The Role of Social Media and Communication Technology in Addressing Challenges Confronting Women Entrepreneurs in Social Development Projects ()
1. Introduction
Social media is widely utilized by individuals across various age groups, influencing their cognitive and behavioral patterns. The increased usage of social media can be attributed to its user-friendly nature and the diverse options it offers (Ukpere, Slabbert, & Ukpere, 2014) . However, despite the immense potential inherent in social media platforms, they have largely overlooked the social and cultural issues confronting women entrepreneurs. This oversight is exacerbated by portraying Arab women in traditional roles as homemakers, simultaneously adhering to societal and cultural norms (Beninger, Ajjan, Mostafa, & Crittenden, 2016) . Entrepreneurship has emerged as a potent force driving societal advancement and progress, owing to its capacity to make a positive impact within the global business community (Filser, Kraus, Roig-Tierno, Kailer, & Fischer, 2019) . Furthermore, entrepreneurship provides innovative frameworks for development and delivers pragmatic solutions aligned with the challenges spanning various sectors (Fleacă, Fleacă, & Maiduc, 2018) .
Women have a profound purpose in life, consistently showcasing remarkable expertise across diverse fields and disciplines. They stand as indispensable collaborators in driving project development forward. Within Saudi Arabia, women have consistently demonstrated their competencies and knowledge in various scientific and practical domains. The time has come to translate these past achievements into fuel for sustainable development within the Kingdom (Saqib, 2016) . Empowering Saudi women is a fundamental pillar of Saudi Vision 2030, a vision championed by the competent Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Omair et al., 2020) . The National Transformation Program has significantly contributed to elevating the participation of Saudi women in social development initiatives by providing essential resources, removing barriers, and fostering their growth (Mitchell & Alfuraih, 2018) . Consequently, Saudi Vision 2030 is committed to further activating the role of women entrepreneurs, positioning them at the forefront of successive project development plans to enhance their skills and capabilities continually.
In alignment with efforts to empower women entrepreneurs and contribute to Saudi Arabia’s future, this review aims to explore the impact of social media in supporting their endeavors. The overarching objective is to examine existing literature on the role of social media in female entrepreneurship within Saudi Arabia and its connection to Saudi Vision 2030. The review seeks to investigate the effects of social media, explore challenges and opportunities, and assess the effectiveness of initiatives that empower women in entrepreneurship for sustainable development. It endeavors to gain insights into the status of women entrepreneurs, understand the impact of social media, and identify areas for improvement and future research, ultimately aligning with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
2. Challenges and Obstacles Faced by Women Entrepreneurs around the World
2.1. Saudi Women Entrepreneurs: A Multifaceted Perspective
The challenges and barriers encountered by Saudi women entrepreneurs have been the subject of in-depth research, offering a spectrum of perspectives. Al-Asfour, Tlaiss, Khan, and Rajasekar (2017) highlighted some of these challenges, such as limited mobility, gender stereotypes, workplace discrimination, constrained career growth, work-life balance, and pregnancy-related obstacles. In contrast, Abou-Moghli’s (2019) research introduced a different viewpoint, highlighting factors like cultural influences, social dynamics, and financial constraints significantly influencing women’s participation and success in Saudi entrepreneurship.
Furthermore, the principal challenges currently hindering the progress of women entrepreneurs in the Saudi market are identified as financial constraints and a lack of awareness regarding available support programs. For example, half of the respondents were aware of some organizations that support SMEs in Saudi Arabia, such as Bab Rizq Jameel Company, Banks, Bader, Qtoof AlReyada, and Hadinat Ala’amal. However, most did not seek or get any support from these organizations. Other obstacles include combining family time and work, marketing their businesses, lack of information about starting a new business, transportation problems, and self-confidence issues (Alsulami & Abutaha, 2018) .
Collectively, these perspectives stress the need for policy reforms, targeted support, and cultural shifts to empower Saudi women entrepreneurs, unlock their potential, stimulate economic growth, and align with Saudi Vision 2030’s overarching objectives.
2.2. Arab Societal Constraints
Arab women entrepreneurs encounter challenges due to societal norms and traditional constraints in some Arab countries, including the necessity of male partners for business dealings, difficulty accessing financial support, and apprehension about integrating into leadership roles. These challenges are exacerbated by negative societal perceptions of women’s entrepreneurship, family preferences for women to work in government jobs, and the patriarchal nature of these societies. Additionally, women’s perceived competence in technology, investment, and industry is often questioned (Al-Asfour et al., 2017; Al-Sartawi et al., 2019; Iqbal, 2020; Zamberi Ahmad, 2011; Jose, 2018) .
