Nigeria, a leading example of the West African context and analysed using a phenomenological approach.

Findings

The paper shows how digital entrepreneurs in a non-Western context draw on an aspect of legitimation in the digital space, and in particular, highlights three mechanisms via which this takes place, namely: digital shielding, digital curating and digital networking. Presented via an inductive approach, the three mechanisms described in the paper provide a scaffold for thinking about and understanding entrepreneurial legitimacy within a contextual framework, which incorporates institutional, cultural and digital dimensions.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on digital entrepreneurship by empirically identifying and theoretically elaborating themes that are important for understanding how entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of digital entrepreneurship and build entrepreneurial legitimacy in complex contexts.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 30 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 December 2021

Sharfa Hassan, Ajaz Akbar Mir and Sher Jahan Khan

This paper aims to examine the emergence of digital entrepreneurship in a conflict environment to explore the emancipatory potential of digital technology in a rare context. The…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the emergence of digital entrepreneurship in a conflict environment to explore the emancipatory potential of digital technology in a rare context. The purpose of this paper is to take a micro-level investigation of digital entrepreneurs operating in a violent in-conflict area.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is based on multiple case studies from a violent conflict zone in India. This study used interview data from 10 digital entrepreneurs from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Field data was collected with progressive rounds of interviews with the entrepreneurs, supplemented by published statistics and secondary data sources, and analysis was done with the help of qualitative data analysis software NVivo.

Findings

The context directed entrepreneurial behaviour and the motivation to start digital ventures. Entrepreneurs realized the potential of technology but its successful use was contingent upon their social positionalities. The digital entrepreneurial engagement of the entrepreneurs is classified into four dimensions: social digital entrepreneurship; business entrepreneurship; knowledge entrepreneurship; and institutional entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

The findings of the study contribute to the digital entrepreneurship literature by illustrating how a rare context influences venturing into technology sectors. The study advances the creative technology use, these in-conflict entrepreneurs with their existing resources maneuvered to create socially ingrained digital ventures. The study provides evidence to “conditional emancipation” attributable to digital entrepreneurship owing to the conflictual context in question.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 18 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 September 2023

Mehrzad Saeedikiya, Aidin Salamzadeh, Yashar Salamzadeh and Zeynab Aeeni

The current research aimed to investigate the external enablement role of Digital Infrastructures (DI) in the interplay of entrepreneurial cognitions and innovation.

Abstract

Purpose

The current research aimed to investigate the external enablement role of Digital Infrastructures (DI) in the interplay of entrepreneurial cognitions and innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) were used for analyses. This yielded a sample of 8,601 Generation Z entrepreneurs operating in 25 European countries.

Findings

Applying hierarchical moderated regressions showed that socio-cognitive components of an entrepreneurial mindset (self-efficacy, risk propensity, opportunity identification) affect innovation among Generation Z entrepreneurs. More importantly, DI plays an external enablement role in the interplay of cognitions and innovation among Generation Z entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the socio-cognitive theory of entrepreneurship by integrating an external enablement perspective into the study of cognitions and entrepreneurial outcomes (here, innovation). It contributes to the digital technology perspective of entrepreneurship by connecting the conversation about the socio-cognitive perspective of entrepreneurship regarding the role of cognitions in innovation to the conversation in information systems (IS) regarding technology affordances and constraints. This study extends the application of the external enabler framework to the post-entry stage of entrepreneurial activity and integrates a generational perspective into it.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 30 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 July 2022

Sam Solaimani, Tijl van Eck, Henk Kievit and Kitty Koelemeijer

Lean Startup (LS) has gained considerable traction in the startup scene, especially within digital firms where the concept finds the concept's genesis. However, there are more and…

2521

Abstract

Purpose

Lean Startup (LS) has gained considerable traction in the startup scene, especially within digital firms where the concept finds the concept's genesis. However, there are more and more calls in the entrepreneurship literature to study LS's application beyond the digital context. The purpose of this study is to explore the applicability of LS within the largely under-researched context of non-digital entrepreneurs. To structure the authors' understanding of the participating entrepreneurs' cognitive and behavioural logic, effectuation theory is applied.

Design/methodology/approach

To explore how LS is applied in non-digital settings, this study analyses the LS approach of 15 Dutch brick-and-mortar and click-and-mortar Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and startups.

