E-ISSN:2583-0074

Research Article

Digital Transformation

Social Science Journal for Advanced Research

2026 Volume 6 Number 2 March
Publisherwww.singhpublication.com

The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship in Tribal Communities: An Empirical Approach

Koza KO1*, I. Ravi2
DOI:10.54741/SSJAR/6.2.2026.326

1* Kekhronei O Koza, Research Scholar, Department of Economics, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.

2 I. Ravi, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.

This paper investigates how digital transformation affects gender-sensitive entrepreneurship, especially among the tribes for women entrepreneurs. Amidst social media technological progression as a new entrepreneurship opportunity, tribal women are still handicapped by low education, restricted economies, traditional norms, and weak infrastructure facilities. Building on socio-technical systems theory and the resource-based view framework, this study investigates how new technologies have altered classic concepts of entrepreneurship and determines the feasibility of the tools proposed for female tribal people in areas like Northeast India and Odisha. The results show that digital media facilitate market access, lower operating expenses, and expand knowledge sharing. But challenges such as weak internet connection, cultural barrier, and lack of computer literacy skills per person have not been eliminated. Inclusion measures include investment in the digital environment, culturally competent training, and financial reward for diversity-friendly policies. To manage the structure of the problems and to encourage sustainable development in tribes, there is stress on intergovernmental, international, as well as local collaboration between government, non-governmental bodies, and private sectors. This study shows the potential of technology to empower tribal women entrepreneurs, simultaneously suggesting that the systemic approach be implemented to address challenges and scale up women’s economic opportunities.
Keywords: digital transformation, tribal women entrepreneurs, socio-technical systems, digital inclusion, gender-specific entrepreneurship, north-east India, socio-economic empowerment.

Keywords: digital transformation, tribal women entrepreneurs, socio-technical systems, digital inclusion, gender-specific entrepreneurship, north-east India, socio-economic empowerment

Corresponding Author How to Cite this Article To Browse
Kekhronei O Koza, Research Scholar, Department of Economics, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India.
Email: 		Koza KO, I. Ravi, The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship in Tribal Communities: An Empirical Approach. Soc Sci J Adv Res. 2026;6(2):1-11.
Available From
https://ssjar.singhpublication.com/index.php/ojs/article/view/326

Manuscript Received Review Round 1 Review Round 2 Review Round 3 Accepted
2026-02-02 2026-02-19 2026-03-07
Conflict of Interest Funding Ethical Approval Plagiarism X-checker Note
None Nil Yes 4.32

© 2026 by Koza KO, I. Ravi and Published by Singh Publication. This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ unported [CC BY 4.0].

Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)1
Download PDFBack To Article1. Introduction2. Literature Review3. Research
Methodology4. Theoretical
Perspectives on
Digital
Transformation5. Gendered
Dimensions in
Entrepreneurship6. Findings &
Discussions7. ConclusionReferences
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

1. Introduction

Background: Digital Transformation in Entrepreneurship: Digital transformation, therefore, is now considered as a driver of entrepreneurship development and innovation. It has made a drastic change in modern style entrepreneurship by remodelling the structure of modern business entities, creating new networking platforms and offering chances to perform sustainable transitions (Satalkina & Steiner, 2020).

Social media and other technologies are not only giving birth to new types of businesses but are also encouraging diverse groups of people. Nevertheless, the diffusion of digital technologies has been unbalanced: the minorities, including tribal peoples, frequently remain behind because of the social injustices (6e0b011a-En, n.d.).

Gendered Impact in Tribal Communities: While scholars and policymakers worldwide give attention to digital entrepreneurship, its influence continues to be negligible on tribal communities, including women, business owners. Women from the tribal areas are hindered by socio-economic and cultural factors to compute with their counterparts; compounded with lack of proper facility to access digital tools and financial instruments. Much of the prior work examines the concept of digital transformation in the typical institutional environment with limited attention paid to how it manifests gender dynamics in tribal scenarios. For example, whereas digital innovation is a force for competition and value creation in urban markets, its use in rural or tribal areas presents itself without resources such as roads and infrastructure and regulation of such businesses (Kreiterling, 2023).