In some Arab countries, women entrepreneurs are confronted with a set of challenges that arise from societal norms and traditional constraints. These constraints include the requirement for women to have male partners responsible for business dealings and negotiations. Such practices limit women’s capabilities and contributions to the business environment, hindering their entrepreneurial aspirations (Iqbal, 2020) .
Zamberi Ahmad (2011) identified three distinct challenges facing women entrepreneurs who seek to enter investment markets in some Arab countries. These challenges include the difficulty of obtaining financial support for their projects from the inception stage, the influence of social customs and conditions that create challenging boundaries, and the fear of being unable to integrate into business leadership positions. These challenges stem from the societal expectations and norms that shape the environment in which women operate their businesses.
Moreover, women face a pervasive negative societal perception of their work in entrepreneurship, particularly in some Arab societies. The aversion to women’s entrepreneurship is intensified by the fear of failure and the potential financial consequences associated with it. Families in these societies often prefer women to work in government jobs, surrounded by other women, rather than engage in entrepreneurial ventures. This preference is due to the demands of business, which require dealings with men in various aspects, including buying, selling, marketing, and promotion. As a result, many women entrepreneurs opt to work from home and collaborate with specific agencies to market their products (Al-Asfour et al., 2017) . These societal norms and preferences pose significant challenges to women seeking to establish themselves in the business world.
Furthermore, women’s competence in fields such as technology, investment, and industry are often questioned in Arab societies due to their patriarchal nature. These gender-based stereotypes and biases further inhibit women’s entrepreneurial aspirations and their ability to break into male-dominated industries and sectors (Al-Sartawi et al., 2019) . These multifaceted challenges underscore the need for cultural shifts, policy reforms, and support mechanisms to empower Arab women entrepreneurs and facilitate their participation in entrepreneurship.
2.3. Global Challenges for Women Entrepreneurs
Women entrepreneurs in developing countries face various constraints that hinder their success and growth. Panda (2018) grouped these constraints into seven broad categories: gender discrimination, work-family conflict, difficulty raising capital, lack of infrastructure, uncertain business, economic and political conditions, inadequate training and education, and variations in individual characteristics. The paper also ranks these constraints based on their frequency and severity. Financial constraints and unstable business, economic, and political environments are the top priorities to be addressed. Furthermore, the paper offers a framework to highlight the factors that make women’s entrepreneurship relatively complicated compared to men, such as social norms, legal barriers, cultural values, and institutional arrangements.
Women’s entrepreneurship is an essential tool for empowering women and transforming society. However, it faces many challenges in Jordan, such as constraints on women’s physical mobility, networking, and family conflict due to socio-cultural and gendered barriers (Banihani, 2020) . Therefore, more efforts are needed from both researchers and policymakers to support and promote women entrepreneurs in Jordan.
Zhu, Kara, and Zhu (2018) compared women entrepreneurship in China and Vietnam and revealed the differences and similarities between the two countries regarding women entrepreneurs’ barriers. Chinese and Vietnamese women entrepreneurs face similar challenges, such as unreliable employees, severe competition, a weak economy, and limited access to capital. However, Chinese women entrepreneurs indicate that government regulation and bureaucracy are significant constraints for their development. In contrast, Vietnamese women entrepreneurs suggest a lack of market and management training is a more severe problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to support and promote women entrepreneurs at both the institutional and societal levels to achieve the desired success threshold in the entrepreneurial world in transitional economies.
Women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia contend with multifaceted challenges, including limited mobility, workplace discrimination, and financial constraints, alongside broader issues such as work-life balance and pregnancy-related obstacles. Challenges also stem from a lack of awareness about available support programs, marketing difficulties, and self-confidence issues. Addressing these hurdles requires policy reforms, targeted support, and cultural shifts to empower Saudi women entrepreneurs and align with Saudi Vision 2030. In wider Arab societies, women entrepreneurs face constraints linked to societal norms, such as the necessity for male partners in business dealings and negative perceptions of women’s entrepreneurship. Family preferences for government jobs and skepticism about women’s competence in technology and industry further impede progress, emphasizing the need for cultural shifts, policy reforms, and support mechanisms. Globally, women entrepreneurs encounter challenges ranging from gender discrimination and work-family conflict to difficulty raising capital and uncertain business conditions. Financial constraints and unstable economic and political environments emerge as top priorities. Challenges specific to regions like Jordan and comparative insights from China and Vietnam underscore the imperative for comprehensive support and promotion efforts at institutional and societal levels to enhance women’s success in entrepreneurship worldwide.
