ECOMMERCE & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

ECOMMERCE AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:

EMPOWERING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH

ECOMMERCE

A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO UNIVERSITY OF DELHI IN

PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

AWARD OF

BACHELOR DEGREE OF COMMERCE (HONOURS)

BY

NIHARIKA BISHT

(SIXTH SEMESESTER BCOM (HONS))

SHAHEED BHAGAT SINGH COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF DELHI

Under the supervision of

Dr. BB GOENKA

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

DECLARATION

I, NIHARIKA BISHT, declare that this project work entitled

“ECOMMERCE AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: EMPOWERING YOUNG

ENTREPRENEURS THROUGH ECOMMERCE” has been prepared by me

under the supervision of Dr. BB GOENKA, Assistant Professor, Department

of Commerce, Shaheed Bhagat Singh college, university of Delhi.

I also hereby declare that this project work has not been submitted by

me fully or partially for the award of any degree, diploma, title or

recognition earlier.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This Project Report entitled “ECOMMERCE AND WOMEN

EMPOWERMENT: EMPOWERING YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

THROUGH ECOMMERCE” has been prepared by me and I had under taken

project survey under the supervision of Dr. BB Goenka, Department of

Commerce, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi.

I am immensely grateful to my guide Dr.BB Goenka and to all my

faculties for their constant encouragement and guidance throughout this project

period.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my friends who have

assisted me in completing this work.

Last, but certainly not the least, I am indebted to my Parents and Almighty.

Without their blessings or grace, I couldn’t have finished this project under

stipulated time and with focused vision.

Contents:

1. Abstract

2. Introduction

3. Literature review about ecommerce

-Evolution of ecommerce

-Ecommerce and development

4. Women-Owned Small Business in Developing Countries:

-Features and Barriers to Improve

5. Women empowerment through ecommerce

6. Some successful young entrepreneurs in India empowered through e-commerce

7. Conclusion

8. References

ABSTRACT: Gender and development do not establish within separate households and communities. In

these circumstances, women in business act as an essential player in the business world

because they can create jobs, hope and opportunities in economics. Nowadays, the role of

women entrepreneur or business women has become more significant than many areas of

business. In increasing the economic growth of the country, it is important to analyze the

opportunities and constrains to women’s development. As e commerce is emerging as

powerful tool for gender empowerment. Here we will discuss the aspects and role of e

commerce for gender empowerment in developing country. We will also discuss the main

challenge and obstacles faces by women, suggests practical strategies to address those

challenges and goes on to suggest ways to improve the conditions leading to women’s

empowerment. Within the access of women entrepreneur especially who owned small

business scale in e commerce, it will bring new information resources and can open new

communication channels for marginalized community. Instead of selling stuff online, e

commerce using online resources and tools to do business more efficient and productive.

Moreover, e commerce suits for any business as it involves the whole business cycle from

production, procurement, distribution, sales payment, fulfillment restocking and marketing.

On the other hand, equitable access to ecommerce among women entrepreneur, therefore

need some consideration from support services.

Recently, the role of women entrepreneur has become more significant than man in many

area of business. Fields of industries such as construction, architrave, leisure, entertainment

and art oriented industry have more realized the benefits of having counterpart due to their

way in understanding things differently. Furthermore women use their imaginative skills

more fluently than man do. It means, male consider more adoptive and straight towards the

work, whereas woman is soft hearted and looking at every aspect more concisely. Thus,

business comes to women more positively. Women tend to emphasize relationship of style

or equality and stability whether they are talking to men or women.

Entrepreneurship is definitely not for the faint hearted. Though, in India we claim of this ever-increasing support system to help early stage founders, it just does not seem sufficient.

So, getting started with the initial leap of faith and staying at it, to strike the ball off the field is indeed commendable-irrespective of whether you are a women entrepreneur or not.

INTRODUCTION:

Nowadays, information technology and the internet have a great effect on business

operations. Information and communication technology in various forms affects many of the

processes of business and government, how individuals live, work and interact, and the

quality of the natural and built environment. Between the various types of media, there is a

great deal of advertising and announcements going around about a topic called electronic

commerce. Some books define e commerce as the use of electronic communications and

digital information processing technology in business transaction to create, transform and

redefine relationships for value creation between government, citizens/households and

business. It means, electronic commerce is the sharing of business information, maintaining

business relationships and conducting business transactions by means of telecommunications

networks.

