Abstract

In the digital age, smartphones and social media have seen the rise of online communication. The purpose of this paper is to explore how communicating in the virtual form has affected community and in turn empowered women. It makes the argument that community and a sense of belonging is not determined by geographical location and physical ties alone. By focusing on small business communities formed through social media platforms such as Instagram, scholarly sources and qualitative examples are drawn upon to show that a sense of community can be felt through online connections and communication. This paper also touches on Social Comparison Theory and Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation and how together with ‘persistent contact’ and ‘personalised communities’, they determine how women make the most of the opportunities they are presented with, many of which would not have been available prior to digitisation.

DISCUSSION

Community and a sense of belonging was once only felt through physical social ties, whether it be between friends and family, amongst work colleagues, or within the social groups of a neighbourhood or township. Although mobility allowed communities to form beyond geographical limitations, social ties were often an extension of a physical connection (Delanty, 2018). Advancements in technology, however, and specifically the birth of social media has led to new types of community – the online community – which can exist purely in virtual form. In this sense, the concept of ‘community’ is less about location and more about the social networking that occurs between people (Delanty, 2018). That being said, some believe that the rise of the internet, and in particular social networking platforms, have tarnished personal relationships, deeper connections and community as we once knew it, resulting in throwaway relations and a false sense of community (Hampton & Wellman, 2018; Prodnik cited in Delanty, 2018). This essay argues that online communities can provide a sense of belonging for an individual, even if a social platform acts as a ‘third place’ (Di Domenico, Daniel & Nunan, 2014, p. 276) where no physical ties exist, in other words, a coming together of strangers with a common interest or goal (Delanty, 2018). This paper will specifically look at how Instagram and its affordances have enabled women to run small businesses thanks to online communities that inspire, provide support and offer collaboration opportunities with fellow business owners.

Instagram is one of the most visual of the social networking platforms. As posts are centred around eye-catching photos accompanied by short descriptions known as ‘captions’, it is an optimum choice for women-run businesses which are often in the craft, beauty and fashion industries (Dewi, 2020). For small business owners who often face financial limitations, Instagram provides an opportunity to not only market products and services at a fraction of the cost, but potentially reach far beyond the intended market audience (Tajudeen & Harun, 2020). Partially responsible for this reach, is what Hampton (2016) refers to as ‘persistent contact’. Thanks to smartphones and social media, social ties that once would have dissipated due to moving interstate or changing jobs, for example, remain (Hampton, 2016) and new connections can be made (Chua et al. 2011 cited in Delanty, 2018). Social networking sites and their persistent contact capabilities enable small business owners to target a wide array of social ties – whether old or new, strong or weak (Granovetter, 1983 cited in Quinton & Wilson, 2016) – from various networks, all from the one place (Papacharissi, 2011). Basically, the affordances of smartphones and social media platforms allow entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into a source of income through social relations, opportunity and convenience over traditional methods of advertising.

Although free marketing and exposure is the driving force behind adopting Instagram for business purposes, it is not simply just a space of competing entrepreneurs. Being active on a social media platform such as Instagram is also about creating connections, building relationships and establishing a sense of belonging amongst the small business community. This is highlighted in Olsson and Bernhard’s (2021) article where interviews with 11 entrepreneurs in the city of Sweden were conducted to discuss how they use social media in an era of digitisation. All participants were using social media, with 10 of the 11 active on Instagram (Olsson & Bernhard, 2021). The importance of being active online with other business owners was made evident through interviewee comments such as, ‘I have received support from being active in networks … you will have a lot of exchanges from other business owners … things I cannot talk to my employees about’ and ‘We [four companies] collaborate with a digitally shared website, while each of us entrepreneurs have our own social media channels’ (Olsson & Berhard, 2021, p. 386). These examples indicate that social media platforms are used for connection and support both within and eternal to one’s own business network.

Instagram allows for these two beneficial factors – exposure at low-cost and building connections – thanks to its affordances. Individual posts, videos, stories, reels and the Instagram profile ‘grid’ work together to create a business’s ‘story’ (Virtanen, Bjork & Sjostrom, 2017) and this attracts both consumers and other business owners that identify with that story in some way. Business owners may follow, comment, or share another business’s posts to their own feeds, which exposes that business to yet another audience, and if reciprocated, this mutual activity can lead to growth for both parties (Quinton & Wilson, 2016). A stronger connection can then be formed by using the direct message function which allows for communication and collaboration to occur between businesses behind the scenes and out of the public feed.

