Abstract
A recent study on entrepreneurship showed that people in the digital age are more entrepreneurial, loyal, open-minded, and less motivated by money than the preceding generation. In this era of technology proliferation, it is almost impossible to separate a successful business from the role played by technology. The literature is increasingly showing that women remain relatively less tech-savvy than their male counterparts. Thus, the implications of this lag for women-owned businesses are clear. The paucity of literature in addressing this “gap”, that is, women lagging in technology and the need to provide the needed support, has not improved the situation. This challenge is more pronounced and relevant among women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa because of their unique characteristics and infrastructural deficiencies. The purpose of this chapter is to provide insight and add to the discourse on the ongoing challenges regarding the implications of technology on the strategic business decisions of women and in developing economies such as South Africa.
This qualitative study follows a two-pronged approach. The research firstly undertakes a thematic synthesis of current literature on technopreneurship and the impact of technology on women’s entrepreneurship with a view to providing a basis for understanding the implications for the business strategy of women in the era of Gen Y and Z. Secondly, it explores the deployment of the emergent themes from the synthesis as revealed in the daily practices of well-established South African women-owned businesses. The preliminary findings of the study firstly confirm a limited established scholarship on technopreneurship in South Africa. The study, in conclusion, offers a preliminary distinction of thematic categories of more or less established scholarship relevant to the field, thereby indicating priority areas for development in women’s entrepreneurship in South Africa.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
ICT, or information and communications technology (or technologies), is the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing.
- 2.
The main indicator used is called TEA (total early-stage entrepreneurial activity), which assesses the percentage of the working-age population that is about to start an entrepreneurial activity, and those that have started one in the past three and a half years.
- 3.
Start-up or growth equity capital or loan capital provided by private investors (the venture capitalists) or specialised financial institutions (development finance houses or venture capital firms). Also called risk capital. Venture capital is a type of funding for a new or growing business.
- 4.
STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—through an interdisciplinary and applied approach.
References
Acemoglu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2016). The Race between Machine and Man: Implications of Technology for Growth, Factor Shares and Employment (NBER Working Papers 22252). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Acemoglu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2017). Robots and Jobs: Evidence from US Labour Markets (NBER Working Papers 23285). Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
Arntz, M., Gregory, T., & Zierahn, U.. (2016). The Risk of Automation for Jobs in OECD Countries: A Comparative Analysis. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 189. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/5jlz9h56dvq7-en
Autor, D., Katz, L., & Kearney, M. (2006). The Polarization of the US Labour Market. The American Economic Review, 96(2), 189–194.
Blomquist, M., Chastain, E., Thickett, B., Unnikrishnan, S., & Woods, W. (2014). Bridging the Entrepreneurship Gender Gap: The Power of Networks. Boston: Boston Consulting Group.
Botha, M. (2006). Measuring the Effectiveness of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Programme, as a Training Intervention, on Potential, Start-up and Established Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa. PhD thesis, University of Pretoria.
Breschi, S., Lassébie, J., & Menon, C. (2018). A Portrait of Innovative Start-ups Across Countries. OECD Science, Technology, and Industry Working Papers. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://doi.org/10.1787/f9ff02f4-en
Burleigh, N. (2015, January 28). What Silicon Valley Thinks of Women. Newsweek. Retrieved January 22, 2018, from www.newsweek.com/2015/02/06/what-silicon-valley-thinks-women-302821.html
CREATE (Consortium for Educational Access, Transitions and Equity). Improving Access, Equity and Transitions in Education: Creating a Research Agenda 2007. Retrieved from http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/1828/1/PTA1.pdf
Croson, R., & Gneezy, U. (2009). Gender Differences in Preferences. Journal of Economic Literature, 47(2), 448–474.
Demirguc-Kunt, A., Klapper, L., Singer, D., & Van Oudheusden, P. (2015). The Global Findex Database 2014: Measuring Financial Inclusion around the World (Policy Research Working Paper 7255). Washington, DC: World Bank. Retrieved from http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/187761468179367706/pdf/WPS7255.pdf
G20. (2017). A Roadmap for Digitalisation: Policies for a Digital Future. Düsseldorf: G20. Retrieved from www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/Downloads/P-R/roadmap-for-dgitalisation.pdf
Graetz, G., & G. Michaels. (2015, March). Robots at Work. CEPR Discussion Paper 10477. Retrieved from www.cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=10477.
Grundke, R., et al. (Forthcoming). Which Skills for the Digital Era? A Returns to Skills Analysis. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers. Paris: OECD Publishing.
GSMA. (2015). Connected Women, Bridging the Gender Gap: Mobile Access and Usage in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Retrieved January 15, 2018, from https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/programmes/connected-women/bridging-gender-gap
GSMA and ATKearny. (2015). Accelerating the Digital Economy: Gender Diversity in the Telecommunications Sector. Retrieved from https://www.atkearney.com/documents/10192/5580445/Connected+Women+2015-WDReport.pdf/d3c08b0a-fab6-431c-80c0-0d332b9e882d
Intel and Dalberg. (2012). Women and the Web. Bridging the Internet and Creating New Global Opportunities in Low and Middle-Income Countries. Intel Corporation and Dalberg Global Development Advisors. Retrieved from https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/pdf/women-and-theweb.pdf
Irene, B. (2016). Gender and Entrepreneurial Success: A Cross Cultural Study of Competencies of Female SMEs Operators in South Africa. PhD thesis, Cardiff Metropolitan University.