---- E commerce involves all types of communications technology, including the WWW,

email, private bulletin board systems or value-added networks, intranets and extranets.

----Moreover, within e commerce relationship between customer and supplier will improve.

In this area, the web merchant gives customers direct to their personal account online which

can saves time and money.

----The other benefit can gain from e commerce involves enhance customer loyalty, market

leadership, new product services, intellectual and human capital and technology.

So, all the benefits of ecommerce were limited to the extent of making trade easy and

decreasing the distance between buyer and seller, saving time etc. So these benefits only

accrue to people transacting through this system but does it really contributes to the

development of the economy as a whole.

Some studies resume the benefit of e commerce in increasing women empowerment. It was argued that e commerce as a part of ICTs promoted as a key solution for comprehensive development, poverty eradication and the empowerment of disadvantaged groups, such as women and minorities (Bhatnagar & Schware, 2000; Friedman, 2005; Hafkin & Huyer, 2006; Hafkin & Taggert, 2001; Heeks, 1999, Huyer & Mitter, 2003; UNCTAD, 2002). It stressed out that women participation rate in political, social and economic will increase and it will support empowerment for themselves, their families and their communities.

This project will address how e commerce will empower women,

especially for women-owned small business .

The methodology of this project consist of the literature review

about e commerce which covers definition, scope, aspect and

their relations.

The second section will discuss the feature about women-

owned small business includes their obstacles in surviving in

business competition.

On the third section, this project presents the opportunity of

how this group will have benefits in using e commerce.

The final section, briefly resume the conclusion and proposes a

set of question to consider.

LITERATURE REVIEW ABOUT ECOMMERCE:

Definition:

The term ecommerce emerged when business started to realize the role of internet as a

powerful medium in conducting business especially in the service sector which is the main

goal to improve customer-supplier relationship.

Laudon and Traver defines ecommerce as ‘all about time cycle, speed, globalization,

enhanced productivity, reaching new customers and sharing knowledge across institution,

through digitally enabled transaction across boundaries in return for products and services’.

In various means of relationship, ecommerce evolved within business circle that can be

broken into four main categories:

Categories of ecommerce

B2B B2C C2B C2C

B2B (business to business) refers to a broad range of intercompany transactions, including

wholesale trade as well as company purchases of services, resources, technology,

manufactured parts and component and capital equipment.

B2C(business to customer) defines as a transaction conducted over the internet between a

business and a customer and a customer and it is consider as a ecommerce store model as a

publicly accessible web site offering product for sale, just like a store on a street ,public can

walk in and make purchase.

C2B (customer to business), customer posts his project with a set budget online and within

hours companies review the customer requirements and bid on the project. Then, customer

reviews the bids and selects the company that will complete the project. This form will

empower customers around the world because it provides the meeting ground and platform

for such transactions.

C2C (customer to customer), also called person to person can be defined as individuals doing

business in an online environment. And it has been in existence for a long time before the

internet. It could be argued that it is the oldest form of all ecommerce. Flea markets and

classified advertisements in newspapers are forms of c2c commerce familiar to us all.

THE EVOLUTION OF ECOMMERCE:

The beginning of ecommerce can be traced all the way back to when business first use telex

and fax, telegram, telephone to conduct commerce activities. During the 1980s a major effort

to standardize business information exchanged digitally was achieved using EDI. Here

connections between businesses had to be pre-arranged, normally based on value added

network. This improves the efficiency of conducting business but has limited commercial

viability because of the high cost of connectivity. In the early 1990s, with the

commercialization of internet and the advent of open computer technology, connectivity

becomes affordable not only for businesses but also for individuals. The interconnections

have from the World Wide Web (WWW). The powerful search engines and the proliferation

of websites turn the WWW into rich information recourse, attracting browser on a global

scale. Business begins to reach their potential customers through the internet and provide

them with the marketing information and product catalogue online.

During the 1990s, WWW evolves from merely an information resource to become virtual

place for ecommerce activities, which in turn require a more secured and interactive

environment. The secured and interactive features transform ecommerce activities from a

single buyer-seller connection to a multiple buyers- seller’s exchange. Additionally, websites

can be customized or even personalized. Business also begins to adopt wireless technology

to internet. The most recent ecommerce need is to enable business to business exchange,

which requires interoperability across business, as well as within business enterprise. As

ecommerce activities extend across business processes-business processes.