3. The Role of Social Media and Communication Technology in the Context of Female Entrepreneurship
3.1. Social Media’s Impact on Arab Women Entrepreneurs
Undoubtedly, various metrics have consistently illustrated the influential role of social media and its unparalleled capacity to foster and amplify businesses, particularly in the context of supporting women entrepreneurs (Cesaroni, Demartini, & Paoloni, 2017) . Alayis, Abdelwahed, and Atteya (2018) elucidated that the significance of social networking platforms lies in cultivating a positive perception of Arab women entrepreneurs while steering clear of negative stereotypes. They emphasized the necessity of establishing a comprehensive database containing information about the endeavors of women entrepreneurs. Moreover, they underscored the importance of training and educational programs for media professionals to acquaint them with the contributions and challenges of women in the business world.
Nonetheless, social media, in its various forms, continues to grapple with several challenges concerning women’s issues. It falls short of keeping pace with the global transformations and the remarkable achievements witnessed among Arab women in diverse realms, including politics, economics, education, employment, social engagement, cultural participation, and creativity (Ferdousi & Mahmud, 2019) . Additionally, Crittenden, Crittenden & Ajjan (2019) exposed the glaring deficiencies and subpar performance of information communication technology in supporting women entrepreneurs. This extends to its failure to disseminate the entrepreneurial culture, creating self-employment opportunities for young women, showcasing distinctive success stories of women entrepreneurs, and addressing the problems and hurdles women face embarking on new ventures. Furthermore, Fleacă et al. (2018) , explored how social media contributes to the promotion and support of women’s entrepreneurship. In their study involving 200 female entrepreneurs in the Arab world and various experts, they found that 64.8% expressed discontent with how social media promotes female entrepreneurship. In contrast, 79.4% indicated that the spaces allocated for women entrepreneurs on Arab social media platforms are insufficient.
3.2. Indonesian Women’s Online Entrepreneurship and Social Media
Social media has a substantial impact on advancing Indonesian women’s online entrepreneurship by offering various opportunities and benefits. However, it also poses some challenges and barriers that must be addressed. According to Wahyuningsih and Mustaqim (2021) , social media provides women entrepreneurs with flexibility and market expansion opportunities, aiding sales improvement and innovation. Nevertheless, it also presents challenges like negative feedback, connectivity issues, and a lack of support for online business management. Women entrepreneurs implement various strategies, including product updates, excellent customer service, collaboration with online platforms like Shopee, and business training, to surmount challenges and enhance their online businesses.
Moreover, the study of (Melissa, Hamidati, & Saraswati, 2013) revealed that social media entrepreneurship has the potential to empower women in Indonesia by enabling them to become entrepreneurs, balance their career and family lives, and enhance their empowerment across economic, psychological, socio-cultural, and political dimensions, owing to its alignment with their specific needs and preferences. In addition, Halberstadt and Spiegler (2018) emphasized the critical role of social networks, including various actors like family, friends, mentors, and institutions, in shaping the idea-fulfillment process of female social entrepreneurs. Group outcomes such as emotional support, trust, shared values, and collective action are identified as influential factors in either facilitating or impeding this process.
4. Social Media’s Impact on Digital Entrepreneurship and Psychological Empowerment
Social media participation can enhance female entrepreneurs’ digital entrepreneurship intention and psychological empowerment. Chakraborty and Biswal (2023) found that when female entrepreneurs engage informatively, take action, and exhibit positive attitudes on social media, it positively influences their digital entrepreneurship intention. Furthermore, this intention has a positive impact on their psychological empowerment, encompassing elements like internalized goals, perceived control, competence, and self-esteem. Similarly, Chaker and Zouaoui (2023) concluded that social media has played a vital role in supporting Tunisian digital women entrepreneurs in overcoming traditional entrepreneurial barriers related to culture, family, gender stereotypes, limited skills, access to finance, and entrepreneurial networks. These entrepreneurs have reaped numerous advantages from social media, including cost reduction, customer accessibility, increased visibility, flexible time management, partnerships, and customer feedback. Their success in social media entrepreneurship is bolstered by empathy, flexibility, adaptability, passion, and financial motivation. However, they have also encountered challenges such as time management, limited funding, technical issues, platform adaptation, transparency concerns, and the risk of imitation.