Evaluate the Effect of Digital Tools on Tribal Women Entrepreneurs: More specifically, this study seeks to assess the impact of the enhanced use of digital instruments on tribal women self-employed and the resultant influence on economic emancipation and innovative participative elimination of historical constraints. Hence, by situating this study within the extant theory of digital entrepreneurship and innovation systems, this study serves to fill some of the important gaps within the literature. In particular, it elucidates socio-economic profiles of tribal women entrepreneurs, factors that affect their types of technologies in use, and barriers to attaining value from these tools for business advancement.

With these objectives in mind, the research uses background works including Satalkina and Steiner, and Calvino and Criscuolo, to embrace the effect of digital technologies and systemic challenges respectively. Also, a scholarly journal, Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which supports the idea of using approaches focusing on the needs of vulnerable communities in digital solutions (Kreiterling, 2023) has to be mentioned here. Combined, they create the understanding from which it is possible to provide a complex approach to the study of the digital transformation and women’s entrepreneurship in the tribal environments.

2. Literature Review

Banerjee & Mete (2024) discusses the way in which the adoption of technology has boosted the number of tribal businessmen/women in Birbhum district. The study reveals that out of all the technology using entrepreneurs, 55% are women, which shows transition towards increased gender sensitivity. The study also reveals that tech-savvy consumers depict relatively high-proficiency levels, better-paid jobs, a corresponding growth in productivity rates to contend with barriers such as insufficient networks and little literacy.

Manisana Devi & Munjal (2022) focuses on understanding possibilities and potential of digitalization in minimizing digital divide and achieving social inclusion for deprived tribal population of India. This paper reflects on different digital interventions envisaged for improving education, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities for the tribal women and how these interventions may bring about the change to end discrimination and provide equal economic opportunities to women in India.

According to Meesho, in their article on (Digital Revolution 2.0: Transforming Rural Women Into Online Entrepreneurs, n.d.) explains how partnerships made between various e-commerce firms and state governments allow women from the rural areas of India, especially lower castes and tribes, to set up shop online. The issues that were covered included: digital literacy and GST registration and how they were t tackled to foster improved financial activity and financial status of these women.


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)2
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

According to Nikore Associates, in their article on (India’s Gendered Digital Divide: How the Absence of Digital Access Is Leaving Women Behind, n.d.) analyses the distribution of the digital divide and reports how women entrepreneurs in India are affected during the COVID-19. It includes how lack of knowledge in computer and technology have made women including the tribal women to shy away from online markets for business and programmes on improving on increased on these markets adequate financial support to boost up their economies.

According to Meta n.d. in their article on (Uplifting Tribal Communities in India Through Digital Entrepreneurship) The paper also describes the ‘Going Online as Leaders’ (GOAL) initiative that Meta has launched together with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for India’s tribal youth and women to educate them in digital literacy. Targeted at the maximum number of women, the program is designed to enable them to utilize social sites for business creation and advancement of the socio‐economic status and gender parity in society.

Research Gap

The current body of knowledge has useful information about the effects of digital change and entrepreneurship but it has not been much adequate towards a special focus on gender, technology, and the contexts of the tribes. Though, Satalkina & Steiner (2020) and Banerjee & Mete (2024) analysed the overall impact of digital technologies on entrepreneurship yet there is a lack of research about how such advances rebound the socio-economic inequalities among tribal women entrepreneurs. It remains even broader when considering the absence or sparse scrutiny of the contextual challenges—cultural, infrastructural, and digital—impeding the digital integration of tribal women. Moreover, the opportunity provided by using digital tools for the change of the entrepreneurial environment in unexplored territories, such as the North-East region of India, has not been considered. This research seeks to address this gap by exploring the emergent effects of technology on tribal women entrepreneurs’ success and emancipation while recognizing structural and systematic realities.

3. Research Methodology

This study uses secondary research technique that involves analysing data collected in research journals, reports and case studies on the effects of digitization on tribal women entrepreneurs.

Justification for the Use of Secondary Data

Secondary data enable the combination of the existing body of knowledge from different trustworthy sources like; journals, reports, and cases. This approach will help in identifying the existing trends, challenges as well as opportunities for digital entrepreneurship for tribal women and in cross regional comparison. The problems encountered when researching remote tribal population from the perspective of logistics and resource availability make secondary data a valuable source for studying systemic scenarios.