ECOMMERCE AND DEVELOPMENT:

Ecommerce as a part of ICTs are consistently hailed as one of the most effective tools for the

economic development, the share of value added that potentially lends itself to electronic

commerce represents around 30 percent of GDP, most importantly distribution, finance and

business services. Nevertheless, ecommerce is also likely to boost international flow of many

services significantly.

The explosion in the use of ecommerce has been tremendous since its inception only a few

years ago. From government to multinational companies to one person start-ups, ecommerce

is increasingly viewed as a key business modality of the future. Ease of transactions,

widening markets , decreased overheads are the factors that make ecommerce solutions more

and more attractive, as evident as the growth of online sales.

Women-Owned Small Business in Developing Countries:

Features and Barriers to Improve

Increasing numbers of women however are establishing business in the formal sector as a

way of generating income. Women entrepreneurs make significant contributions to their

economies. It is estimated that Small medium enterprises (SMEs) with full or partial female

ownership represents 31 to 38 percent (8 to 10 million of the formal SMEs in emerging

markets (IFC McKinsey, 2011). This pattern represents a significant share of employment

generation and economic growth potential. Even in some project it is found that women are

starting businesses at a faster rate than men and making significant contribution to job

creation and economic growth in many developed economies, (OECD, 2003;IFC, 2010). In

some developing countries especially in East Asia for example, women owned SMEs have

shown a consistent growth trajectory and in some countries are growing at a faster rate than

business owned by men.

Growth Rate of Male/Female SMEs in Some Developing Countries

(Percentage for Latest Year)

Country Female Male

Indonesia (2007) 8.1 –0.27

Malaysia (2008) 9.7 7.43

Philippines

(2007)

2.5 NA

Singapore (2009) 4.2 NA

Thailand (2008) 2.3 0.31

Vietnam (2004) 42.5 40.93

There are two main factors that lead to barrier for women entrepreneur in developing country

in expanding their enterprise,

- Non financial barriers and financial barriers.

- Non financial barrier includes legal environment as well as cultural environment that can

constrain women entrepreneur in improving their business. Legal environment covers smart

regulation as the way for women to start and operate their business. Smart regulations that

will support women in starting and operate their business needs transparency, efficiency and

implemented in a simple way.

- Cultural environment can constraint the opportunities of women entrepreneur pursue in

improving their business. Having less time for entrepreneurial activity become fundamental

factor that limiting women’s entrepreneur mobility. The greater time demand on domestic

and sector child care activities affect their market time allocation, duration and type of

experience, learning and absolutely, the sector and choice activity. Thus, intra house hold

bargaining position also contributes the women’s entrepreneur mobility. This means,

sometimes women have less voice and control over resources including their own income.

- Some studies also found there is some restrictions on mobility that limited women’s ability

to start and grow their business. In highly restrictive societies, women may not be allowed to

talk to strangers or go out alone which is it necessary in starting and growing a business.

Then, women have few access to safe place to save as well as access to product and services

to meet their life cycle needs such as education, health, insurance, pension etc which can

take effect on their ability to reinvest their earning in business growth.

- Other aspect that prevent women entrepreneur to operate their business is human capital.

Human capital consider as a strong predictor of entrepreneurial activity. Some research

found that women entrepreneur still have lower measures of human capital. Even formal

education is reaching out tremendous progress that closed gender gap in education in recent

years, there are other measures of human capital such as literacy and management skill

where gender gap still persist. Furthermore, even women have greater access to education,

they tend to be least educated entrepreneurs, with lower work experience and education

levels in developing countries. Some studies found out 54 percent of women entrepreneurs

have not completed secondary education, compared to the 34 percent who have some

graduate experience in developed countries.

Access to finance is a key constraint for both male and female small business in developing

countries. Some studies and project showed that women entrepreneurs in some regions and

sector receive smaller loan. And it is the reason why their business grows at slower pace

than business owned by men. Also women have less access to basic banking services such as

banking and savings accounts. Also, they are more likely to rely on internal and informal

resources such as their own saving, or loans from family, friends and Microfinance

Institutions (MFI).

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ECOMMERCE:

Entrepreneurship consider as a herculean task which is fraught with struggle, entailing both

risk and effect. Basically, entrepreneurship also provides another means to generate income

and reduce inequalities among men and women. In transition economies, which are

characterized by limited growth in employment, entrepreneurship can help expand these

economies while also leading t less inequality to less inequality in society.