The benefits of being an active participant in online small business communities varies depending on individual desires. For some, it is the inspiration that other businesses provide (Olsson & Bernhard, 2021) and the ability to learn from and reach out to role models (Jenkins, Lin & Jeske, 2016). Jenkins et al. (2016) touch on Social Comparison Theory, and how people look at what others have achieved in order to rate themselves. They reiterate that when searching for assistance beyond their knowledge or capabilities, they look to those they consider to be more experienced (Jenkins et al., 2016) and may call on their service to achieve certain business goals (Sharafizad, 2018 cited in Olsson & Bernhard, 2021). With this notion in mind, it is evident that forming connections via an online social networking site, which supports instant and direct contact, can be very beneficial for those wanting to start their own small business and may lack all the resources to do so.

            On the other hand, some individuals, referred to as ‘passionate entrepreneurs’ (Mumi, 2020) have a more strategic approach to their online networking and learn through interaction not just observation (Schou, Bucher & Waldkirch, 2021). To these individuals, online social connections are of most importance, and their success is often a result of being able identify opportunities (Chandler & Hanks, 1994 cited in Mumi, 2020), and act on them accordingly. Unlike the individuals that focus on those they admire, passionate entrepreneurs believe all connections have potential, and will reform ties wherever possible to further their network (Fatima & Bilal, 2020). Fatima and Bilal (2020) summarise this awareness as a person’s ‘Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation’. Much like self-efficacy, people with a higher level of entrepreneurial orientation are more proactive and goal driven, and these traits are linked to success in a business context (Krauss et al., 2005 cited in Fatima & Bilal, 2020). When it comes to connecting with others, the persistent contact and instantaneous nature of smartphones and social networking sites, allows for communication without time consuming actions of the past, such as scheduling in meetings or phone calls (Hampton, 2016), allowing these proactive individuals to manage time efficiently. They have the freedom to participate in conversations when it best suits them (Schou et al., 2021) and can treat this mode of communication as a ‘third space’ that can be entered into as they please.

Prior to digitisation, third spaces could be considered as physical places beyond the home or workplace that allowed one to gain knowledge, work or collaborate with others such as libraries or cafes (Di Domenico et al., 2014). Today, platforms such as Instagram, where people can communicate and collaborate with others online, have become virtual third spaces that offer many opportunities for women. Online networks allow people to create communities tailored to themselves known as ‘personalized communities’ (Castells, 2001 cited in Delanty, 2018, p. 211). Unlike physical communities of the past, where ideals and sense of identity was often shaped by family and local community (Hampton & Wellman, 2018), online networking allows individuals to break free of these boundaries and form ideals of their own. For women, who can be marginalised by gender, age, status, ethnicity or disability, being able to express themselves freely and connect with like-minded people can be empowering (Delanty, 2018) and provide a sense of belonging. Article by Dewi (2020), which explores a case study on 2 women entrepreneurs based in Indonesia is an example of this. One of the 2 women who uses Instagram to market her clothing line, established a community group with fellow entrepreneurs which aims to provide opportunities and support for Muslim women. Although the group regularly meet in person for workshops and religious activities, their main mode of communication is through their social media accounts (Dewi, 2020). For these women, online networking is important for promoting business as well as forming support groups.

The freedom of digitisation combined with free and easy-to-use platforms such as Instagram could potentially be a contributing factor to the ever increasing number of women entrepreneurs (Danish & Lawton Smith, 2012 cited in Olsson & Bernhard, 2021). However, as liberating as it is, entrepreneurship is not without its challenges. Although some enjoy working in solitary, void of all distractions that come with being based in the workplace (Di Domenico et al., 2014), others find it isolating. One of the women-entrepreneurs interviewed as a part of Di Domenico et al.’s (2014) qualitative study voiced her feelings of isolation: ‘You don’t have colleagues to bounce things about and say, what do you think, what if we did this and that?’ (Di Domenico, 2014, p. 276). This example aligns with the common theme within Olsson and Bernhard’s (2021) article, that women highly value relationships with other women entrepreneurs and the ‘support and inspiration’ they provide (Bernhard et al., 2016 cited in Olsson & Bernhard, 2021). In addition, Schou, Bucher and Waldkirch’s (2021) article, which explores the entrepreneurial community ‘r/startups’ of Reddit, found that topics of conversation among members ranged from business strategies to personal success and failure stories. With more and more women working from home whilst raising children, known as the ‘mum-preneur’ (Ekinsmyth, 2011 cited in Heizmann & Liu, 2020), not all women have physical ties they can turn to when in need of business advice. Therefore, being active within a small business community online, can not only provide assistance when needed but also offer a support network.

