E-Entrepreneurship Prospects and Women Empowerment: A Case Presenting Women Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The rise of e-entrepreneurship, also known as digital entrepreneurship, presents an exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs to leverage digital technologies and the Internet for their business activities. This innovative approach is gaining popularity due to its low initial costs, improved access to resources, and the potential to reach a global audience. Bangladesh is an emerging economy and e-entrepreneurship offers women entrepreneurs a promising solution to traditional barriers, providing easier entry, greater access to resources, and the ability to engage with customers worldwide. The success stories of female entrepreneurs thriving in online businesses highlight the positive impact of e-entrepreneurship for women. This study aims to explore a new business paradigm and share its success to inspire others to develop their entrepreneurship and become economically stable, thus reducing poverty and economic barriers. 108 women e-entrepreneurs participated in this study to share their opinions. The study found interesting results showing different characteristics such as entrepreneurial alertness and self-efficacy among the entrepreneurs, making their e-entrepreneurship effective. The study found a positive association between entrepreneurial alertness (Scanning and Search (ScSe), Association and Connection (AsCo), Evaluation, and Judgement (EvJu)) and e-entrepreneurship effectiveness (EE), whereas self-efficacy failed to influence EE. Business operating hours worked as a moderator and significantly strengthened the relationship between Scanning and Search, and Self-Efficacy with e-entrepreneurship effectiveness. This presents an encouraging development for policymakers, educators, and industries, particularly in regions like Bangladesh, where e-entrepreneurship is emerging, especially in terms of promoting women's entrepreneurship.