Considering the contribution of women entrepreneur, empowered women become major

catalysts for development, as they usually re-invest their money in their children’s health,

nutrition and education. Reducing gender equality is resource and improving the status of

women is thus “smart economics”. There is mounting evidence to show that women’s

economic activity results in better bargaining power in the home. More bargaining power for

women not only benefits the women but also results in greater investments in the health and

education of children, thus promoting human capital of the next generation and therefore

improving the potential for the economic growth.

Ecommerce offers the promise of fundamentally changing women entrepreneurs’ live and it

links it to the economic development. We can say that the use of ICTs in contributing to

women empowerment as well as the improvement of their marketable skill, independent

income, and self confidence, increasing knowledge about the world and the political,

economic, cultural factors that shape women life.

In order to survive in today’s challenging environment, it is imperative that women

entrepreneurs be competitive and resilient. To reach this goal, they need to improve

continuously by strengthening their capacity and capability to produce high quality products

and services at competitive price. Previous studies, have resume that small business order to

survive need to enhance the product quality, promotion and distribution innovation. One

way for small business to prosper and for ongoing survival is using the ecommerce.

The role of ecommerce in providing avenue to shift out of the home and into consumers’

digital telecommunication devices by matching message to customer preference and

demographics, marketers will be able to better target the right recipient with the right

message at the right time. A successful of the application of ecommerce among the

women entrepreneurs same as their counterpart. In this case, successful ecommerce

business must be globally aware, system oriented and customer sensitive. This because

companies can use the direct access to consumer to customer information that will help them

better develops products to meet customer need through customizations or create new niche

product.

In general, most firms used ecommerce primarily to provide information about the company,

its products and services and for both internal and external communication. Then, in addition

, online consumer can easily gain access to graphics, sound and movies. Moreover, within

the use of ecommerce will enable real time transactions interactively at a selected convenient

time. This illustration becomes a good opportunity for women entrepreneurs to market

their products internationally since the information can be widely spread all over the

world.

The application of ecommerce among the women entrepreneur changing the shape of

competition, the speed of action and the streamlining of interactions and payments from the

customers to companies and from companies to supplier. On the other hand, interesting

features concerning ecommerce from the side of marketing, is attractiveness of its flexibility

as compared to traditional approach. This flexibility surely not only add new items and

update info based on the direct feedback received from the customers but the powerful

unlimited accessibility resulted with increase business hours across the world.

As small business apply ecommerce, they indirectly remove the need of intermediary

distribution channels and extend the distribution coverage across the globe. When

ecommerce become acceptable and practically used it change the trend in distribution

channels because the e-retailers at the same time become retailer and a distribution center.

Then, there are some more advantage that small business can gain in using ecommerce from

the point of view of logistics, which is cost reduction through improved process efficiency,

improved reach, the unbinding of business systems and price reductions. Then, within online

based procurement system, women entrepreneur also can gain the advantage immediately.

The administrative costs for each purchase are significantly reduced due to less paperwork

running by the system and not by the employees themselves.

Why women rule the internet?

Comscore says women are the majority of users of social networking sites and spend

30% more time on sites than men; mobile social network usage os 55%female

according to Nielsen.

In e-commerce according to Gilt women are 70 % of customer base and they drive

74% of revenue.

77% of groupon’s customers are female according to their site.

Women shop more on Chegg, which offers textbook rentals on college campuses

across the country. According to chegg females are 65% of rentals.

Sheryl sandberg, COO of facebook, says that women are not only the majority of its

users, but it drives 60% of its activity in terms of messages, updates and comments

and 71% of the daily fan activity.

Even in gaming “seemingly a bastion of men in their men caves,” Zynga says 60%

players are female.

Women also dominate sites like Opentable, the majority of bookings are

overwhelmingly made by females.

The point here is not to be proud that women purchase more books or shoes

or book more restaurants online than men, but rather to point out the reality

that women are the dominating purchasing population. So if business is

smart, it should take this reality into account.

How?

If you are at a customer web company and would like to your cost of

customer acquisition or grow revenue faster, take a look at your product,

your marketing , your customer base.

Also take a look at your team. Do you have women in your key positions?

If you are planning on targeting female customers, why wouldn’t you

want to have great women on your team.

