Woman Up A Study on Women Entrepreneurs Utilization of S Commerce For Their Economic Power

Bluza, S. & Medina, R.E. (2018). Woman Up: A Study on Women Entrepreneurs’ Utilization of Social Commerce for their Economic Power. Unpublished undergraduate thesis, University of the Philippines Diliman College of Mass Communication.

The study explored a new e-commerce paradigm called social commerce, and how women utilized this platform for their entrepreneurial activities. The researchers examined the different social influences that either helped or hinder women entrepreneurs’ attainment of economic power. The study also used the gender lens in looking at how women entrepreneurs thrived in a digital landscape that is predominantly male and patriarchal, and where gender is not problematized; and in the analysis of the online and offline interactions that women entrepreneurs engaged in to attain economic power, operationalized in this study as having control over resources and their allocation. This thesis conducted focused interviews of women entrepreneurs who owned and managed businesses using social commerce as a platform, and analyzed their narratives, as well as the texts of their social media sites, to explore the complex interactions that enabled these women to succeed in entrepreneurship. It looked at the various ways in which women communicated, transacted, and engaged with their various business stakeholders, like their clients and suppliers, using social commerce. The study showed that social commerce was a stepping stone in helping women entrepreneurs gain economic power by providing them with financial stability and a regular income stream. Although these women are still tied to the traditional roles within their households and in society, the process of utilizing social commerce enabled them to achieve economic independence and contribute to their community.

Keywords: Women Entrepreneurs, Social Commerce, Economic Power

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