In summary, social media has changed the way people connect and communicate with one another. It allows a person to maintain existing relationships regardless of geographical limitations but also to form new ones, thus widening a person’s social network. In small business, this ability to customise a community of both old and new, strong and weak ties had advantages for women-entrepreneurs no matter their level of Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation. For those starting out, free and easy-to-use platforms such as Instagram can inspire and offer support at little to no cost, and for experienced entrepreneurs it promotes business growth through the variety of opportunities the platform affords. More importantly, Instagram, where both communication and commerce unite, allows business owners to find one another and form online support networks from the same place they conduct their business. This online hub or ‘third space’, where women entrepreneurs can meet virtually to share knowledge and collaborate, offers support for many women, especially those working in isolation. Community then, is not defined by physical place, but by the social ties that provide an individual with a sense of belonging.

It should be noted that this essay is limited to those that have access to social media and those that are confident with using social media applications. Mature-aged entrepreneurs may have different opinions and experiences with running businesses in the digital age due to generational differences. Further exploration of women entrepreneurs who have transitioned their physical ‘bricks and mortar’ businesses to online spheres in a century where both traditional and new age businesses exist, would provide valuable knowledge to the area of entrepreneurship.

Download PDF

MonicaOtley_Paper_RiseOfTheWomanEntrepreneur

References

Delanty, G. (2018). Virtual community: Belonging as communication. In Community (3^rd ed., pp. 200-224). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315158259

Dewi, A. S. (2020). Investigating the impact of Instagram on women entrepreneurs’ empowerment. Advances in social science, Education and Humanities, 452, 58-61. Retrieved from https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=investigating+the+impact+of+instagram&oq=

Di Domenico, M., Daniel, E., & Nunan, D. (2014). ‘Mental mobility’ in the digital age: Entrepreneurs and the online home-based business. New technology, work and employment, 29(3), 266-281. https://doi.org/10.1111/ntwe.12034

Fatima, T., & Bilal, A. R. (2020). Achieving SME performance through individual entrepreneurial orientation: An active social networking perspective. Journal of entrepreneurship in emerging economies, 12(3), 399-411. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-03-2019-0037

Hampton, K. N., & Wellman, B. (2018). Lost and saved…again: The moral panic about the loss of community takes hold of social media. Contemporary Sociology, 47(6), 643-651. https://doi.org/10.1177/0094306118805415

Heizmann, H., & Liu, H. (2022). ‘Bloody wonder woman!’: Identity performances of elite women entrepreneurs on Instagram. Human relations, 75(3), 411-440. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726720979034

Jenkins, L., Lin, R., & Jeske, D. (2016). Influences and benefits of role models on social media. In Y. K. Dwivedi, M. Mantymaki, M. N. Ravishankar, M. Janssen, M. Clement, E. L. Slade, N. P. Rana, S. Al-Sharhan & A. C. Simintiras (Eds.), Social media: The good the bad and the ugly, 673-684. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45234-0

Mumi, A. (2020). Effectual entrepreneur and the use of social media for opportunity recognition. In L. Schjoedt, M. E. Brannback, & A. L. Carsrud (Eds.), Understanding social media and entrepreneurship: The business of hashtags, likes, tweets and stories (49-67). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43453-3_4

Olsson, A. K. & Bernhard, I. (2021). Keeping up the pace of digitization in small business-women entrepreneurs’ knowledge and use of social media. International Journal of entrepreneurial behaviour and research, 27(2), 378-396. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-10-2019-0615

Papacharissi, Z. (2011). Conclusion: A networked self. In Z. Papacharissi (Ed.), A networked self: Identity, community and culture on social networking sites, 304-318. Taylor & Francis Group. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/curtin/reader.action?docID=574608&ppg=313

Quinton, S., & Wilson, D. (2016). Tensions and ties in social media networks: Towards a model of understanding business relationship development and business performance enhancement through the use of LinkedIn. Industrial marketing management, 54, 15-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2015.12.001

Schou, P. K., Bucher, E., & Waldkirch, M. (2021). Entrepreneurial learning in online communities. Small business economics, 58, 2087-2108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-021-00502-8

Tajudeen, F. P., & Harun, Z. (2020). Instagram as a marketing tool for small and medium enterprises. International journal of technology diffusion, 11(3), 48-59. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJTD.2020070103

Virtanen, H., Bjork, P, & Sjostrom, E. (2017). Follow for follow: Marketing of a start-up company on Instagram. Journal of small business and enterprise development, 24(3), 468-484. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-12-2016-0202