And the board of directors; how many women do you have?

Women are the routers and amplifiers of social web. They are the rocket fuel of

ecommerce.

ALIBABA.COM

Let’s see an example of alibaba.com

Alibaba.com, the global leader in B2B e-commerce has expressed its intent to promote

innovation and encourage entrepreneurship amongst women in India. Alibaba.com has

committed to educating women about the benefits of the internet and how e-commerce as a

tool can help them build and grow their own businesses. As a part of this intent, Alibaba.com

has participated in the Women Mean Business Conference organized by the Cherie Blair

Foundation, to raise awareness about e-commerce as an innovative business tool.

Speaking at the Women Mean Business Conference organized by the Cherie Blair

Foundation, Mei Lu, Director of Global Sales said, "Today, women are breaking stereotypes

and moving away from traditional roles and corporate profiles to turn entrepreneurs. It is not

just the educated, urban woman but also women from the lower and middle-classes as well

as rural women who are setting-up independent businesses. The challenge that these women

often face is gaining visibility and acceptability. The Internet is a very potent business tool

that is far-reaching and cost-effective. Online B2B portals like Alibaba.com provide an

efficient, trusted platform to connect buyers and suppliers from around the world, removing

barriers of time and distance. A woman entrepreneur can access a world of opportunities,

gain more visibility in the market, establish trust with their trading partners and compete

with large companies on more equal terms - all by simply sitting at home with a simple

mouse click without the hassles of business travel or marketing calls."

Alibaba.com has helped numerous women entrepreneurs from across the country set-up and

manage virtual storefronts. Take for instance the case of Waves Hair, a company based in

Kochi that is completely managed by women and offers various hair extension solutions.

Mallika Sreekumar, business Owner and CEO of Waves Hair, had no prior experience in

managing a manufacturing unit for an international product. In 2005, she took a bold step

and decided to set-up her company on Alibaba.com's platform.

"In 2005, I took up a free membership at Alibaba.com as I was still learning the ropes of

managing my company. However, I realized that that Alibaba.com offers great potential to

grow my business in the international market. Within 2-3 months I had signed up for the

Gold Supplier Membership and today, Waves Hair exports to countries in North America,

South America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, Mid East and Eastern Asia and

Western Europe," said Mallika.

Another example is that of Mazda Ltd. Based in Ahmadabad, Mazda Ltd. manufactures

premium instant powdered soft drink mixes, food color, flavoring essence, rose syrup,

custard powder, baking powder, vanilla essence, jams and soft drinks. It was in 2005 when

Ms Shanaya Mody, Director of Mazda Ltd turned to e-commerce and discovered

Alibaba.com while searching for an online promotional channel. "Through Alibaba.com, our

division has grown by 120%. We have regular customers in Russia as well as many others in

the UAE, Saudi Arabia and US."

Shanaya believes that using a reputed B2B portal has helped build trust with buyers, giving

them more confidence to conduct business with Mazda Ltd through Alibaba.com. She

elaborates, "As a Gold Supplier member, I get more enquiries than ever before. Last year

alone, Alibaba.com gave us two crore rupees (US$430,000) of business! With Alibaba.com

there's really no need to use any other promotional channel."

"The women in India are breaking stereotypes and making successful forays as

entrepreneurs. And this is not a phenomenon that is restricted to the metropolitan cities. At

Alibaba.com, we have seen women from various small cities and towns from all over the

country use e-commerce to grab global opportunities. This is a trend that will continue to

grow and we are committed to encourage businesswomen grow their businesses. We want

Indian women entrepreneurs to realize and capitalize the great global opportunities that await

them. We are committed to by raising awareness about the benefits of e-commerce as a

business tool," said Sandeep Deshpande, Country Manager, Alibaba.com, India.

Some successful young entrepreneurs in India

empowered through e-commerce:

Anisha Singh Founder and CEO, mydala.com

Established in the year 2009, headquartered in New Delhi, mydala is the largest mobile

coupon provider in India. Mydala has partnered with over 100,000 merchants across 145

cities. Mydala’s offers reach to 200 million unique users monthly through internet, mobile

devices and TV.

In just four years, mydala has created a benchmark for the e-commerce & m-commerce

industry, leveraging the power of group-buying.

