Bandung- Technological disruption is reshaping how women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) prepare their workforce for the digital economy. A 2026 study by Goklas Siahaan and Silvana Syah from the Department of Management, Universitas Siber Asia, Indonesia, shows that digital readiness among women entrepreneurs does not grow from training alone. Instead, it emerges when internal capability-building is successfully connected to external networks, collaborations, and digital ecosystems. The findings, published in the East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, matter as Indonesia accelerates MSME digital transformation while millions of women-owned businesses remain vulnerable to technological change.
Why Digital Disruption Hits Women-Owned MSMEs Harder
MSMEs form the backbone of Indonesia’s economy, accounting for nearly all business units and absorbing most of the national workforce. Women play a dominant role, managing an estimated two-thirds of all MSMEs. Yet most women-owned enterprises operate at a micro scale, where access to technology, capital, and markets is limited.
Digitalization has changed consumer behavior, intensified competition, and raised expectations for efficiency. Customers now search, compare, and buy online. Competitors use e-commerce, digital marketing, and data-driven operations to move faster and cheaper. For MSMEs that fail to adapt, the risk is not stagnation but disappearance.
Despite these pressures, national data show that fewer than one in three MSMEs are fully integrated into the digital ecosystem. Among women-owned MSMEs, the gap is even wider due to limited digital confidence, skills, and support networks. Many businesses practice “surface digitalization,” such as opening social media accounts without a clear strategy or integration into daily operations.
This gap prompted Siahaan and Syah to look beyond simple explanations. Instead of asking whether training works, they examined how technological disruption triggers human resource development strategies, and under what conditions those strategies actually lead to digital readiness.
How the Research Was Conducted
The researchers surveyed 130 women-owned MSMEs in Tarumajaya Village, Kertasari District, Bandung, West Java. The businesses had been operating for at least two years and were active in sectors heavily affected by digital change, including culinary, fashion, and handicrafts.
Using structured online questionnaires, the study measured three core elements:
- Perceived technological disruption, such as changes in consumer behavior and digital competition
- Internal human resource development strategies, including training, self-learning, and investment in skills
- Women’s digital readiness, defined as confidence, proactive learning, and willingness to innovate
The data were analyzed using a statistical modeling approach designed to identify both direct and indirect relationships between these factors. This allowed the authors to see not only what influences digital readiness, but also how that influence works.
Key Findings in Plain Terms
The study delivers a clear message: training alone is not enough. Its main findings include:
- Internal strategies strengthen external connections Women-owned MSMEs that invest in training, planning, and skill development are better positioned to build networks, access information, and engage with external support systems.
- External factors directly shape digital readinessAccess to communities, partnerships, digital platforms, market information, and supportive policies significantly boosts women entrepreneurs’ confidence and readiness to adopt technology.
- Internal strategies do not directly increase digital readinessTraining and self-improvement efforts only translate into readiness when they lead to real engagement with the external digital ecosystem. Without that bridge, skills remain underused.
The analysis shows a full mediation effect: internal capability-building influences digital readiness only through external factors. In other words, networks and ecosystems are not optional extras—they are the decisive link.
What This Means for Policy and Practice
These findings carry strong implications for MSME development programs. Many initiatives still focus heavily on workshops, webinars, and short-term training. While useful, such efforts often end without follow-up or ecosystem integration.
According to the study, empowerment programs will have limited impact unless they also:
- Connect participants to digital marketplaces, suppliers, and customers
- Facilitate peer communities and business networks
- Provide ongoing access to mentors, platforms, and market data
As the authors emphasize, internal preparation must be converted into social capital. Without access to external resources, women entrepreneurs may feel frustrated after training, knowing what to do but lacking the means to act.
From a policy perspective, this supports ecosystem-based approaches to MSME digitalization. Collaboration between government agencies, platforms, financial institutions, and business communities becomes critical, especially for women-led enterprises.
Insight from the Researchers
Siahaan and Syah underline that capability development is a sequential process. Strengthening internal skills is only the first step. Those skills must then open doors to collaboration and opportunity.
As explained by Goklas Siahaan of Universitas Siber Asia, internal strategies “become effective only when they are translated into networks, partnerships, and access to the broader digital environment.” Without that translation, readiness remains theoretical rather than practical.
Why This Research Stands Out
Many previous studies link digital training directly to performance or readiness. This research adds nuance by showing that the relationship is not linear. External factors act as a necessary bridge between learning and real-world adaptation.
For women-owned MSMEs, this insight is especially relevant. Social networks, community support, and institutional access often determine whether skills can be applied at all. The study provides evidence-based guidance for designing more effective, inclusive digital transformation strategies.
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