In summary, Section 4 builds upon the social media dynamics explored in Section 3, offering a deeper understanding of its implications on digital entrepreneurship and the psychological empowerment of women entrepreneurs.
5. Sustainable Development and Gender Equality
5.1. The Complexity of Women’s Entrepreneurship
Every nation across the globe is making efforts to narrow the gender disparity to harness the full spectrum of human potential and resources to foster sustainable domestic progress. Nonetheless, when examining the practical landscapes, women in various countries experience a sense of inequality within their professional domains and workplaces. The prevailing perception often depicts them as less capable than their male counterparts in assuming responsibility and higher managerial positions, confining their perceived natural role to non-leadership positions (Kanze, Huang, Conley, & Higgins, 2018) . Wang (2019) emphasizes that women’s entrepreneurship is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon influenced by gender identity, race/ethnicity, location, and community. Women entrepreneurs encounter challenges balancing family and work roles but strategically use entrepreneurship to gain independence and contribute to society. They face gender stereotyping and discrimination but also leverage their gender-related strengths, like communication skills and multitasking, to improve business performance. Experiences differ based on race/ethnicity and immigration status, with some encountering more discrimination and cultural conflicts. Overall, women entrepreneurs are closely tied to their local communities, which offer support, meaning, opportunities, and strategies for their entrepreneurial endeavors.
Consequently, there has been a shift regarding women as active participants in the primary stream of development policies, programs, and initiatives. Integrating women into the development process is an integral part of engaging development partners across all sectors and at all cultural and social strata (Nhamo, Muchuru, & Nhamo, 2018) . Moreover, Abou-Moghli and Al-Abdallah (2019) emphasized the importance of fledgling entrepreneurs sharing insights and adopting best practices to assist organizations in effecting the necessary transformations for sustainable businesses. This contribution aims to facilitate the realization of a sustainable economy in the future and position the Kingdom as a global hub and a dynamic laboratory for economic and technological innovation, thereby becoming a leading example in sustainable development, signifying a significant and crucial stride forward.
5.2. Women as Key Players in Sustainable Development
The role of women entrepreneurs in achieving sustainable development is linked to the form of existing relations between the sexes as well as the transformations that occur in the type of roles and their performance in terms of equality and lifting obstacles that prevent women from accepting in all sectors and on the various levels of responsibility in state institutions (Nieva, 2015) . Furthermore, Al-Kwifi, Tien Khoa, Ongsakul, and Ahmed (2020) revealed that achieving sustainable development goals by supporting women entrepreneurs constitutes an excellent opportunity to highlight the role that women can play in achieving this aspiration of concern to all humanity. In addition, Alsubaie and Jones (2017) called for establishing a rich and fruitful discussion to advance Saudi women’s issues and enhance their contributions to realizing sustainable development objectives, as well as developing partnerships to build a geographical space at the level of women’s ambition.
5.3. Gender Dynamics in Western Countries
While most Western countries share similar approaches to promoting female entrepreneurship, the United States stands out with its robust institutional support and a generally favorable environment for women entrepreneurs (Dell Report, 2013) . The U.S. boasts 8.6 million female-led businesses, generating over $1.3 trillion in annual revenue and providing employment for nearly 8 million individuals (Casserly, 2013) . The analysis of Grilo and Irigoyen (2006) revealed that, when examining entrepreneurship across 15 EU-member countries and the USA, males exhibit a higher preference for self-employment than females. In a separate study conducted by Wilson, Marlino, and Kickul (2004) , it was demonstrated that boys considering careers are more inclined than girls to embark on entrepreneurial ventures. Furthermore, Wilson, Kickul, and Marlino (2007) found that female students in high school and college displayed lower levels of entrepreneurial expertise than their male counterparts.
Welter (2011) emphasized the importance of the social backdrop, including customs and beliefs, in explaining gender-specific behavior in the entrepreneurial process. According to Zhang et al. (2009) , there is a genetic basis for entrepreneurship, as women are more likely than men to be interested in running businesses in specific industries. This leads to a rise in gender variation in entrepreneurship.