Mydala features unbelievable deals on the best stuff; from things to do, see, eat, and buy in

your city. Mydala provides SMEs and National/International brands with a comprehensive

marketing platform allowing them to reach their target audience through attractive deals,

innovative branding, visibility and promotional campaigns.

mydala has tied up with leading telecom providers, Vodafone, Idea & Tata Docomo to offers

deals on the mobile phone, according to the dynamic usage, location patterns, spend &

buying type and demands of the consumers.

Specialties

Online deals, Marketing & advertisement, e-commerce, Mobile Coupon, Group buying,

Mobile app, m-commerce.

Shreya Bajaj Founder, ItsHandMade.in

Its Handmade is an online marketplace that offers vibrant, heartwarming handmade creations

from across India. We help shoppers find unique, greed-inducing goodies and artists find

inspiration and homes for their original designs without worrying about logistics.

The dream is to create a world where everyone learns to share, earn, and love everything

handmade.

Aien Jamir

Owner, facebook.com/AJ store

Aj-store.com is serving beauty and fashion accessories. A representative of Avon Products

and Glutathione.

Jennifer & Mansi

Owners, bakebox.com

There’s a new service in Delhi, and it plans to fatten you up. How? By sending over a

carefully curate box of assorted baked goods and dessert to your home every month. The

nerve of those guys!This is Bake Box, a delivery service that calls itself “India’s first cake

club”. Currently, all you can do is put your email address in the sign up box and wait for the

oven to go ‘ping’, but here’s how it will work: you pay a flat fee (yet to be revealed) and get

a box filled with surprise dessert – sourced from boulangeries and home bakers across the

city – delivered to your city.

We’re imagining pretty boxes filled with pastel macaroons, freshly baked muffins, slices of

warm cake, buttery- crumbly pie and other such floury language.

Shivani & Tanvi Owners, FabAlley.com

FabAlley is the ultimate Indian fashion destination for fashion-forward, indie-chic girls.

Founded in 2012, Tanvi Malik and Shivani Poddar started FabAlley as a highly curated

accessories only store. In a few short months, FabAlley has grown to become the mecca of

globally trendy apparel and accessories both, and all of them designed in-house!

Who is the FabAlley girl? She is part quirky, part conventional and totally cool. Possibly, the

coolest girl in the room. The one who’ll follow her honed style impulses to pick up the

funkiest, wildly unique pieces on a mere whim. At FabAlley, we are our own customers,

which makes our job the easiest in the world – to inspire and be inspired by cool girls all

across the nation.

CONCLUSION:

New information and technologies can be powerful tools for increasing the

competitiveness of countries and contributing towards economic growth and

development. However, in many parts of the world, women especially in

rural areas, are still excluded from accessing the internet or do not have the

skills to use it in a profitable way. On the other hand, examples from

developing countries demonstrate that, if given access and knowledge-how,

women entrepreneurs have benefitted from using the new technologies in a

large number of areas, such as getting access to valuable business

information, finding new (export) markets, marketing their products and

services over the internet, securing large orders through networking with

community members, and generally cutting costs through more efficient

business practices.

We have seen various examples of successful women entrepreneurs

benefited by e-commerce and are now self sufficient in running their

business. Women if given access and freedom have always proved to be the

best in business world especially e-commerce as they have proved to rule the

internet.

Among the best practices that empowered women are strong initial and

continued training, access to necessary resources, help in expanding the

market, government and societal support, good networks in the community

and an open and participatory management style. Among the challenges

that women in ICT-based e-commerce businesses still have yet to overcome

are dependence on government contracts, societal conflicts that arise as

existing power structures are threatened by the increasing economic

independence of women involved in these projects and issues related to

work-life balance in more traditional societies. The best practices we have

identified and discussed will serve as a useful framework for further

development of ICT-based projects and also provide valuable guidance to

policymakers and prospective entrepreneurs. Eliminating the need for “trial

and error” significantly reduces the start-up costs, which is particularly

important for women.

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Applications in Small and Medium Enterpreneurs (SMEs)”, (online),

http://www.uum.edu.my.

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International Conference on Ecommerce 2005, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah,

Malaysia.

[4] Farhoomand, A. and Lovelock, P. (2001), “Global E Commerce:Text & Cases”, Prentice

Hall, U.S.A., pp. 336–352.

[5] Fatimah Mohd Arshad (1999), “Prioritising research in marketing in a computer

mediated environment in Malaysia”, (Online), http://www.econ.upm.edu.my.

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