Boosting Social Media Learning among Women Entrepreneurs: Gender Outlook and Entrepreneurial Orientation

Abstract

Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have grown into Indonesia's economic backbone. MSMEs also account for over 60% of GDP and 97% of domestic labor. Conversely, women own and manage 64.5% (or 37 million) of Indonesia's MSMEs. People's life, particularly the economy, have profited from information technology and its numerous derivatives, such as search engine platforms, social media, and e-commerce sites. Data, information, and digital assets are emerging as new forms of wealth. MSMEs may profit from social media by obtaining access to new information and ideas that can help them become more productive. Few studies have been conducted on the association between E.O. and social media learning, particularly among female entrepreneurs. This research aims to examine social media learning. It also intends to investigate the impact of gender on social media learning. Gender will also be investigated as a moderating element in enhancing social media learning in the study. The Rasch model analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis were used in the study. After analyzing the measurement model, it was discovered that the entrepreneurial orientation significantly influences social media learning among Indonesian MSMEs, especially women entrepreneurs. Gender also has a significant impact on social media learning. Gender, on the other hand, is not significant as an E.O. moderator in improving social media learning among Indonesian MSMEs. The study provides implications for an effective method, using social media learning, to develop a large proportion of women entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Therefore, the study delivers originality to the ongoing discussion in the academic literature about social media learning, entrepreneurial orientation, and gender perspective in entrepreneurship development. Keywords: social media learning, gender, women entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial orientation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55463/hkjss.issn.1021-3619.60.83