Findings

This study provides empirical evidence that non-digital entrepreneurs pursue an effectual logic in their LS approach. However, the entrepreneurs' LS approach appeared to be contextualised to the non-digital contexts' inherent constraints and trade-offs. Such contextualisation calls for a particular set of skills and competencies, including applying mixed-methods cross-validation, affinity and passion for craftsmanship and aesthetics, inferring from limited, qualitative, and often skewed data, establishing an empathetic collaborative relationship with customers and suppliers, and leveraging prior market knowledge and experience.

Originality/value

This study advances the current understanding of the LS applicability and gives a more nuanced account of how LS is practised in the context of non-digital firms, the challenges entrepreneurs involved in non-digital firms need to overcome, and the skills and competencies they need to possess. In practical terms, the findings help non-digital entrepreneurs and coaches to be more heedful of the contextual peculiarities when employing LS.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 28 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2022

Yalin Wang, Yaokuang Li and Juan Wu

This paper aims to investigate female founders’ digital identities (i.e. the founder’s online self-representation) and explore how female founders’ digital identities affect…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate female founders’ digital identities (i.e. the founder’s online self-representation) and explore how female founders’ digital identities affect crowdfunding performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Leveraging a data set of 3,125 Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns launched by women between 2014 and 2019, this study uses the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic model to investigate female founders’ digital identities and explore their impacts on crowdfunding performance via logistic and Tobit regression analyses.

Findings

This study finds that on crowdfunding platforms, female founders display four main types of digital identities: educational practitioner, experienced entrepreneur, creative innovator and life dreamer. Moreover, our results reveal the differential influences of these identities on crowdfunding performance. Specifically, the experienced entrepreneur or educational practitioner portrayal may benefit fundraising; the life dreamer portrayal may hinder it; and the creative innovator portrayal may have no significant effect.

Practical implications

This study suggests how women can use their digital identities to improve their crowdfunding performance, indicating a fruitful way to overcome female entrepreneurial financing hurdles in the digital age.

Originality/value

This study highlights the digital identities of female founders engaged in crowdfunding, enriching the emerging research on digital identity in entrepreneurship and crowdfunding. Furthermore, the application of the LDA topic model in the study enlightens future research on leveraging big data analytic methods to examine female entrepreneurship in the digital economy context.

Details

Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. 37 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 August 2017

Michael Zisuh Ngoasong

The purpose of this paper is to critically explore how context as an antecedent to entrepreneurial digital competencies (EDCs) influences digital entrepreneurship in a…

5525

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critically explore how context as an antecedent to entrepreneurial digital competencies (EDCs) influences digital entrepreneurship in a resource-scarce environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The data comprises semi-structured interviews with 16 digital entrepreneurs, as owner-managers of small digital businesses in Cameroon.

Findings

The results reveal the ways in which EDCs shape the entry (or start-up) choices and post-entry strategic decisions of digital entrepreneurs in response to context-specific opportunities and challenges associated with digital entrepreneurship.

Research limitations/implications

The data comes from one African country and 16 digital businesses thus the research setting limits the generalisability of the results.

Practical implications

This paper highlights important implications for encouraging digital entrepreneurship by focussing on institutional, technology and local dimensions of context and measures to develop the entrepreneurial and digital competencies. This includes policy interventions to develop the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, transport and local distribution infrastructure, and training opportunities to develop the EDCs of digital entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

Whereas the capabilities to adopt and use ICTs and the internet by small businesses have been examined, this is among the first theoretically sensitised study linking context, EDCs and digital entrepreneurship.

Details

Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 25 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1462-6004

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 November 2020

Anna Karin Olsson and Iréne Bernhard

This study aims to explore how women entrepreneurs in small businesses encounter digitalization and learn to use social media at work by combining theoretical perspectives from…

4789

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore how women entrepreneurs in small businesses encounter digitalization and learn to use social media at work by combining theoretical perspectives from research on women entrepreneurs in small businesses, digitalization and use of social media and digital skills in response to calls from earlier research regarding women entrepreneurs' adaptation to an increasingly digitalized world.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative methods were applied including a total of 13 in-depth interviews in two phases, in 2017 and 2019, with 11 women entrepreneurs in nine small businesses, along with observations of their digital presence.