6. Government and Institutions in Promoting Female Entrepreneurship
Saudi Arabia enhances the role of women entrepreneurs in the context of their inclusion in the sustainable development project by contributing to the development and investment of their energy and capabilities to activate their participation in the efforts necessary to ensure their positive effectiveness in the educational sector (Omair et al., 2020) . As Basaffar, Niehm, and Bosselman (2018) reviewed that Saudi Arabia has made remarkable achievements in the field of empowering women and improving their status, considering that Saudi women entrepreneurs played a crucial role in improving and upgrading the quality of education in Saudi schools and universities despite the cultural and social difficulties that they faced.
6.1. Empowering Women through Saudi Vision 2030 and beyond
Saudi Vision 2030 has incorporated women’s participation into its strategic objectives to provide support and bolster their presence, thereby making contributions to sustainable development while upholding their rights and maintaining a respectable social standing (Saqib, 2016) as Alsulami and Abutaha (2018) clarified that the role of women entrepreneurs extends to nurturing innovation and leadership, fostering a generation that champions these values, and launching sustainable initiatives that mitigate unemployment. Moreover, Khan and Khan (2020) underscored the importance of women entrepreneurs capitalizing on the favorable conditions created by Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision to make substantial contributions to the journey of sustainable development, showcasing their developmental capabilities in a novel light, particularly given the enhanced educational and knowledge resources available to Saudi women. Conversely, Panda (2018) stressed the need to assess the overall performance of women entrepreneurs in developing nations, exchange insights and supervisory models for women entrepreneurship, and strengthen collaborative ties with more developed countries.
Despite the challenges faced by Saudi women entrepreneurs in the labor market, such as discrimination, lack of opportunities, and cultural barriers, Vision 2030 has the potential to address the challenges of the Saudi female labor force by creating more opportunities for women in the workforce and promoting gender equality. However, it is crucial to note that the female labor force participation rate remains extremely low and stagnant over the years (Naseem & Dhruva, 2017) . Additionally, the need for more awareness among female entrepreneurs about government and private programs is a pressing concern, as there is limited support through social media to shed light on these programs and provide assistance.
In contrast, the number of small and medium-sized businesses managed by women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia is on the rise, marking a significant and growing trend compared to the past (Danish & Smith, 2012) . Furthermore, Topal (2019) highlighted that economic and pro-women reforms in Saudi Arabia primarily serve the goals of economic diversification and attracting foreign investment rather than genuinely prioritizing women’s rights. These reforms, notably within the Vision 2030 program, are critiqued as insufficient and unsustainable for achieving women’s empowerment within a patriarchal society.
The need for a fundamental transformation of the gender regime and power dynamics in Saudi Arabia is apparent. Such a transformation is crucial to establish a more equitable society for all. While these reforms aim to enhance Saudi Arabia’s economic competitiveness and global image, they are considered limited and superficial, failing to address deep-rooted gender inequalities and discriminatory systems. The reforms may have some positive impact on women’s public participation, albeit contingent on male guardians’ approval, and simultaneously expose women to heightened risks and challenges without adequate state or societal protection, including issues like violence, harassment, exploitation, and backlash. According to Varshney (2019) , the Saudi Arabian government has implemented various reforms and policies to bolster the support for employed women and to increase their involvement in the nation’s economic and social progress. Nevertheless, there remains a requirement for more efficient execution, oversight, and assessment of these measures to guarantee their effectiveness and enduring impact.
Moving beyond Saudi Arabia, it is worth noting that South Africa and Brazil have made significant progress in promoting women’s entrepreneurship through various policies and initiatives. Both countries still face persistent challenges, such as gender-based discrimination, stereotypes, lack of education and skills, and structural constraints like poverty and inequality. There are differences in their approaches, with South Africa having a more comprehensive policy framework and a formalized entrepreneurial sector, while Brazil’s approach needs to be more cohesive and informal. South Africa relies on centralized governance, while Brazil follows a decentralized approach involving civil society and the private sector (Okeke-Uzodike, 2019) .
6.2. Women Empowerment and Economic Growth
Integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) plays a pivotal role in women’s empowerment, especially when women perceive these technologies as user-friendly and valuable. This empowerment is characterized by improved confidence and relationship-building and contributes to their overall advancement (Crittenden, Crittenden, & Ajjan, 2019) .