Data Collection: Secondary data was collected from journal articles and academic material works based on digital transformation and entrepreneurial activities.

Data Synthesis and Analysis

Qualitative data that was collected were then used in order to find out different trends, issues and factors that surround the use of digital technologies by tribal women entrepreneurs. There is a realization that paradigm papers do not necessarily contribute to knowledge development; however, they fit the purpose of this paper where a thematic analysis approach was used to group the findings based on areas like digital access, socio-economic barriers, and culture. These themes were further synthesized using theoretical frameworks, including:

Resource-Based View (RBV) – Analysing how digital resources are useful in giving an increased strategic direction on entrepreneurship.

French postmodern socio-technical systems theory: Implications in the management of technology in tribal settings.

Synthesis of Findings

The results were analysed by comparing the regional and thematic findings in order to form an understanding of the issue. For example, the availability and the type of the Internet and cultural factors were compared to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of activities in the regions.


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)3
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

These findings were integrated with other related findings on how digital transformation can foster the socio-economic development of the tribal women.

Framework Development: The research combines resource-based view and socio-technical systems theory to advance the theory-based discussion of digital transformation and entrepreneurship in tribal settings.

Limitations

  • This research work is specifically confined by the amount and quality of the literature and data available.
  • While secondary data provided a robust foundation for this research, several limitations were identified:
  • Data Availability and Quality: Due to the lack of easily available and updated secondary sources, the area of study was limited.
  • Regional Representation: There may be some gaps in the analysed data due to the possibility of regions coverage, where the number of claims cannot provide enough significant information for analysis.
  • Interpretation Bias: The use of the sources for which data was interpreted in the past is less objective since these interpretations inherently do not respond to the goals and objectives of this study.
  • Subsequent studies may overcome these drawbacks by including primary collection procedures, including surveys or observation, to corroborate and expand on the secondary research.

4. Theoretical Perspectives on Digital Transformation

Digital transformation can therefore be defined as the process of exploiting digital technologies to produce discontinuities, which result in purposeful and strategic organisational responses mantled at altering the existing value delivery propositions (Vial, 2019). This process is underpinned by a series of building blocks, including digital technologies, organizational responses, structural adjustments, and outcomes, both positive and negative.

The theoretical frameworks emerging from this domain highlight how organizations navigate technological changes while managing internal and external challenges.

Processual Perspective: Of all the theoretical lens that has attracted so much attention, some perceives digital transformation as a processual. This perspective puts much emphasis on technological shifts and the managerial and business activities of organisations. For example, Vial (2019) defines digital transformation as a change that involves responses to disruptions emanating from digital technology to reduce threats and leverage opportunities.

Resource-Based View (RBV): From an RBV perspective, digital transformation is presented as a tool to develop and implement digital resources. These capabilities help firms create new products or find better approaches to reduce costs and achieve given strategic positions. Felicetti et al. (2023) showed that entrepreneurial firms harness digital transformation by creating and disseminating digital innovations to develop sustainable competitive advantages in closely contested dynamic markets.

Institutional Theory: An additional theoretical lens is introduced from institutional theory that exposes the influence of external forces comprising of regulatory bodies and agencies, industry standards, and socio-cultural factors on Digital Transformation initiatives. To maintain consistency and continuity, the organisations tend to integrate its digital strategy with institutions requirements and expectations.

Sociotechnical Systems Theory: The sociotechnical systems framework view digital transformation as a dynamic between technology and organizations’ social systems. Techniques that promote and facilitate the adoption and integration of technology have been underlined as being central to the management of human and cultural issues.

Challenges and Opportunities: However, the digital transformation is not without its problems such as the organizational “You will find that even with all the benefits that it offers, digital transformation comes with its own challenges such as; Organizational inertia, Human resource skills deficiency and Employee resistance to change. But it creates room for creativity, effectiveness and adding values especially within entrepreneurial settings (Felicetti et al., 2023).


