The role of e-commerce in the economic empowerment of women in china

Liu, Lianru; Lin, Angela; Foster, Jonathan

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/89379 Copy

Description

Title

The role of e-commerce in the economic empowerment of women in china

Author(s)

Liu, Lianru; Lin, Angela; Foster, Jonathan

Issue Date

2016-03-15

Keyword(s)

• women entrepreneurs
• developing countries
• e-commerce
• empowerment

Abstract

This project was motivated by the potentially powerful role that e-commerce can play in the economic empowerment of women. Specifically the project was interested in the economic empowerment of Chinese women, since deep-rooted gender discrimination against women persists in Chinese culture. 21 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Chinese women who own an online business. The findings suggest that while improving one’s financial situation is the main motivation for women wanting to run an online business, it is the subsequent autonomy that women enjoy through having an independent income, which in turn leads to an improvement in their self-confidence, self-esteem, and self–respect, that is the primary outcome. Therefore the most important benefit that women entrepreneurs derive from their economic empowerment is not financial gain but an improvement in their self-image and their social status at home.

Publisher

iSchools

Series/Report Name or Number

IConference 2016 Proceedings

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/89379

DOI

https://doi.org/10.9776/16472

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2016 is held by the authors. Copyright permissions, when appropriate, must be obtained directly from the authors.

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