Investigating the use of e-commerce to empower South African women

Abstract

South Africa is falling behind its African counterparts with a decreasing GDP and ascending unemployment rate. Almost a third of South African women were unemployed in 2013. Even though the female population exceeds the male population, less than half of them are entrepreneurial. The financial divide between men and women creates a need for women entrepreneurship to remedy the economical imbalance. E-commerce can empower entrepreneurs in small businesses in developing countries and can potentially level the gender divide. E-commerce includes all services and transactions or auctions taking place online. The literature review includes information regarding women entrepreneurship and the use of ICTs, as well as e-commerce for developing countries. It looks at demographic and socio-economic circumstances, infrastructure and personality types. The literature shows that by encouraging female entrepreneurship, poverty can be reduced and this can provide economic upliftment for the entrepreneur and her community. E-commerce is growing worldwide and this sector holds many benefits for female entrepreneurs. The objective of this study was to investigate how South African women are utilising the Internet to earn an income. It therefore investigated which factors influence e-commerce adoption. The study also researched the benefits, challenges, opportunities and success factors of e-commerce. This qualitative study interviewed a total number of 22 women entrepreneurs with the majority of them situated in Gauteng and Cape Town. These women were generally between the ages of 28 and 36, mostly white, and from middle- and upper class backgrounds. The empirical evidence showed that there are various ways in which women can earn money online. Most of the women operated a small online store, selling homeware, decor, jewellery, shoes, furniture, art and wedding accessories. Some of them sold their services online and others operated a blog, which earned advertising revenue. This study found that many South African women were also utilising the Internet to empower themselves and a number of opportunities for job creation exists. This study further revealed that a great deal could be learnt online. A new type of entrepreneur is emerging due to the numerous affordable online tools and growing social media platforms. This holds potential for e-commerce and empowerment in the future of South Africa. The research shows that e-commerce is probably more accessible than previously perceived. This paper offers recommendations on the acceleration of e-commerce for income generation among South African women. Ideas include: teaching self-confidence; using internships to nurture skills-development; creating mentorship networks; encouraging entrepreneurship in affluent areas; making Internet and data cheaper and more accessible; creating working hubs within rural communities; and focusing on mobile commerce opportunities. Various opportunities were revealed for future research, such as developing self-confidence as a driver for entrepreneurship among women; culture and e-commerce; online learning as a solution to education deficits; and e-commerce versus mobile commerce in developing countries.