Modelling Utilization of the Internet and Social Media Platforms for Sustainable Development of Women Entrepreneurs of Small Businesses

Abstract

Sustaining technologies and innovations are important driving forces behind the modern day business and the working space. Sustaining technology and innovation enables businesses to improve their products and services in a way that makes them compete with competitors in the same market space. The Internet and social media platforms are sustaining technologies and innovations that are currently altering the economic, social and political landscapes by changing the way people live, do business and work. Proper and informed usage of these technologies in business can have the potentials of empowering entrepreneurs economically, socially as well as contributing to environmental conservation and protection. This research sought to develop a model that would encourage utilization of the Internet and social media platforms by women entrepreneurs of small businesses in rural areas. This was achieved by analyzing Internet usage, evaluating social media platforms usage by women entrepreneurs in rural parts of Siaya County in Kenya and developing a model of utilization of the Internet and social media platforms for sustainable development. The six social media platforms that were evaluated are Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. The target population was women entrepreneurs of small businesses in Siaya County. Cochran formula was used to calculate the ideal sample size and sample size of 272 was used. A response rate of 91.91% was achieved. Simple random sampling was used to select one county out of 45 counties and snowball sampling technique was used to select the respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The reliability of the research tool was arrived at using composite reliability test and Cronbach’s Alpha test whereas the validity of the research instrument was assessed using content and construct validity. Ethical issues arising from the research such as informed voluntary consent, no harm to participants, confidentiality of information and data integrity were accounted for. Data analysis was done using PLS-SEM statistical model and descriptive, inferential and predictive statistics that encompassed regression and correlation were used to analyze the data and develop and validate the model. The validity of the model was assessed and approved by ten SME experts and its applicability in business for sustainable development of entrepreneurs of small businesses was ascertained through simulation. The purpose of the study was achieved.