Furthermore, Saqib (2016) demonstrated a positive correlation between women’s empowerment and economic growth in Saudi Arabia, highlighting that as women become more empowered, the nation’s economy experiences accelerated development. Also, Nord, Riggio, and Paliszkiewicz (2017) emphasized the substantial potential of social technologies in Italy to empower working women and foster social and economic progress. These technologies offer several advantages, such as communication, customer service, marketing, networking, recruitment, and revenue generation.
Nonetheless, there is room for further improvements in the adoption and integration of diverse social technology platforms in alignment with broader ICTs and development initiatives. Additionally, Welsh, Kaciak, and Thongpapanl (2016) underscored that the economic development stage significantly impacts women entrepreneurs’ startups, particularly regarding the nature and level of family support and personal challenges they encounter. This necessitates the implementation of tailored policies and interventions to promote and support women’s entrepreneurship in different economic contexts.
7. Women Entrepreneurs’ Perception of Social Media Effectiveness and Personal Character/Motivation
Various factors, including socio-cultural elements, financial challenges, and individual and environmental impacts, influence the effectiveness of social media among women entrepreneurs. The research findings shed light on how these factors interact and shape women entrepreneurs’ use of digital tools, enabling them to overcome barriers and promote their businesses effectively.
Iqbal (2020) revealed that socio-cultural factors exhibit a positive but statistically insignificant moderating influence on the adoption of social media. In contrast, financial challenges significantly and positively impact this adoption. Additionally, Jose (2018) found that all the interviewed women entrepreneurs actively utilize social media and chat apps to promote their businesses. Notably, they employ Facebook for brand creation and WhatsApp for direct product marketing. While traditional promotional methods still exist, digital tools are gaining prevalence and are deemed more effective in business promotion.
Furthermore, Suseno and Abbott (2021) emphasized the significant role of individual identity, individual influences, and environmental factors in constraining women entrepreneurs’ business ventures. However, technology emerges as a facilitating force, offering opportunities to overcome these barriers. The study underscores technology’s dual role in fostering social innovation within women entrepreneurs’ ventures. This occurs through technology-embodied and technology-enabled social innovation, signifying the diverse pathways through which technology contributes to entrepreneurial progress.
Moreover, women entrepreneurs have expressed a compelling need for the activation of social media usage to connect them with organizations that promote entrepreneurship and small and medium enterprise owners. These services have emerged as a top priority among the offerings that women entrepreneurs seek from government and private institutions dedicated to supporting small and medium enterprises (Neumeyer, Santos, Caetano, & Kalbfleisch, 2019) .
The exploration of women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia, as well as in other Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region countries and across Asian nations, reveals a complex landscape of challenges and strengths. In Saudi Arabia, women entrepreneurs face many challenges, yet they possess significant strengths, as noted by (Zamberi Ahmad, 2011) . These women can contribute substantially to the nation’s economy and society with the proper support. Notably, they share common personality traits with their MENA counterparts, displaying ambition, independence, and a willingness to take risks. Their motivations align with a desire for self-employment, social impact, and family support. However, distinctions emerge in their educational backgrounds and the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills, with Saudi women more likely to have college degrees and utilize informal channels for skill development.
Across eight Asian countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, women entrepreneurs are acknowledged as drivers of economic growth and societal change. While they confront various challenges, they also create opportunities for themselves and others. Cho, Li, and Chaudhuri (2020) highlighted their diversity and heterogeneity regarding backgrounds, motivations, challenges, and opportunities. These entrepreneurs face varying degrees of gender inequality and discrimination depending on their country’s context. Nevertheless, shared factors contributing to their success include strong self-efficacy, access to mentoring and networking, family support, social and environmental awareness, and a commitment to innovation and creativity.
8. Conclusion
In conclusion, the literature review presents a comprehensive examination of the role of social media in female entrepreneurship, particularly in the context of Saudi Arabia and its alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. The findings reveal that while social media holds great potential to enhance women entrepreneurs’ endeavors, it falls short in addressing the multifaceted challenges they face, including societal constraints, gender stereotypes, and limited access to financial support. Moreover, the review underscores the critical role of government support and policy reforms in empowering women entrepreneurs and driving sustainable development, both in Saudi Arabia and across the globe. It also highlights that despite the progress achieved, there remains a need for greater awareness and enhanced support programs. While the literature provides valuable insights into the impact of social media and government initiatives, future investigation is crucial to acquire a more profound comprehension of the specific mechanisms through which social media influences female entrepreneurship and to track the effectiveness of ongoing reforms in promoting gender equality and entrepreneurship in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.