ITU. (2016). ICT Facts and Figures 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2018, from https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/facts/ICTFactsFigures2016.pdf
Johnstone, N., Managi, S., Rodríguez, M. C., Haščič, I., Fujii, H., & Souchier, M. (forthcoming). The Gender Gap in the Venture Capital Market. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Paper. Paris: OECD Publishing.
Maas, G., & Herrington, M. (2009). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor—South Africa Report. The UCT Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Marcolin, L., Miroudot, S., & Squicciarini, M.. (2016). Routine Jobs, Employment and Technological Innovation in Global Value Chains. OECD Science, Technology and Industry Working Papers, No. 2016/01. OECD Publishing.
Mayoux, L. (2001). Jobs, Gender and Small Enterprises: Getting the Policy Environment Right. Geneva: ILO.
Minniti, M., Bygrave, W., & Autio, E. (2006). 2005 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Executive Report. London: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor.
Mumba, Daniel. (2014). Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Africa: Investigating Information Access and Use of Information and Communication Technologies by Women-Owned Enterprises in Zambia. Electronic thesis and Dissertation Repository. 2502. Retrieved from https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/2502
National Center for Women & Information Technology. (2016). Women in Tech: The Facts (2016 Update). Retrieved from https://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/resources/womenintech_facts_fullreport_05132016.pdf.
OECD. (2016a). Automation and Independent Work in a Digital Economy. OECD Policy Briefs on the Future of Work. Paris: OECD. Retrieved February 18, 2018, from www.oecd.org/employment/emp/Policy%20brief%20-%20Automation%20and%20Independent%20Work%20in%20a%20Digital%20Economy.pdf
OECD. (2017a). OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2017: The Digital Transformation. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved February 2, 2018, from https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264268821-en
OECD. (2017b). Entrepreneurship at a Glance 2017. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved February 2, 2018, from https://doi.org/10.1787/entrepreneur_aag-2017-en
OECD. (2017c). Global Economic Outlook (Chap. 2, vol. 2017/1). Paris: OECD Publishing.
OECD. (2017d). The Next Production Revolution: Implications for Governments and Business. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264271036-en
OECD. (2017f). How Technology and Globalisation are Transforming the Labour Market. In OECD Employment Outlook 2017 (Chapter 3). Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1787/empl_outlook-2017-7-en
OECD. (2017h). Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC), Database. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved November, 2017, from www.oecd.org/skills/piaac/
OECD. (2018). STI Micro-data Lab: Intellectual Property, Database. Paris: OECD. Retrieved February, 2018, from http://oe.cd/ipstats
OECD and European Union. (2014). The Missing Entrepreneurs 2014: Policies for Inclusive Entrepreneurship in Europe. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved February 22, from https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264213593-en
OECD and European Union. (2017). Missing Entrepreneurs 2017. Paris: OECD Publishing. Retrieved January 5, 2018, from https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264283602-en
Orford, J., Herrington, M., & Wood, E. (2004). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM): South African Report. University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Piacentini, M. (2013). Women Entrepreneurs in the OECD: Key Evidence and Policy Challenges. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 147. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/5k43bvtkmb8v-en
Quintini, G. (2018). Automation, Skills Use and Training. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers, No. 202. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/2e2f4eea-en.
Saifuddin, S. M. (2015). Women Entrepreneurs’ Adoption and Use of Technology. Special report prepared for Cisco Systems by Centre for Women in Politics and Public Leadership Carleton University.
Stephan, P. E., & El-Ganainy, A. (2007). The Entrepreneurial Puzzle: Explaining the Gender Gap. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 32(5), 475–487.
UNDP. (2008). Breaking Barriers the Potential of Free and Open Source Software for Sustainable Human Development. Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (UNDP-APDIP).
UN Women. (2005). Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women through ICT. UN Division for the Advancement of Women, Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, New York. Retrieved from www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/public/w2000-09.05-ict-e.pdf.
Verheul, I., Uhlaner, L., & Thurik, R. (2005). Business Accomplishments, Gender and Entrepreneurial Self-image. Journal of Business Venturing, 20(4), 483–518.
World Bank and the International Telecommunication Union. (2015). The Little Data Book on Information and Telecommunication Technology. Retrieved from http://data.worldbank.org/products/data-books/little-data-book
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Irene, B.N.O. (2019). Technopreneurship: A Discursive Analysis of the Impact of Technology on the Success of Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa. In: Taura, N.D., Bolat, E., Madichie, N.O. (eds) Digital Entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies of Entrepreneurship in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04924-9_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04924-9_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-04923-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-04924-9
eBook Packages: Business and ManagementBusiness and Management (R0)