Findings

This study contributes with new insights regarding women entrepreneurs' behavior and ways to acquire digital skills to keep up the pace in digitalization. Learning by doing, informal learning and step-by-step self-development entrepreneurial behavior were practiced along with strategical recruiting of young digitally skilled employees, i.e. digital natives. Findings state that in order to remain competitive and generate business growth, women entrepreneurs constantly have to learn new skills to capture the potential of digitalization especially regarding the knowledge and use of social media. The women entrepreneurs emphasize challenges of digitalization as limited resources, constant need of new digital skills, digital stress or even burnout due to internal and external demands on online presence, scanning and maintenance of social media platforms. In contrast to earlier research, the women entrepreneurs did not express any significant gender stereotyping online, yet they strongly emphasized the continuous challenge of work––life balance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to an under-researched field with novel research combining theories from women entrepreneurship and information and communication technologies (ICTs) related to digitalization with a special focus on social media. Following the era of digitalization, the women entrepreneurs have to act as digital entrepreneurs finding new innovative ways of doing business. The importance of recruiting young digitally skilled employees in small businesses is vital for women entrepreneurs, since the needed learning and business development takes place when digital natives and digital immigrants work together.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 27 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 June 2021

Vincenzo Corvello, Monica De Carolis, Saverino Verteramo and Annika Steiber

This paper explores digital transformation's impact on the work of owners in entrepreneurial firms. The interplay between working practices and technology is analyzed, taking into…

7464

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores digital transformation's impact on the work of owners in entrepreneurial firms. The interplay between working practices and technology is analyzed, taking into account the organizations' specific contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

A multiple case study design was applied. Eight cases of entrepreneurial firms, defined as companies that bring new products and services to the market by creating and seizing opportunities, were selected, with the goal to maximize the diversity of cases. The sample includes both small- and medium-sized firms, as well as high- tech and low- tech companies in equal number. Interviews have been used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data, which was analyzed in a structured way.

Findings

The digital transformation of entrepreneurial work, that is the daily work of entrepreneurs, is an evolutionary, practice-based phenomenon, rather than the result of rational design. The use of different digital tools is interrelated and depends on the characteristics, and dynamics of the surrounding environment.

Practical implications

The findings of this study are relevant to entrepreneurs interested in understanding the dynamics of their working practice, to software development firms interested in entrepreneurs as customers and to institutions interested in the education of entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge this is the first study which considers the interplay between digital technology and the daily activities of entrepreneurs, considered as a whole. It provides insights on how these interconnected dimensions evolve, thus contributing to understanding the work of entrepreneurs, and as a consequence the dynamics of entrepreneurial firms in the context of digital transformation of organizations.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 28 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2022

Ethné M. Swartz, Caren Brenda Scheepers and Tracey Toefy

Cognitive drivers of opportunity identification and development are important in entrepreneurship. This study examines antecedents of opportunity development among women founders…

Abstract

Purpose

Cognitive drivers of opportunity identification and development are important in entrepreneurship. This study examines antecedents of opportunity development among women founders of digital platform start-ups, defined as technology-mediated sites that facilitate user interactions, processing of transactions or other innovative practices. The opportunity identification and development literature framed our exploration of drivers into digital entrepreneurship among women in a middle-income economy, an area under-represented in prior research.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses in-depth interview data with women founders of five digital platform start-ups in South Africa. The authors supplemented primary interviews with secondary data from a global big data site to provide context for how investors are funding women-owned start-ups in the country.

Findings

Entrepreneurs’ heightened alertness to opportunity developed from a confluence of factors such as personal values, impatience at the slow pace of change in post-Apartheid South Africa, corporate ennui and building for-profit business models driven by social purpose. Respondents had multiple identities, including gender, culture and generation that influenced their development as entrepreneurs and their adoption of digital platform strategy for start-up ventures.

Research limitations/implications

Multiple factors influence women entrepreneurs during the opportunity identification and development process as they enact the creation of digital platform start-ups. The authors recommend additional research linking opportunity identification and development to gender in emerging markets.

Practical implications

South Africa is witnessing the emergence of women-owned digital platform start-ups that attract risk capital investment. These entrepreneurs are university educated and use prior corporate experience to create growth-oriented companies that government should support.

Originality/value

The study contributes to opportunity identification theory building based on context, specifically how the concepts and strategies can inform new models that include women entrepreneurs.

Details

International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-6266

Keywords

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