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)4
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

5. Gendered Dimensions in Entrepreneurship

Much as entrepreneurship has been conceived as a gender-neutral activity, the available studies demonstrate that gender is a critical contributor to differential entrepreneurial experiences and performance. This section delves into the nuanced and gendered dimensions of entrepreneurship, drawing insights from two key studies: Arun and Joseph’s (2024) review of gender and firm innovation, and Lagrasta et al.’s (2024) investigation of feminisms and entrepreneurship.

Arun & Joseph (2024) conducted a meta-analysis analysis of 94 studies to investigate gender and firm innovation in over one hundred countries. They identified three major themes: TMT diversity, the role of gender in the decision making of innovation strategies and the organisational complex environment heritage of emerging market countries. Although their work revealed high interest in the topic, they also pointed out that much of the empirical work is androcentric, with an Anglo-Saxon focus and lack of attention to cultural and socio-economic factors perhaps characteristic for non-English speaking developing countries. Gender-diverse leadership, they said, leads to innovation because new ideas and solutions are drawn from diverse perspectives. However, this impact is moderated by factors including, the industry standards, organizational culture or the regional socio-economic environment.

Complementing this perspective, Lagrasta et al. (2024) looked at the intersection of feminisms and entrepreneurship. They focused on how women espousing feminism fought for change on traditional societal beliefs and practices within business. Feminist movements promote change of the long-established gender norms and relations and by so doing they change the dynamics of new enterprising stories and business models. These are business risks that are taken with an aim of benefiting society, people involved and environment as opposed to risks that are taken for the reasons of earning high returns. The authors also qualified the relationship between the pre-emergent theories of the entrepreneurship and the feminism: the latter is often seen as a counterproductive exercising force that oppose any changes within the patriarchal systems.

Combined, these papers raise the possibility that the views of gender need to be incorporated into the entrepreneurship discourse in a more formal way. They show how diversity in gender and feminist approaches are not only disruptive strategies but also create new opportunities for the entrepreneurial environment. Subsequent research needs to fill the existing gaps, primarily, the scarcity of non-Western settings and investigate how cultural factors shape gender entrepreneurial patterns.

Tribal Socio-Economic Contexts

Even today nearly fifty percent population of India belongs to the tribal but they are one of the most backward classes of the society. Such communities are living in remote areas and they often lack so important things like education, healthcare, and even infrastructure. The cancerous conditions now foster generate continuous circles of poverty and economic subjugation.

Economic Challenges and Opportunities

A major feature of tribal socio-economic realities is that these societies are still anchored on a traditional and to some extent, barter mode of production. Though today many tribal people are involved in farming, weaving, and forest products and services, they have limited exposure to market systems. As a result, a large number of the tribal population uses non-conventional sources of funding that are usually expensive and have adverse terms (Singh, 2024). Eradicating these challenges necessitates tailored prevention activities to enhance the acquisition of credit, technology, and markets to incorporate such people in the economy.

Role of Women Entrepreneurs

Tribal women in general, have asserted themselves to play a central role in economic development of any given tribe. These business initiatives involve mainly sectors such as handcrafting, organic farming and small-scale industries, which has therefore opened an opportunity for economic independence. According to findings these women also generate income for the households and practice sustainable undertakings consistent with their tribal culture, (April, Prabhakar and Debrah, 2024). Nonetheless, tribal women entrepreneurs have challenges emanating from policies which have inequalities for women and lack of equal training and little funding.


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)5
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

Table: Financial Assistant to Tribal Entrepreneurs 2023

Scheme NameNumber of BeneficiariesAmount Disbursed (INR Crores)
Term Loan Scheme1,200150
Micro Credit Scheme2,50050
Adivasi Mahila Sashaktikaran Yojana1,80090
Tribal Forest Dwellers Empowerment Scheme95070

Source: National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC)

Government Initiatives and Policy Implications

Understanding the prevalent socio-economic problems of the tribal people of India, the government has introduced many policies to encourage the tribal business. Most of these institutions provide funding, skill development and market linkages to the tribal populace as a part of livelihood promotion, NSTFDC for instance. Such measures are intended to help to open the tribal people to better fit into the mainstream economic activities (Singh, 2024).

Pathways for Sustainable Development

It has been noted that any tribal population can achieve real stable socio-economic development only through a comprehensive approach. This comprises supporting education, promoting the improvement of the health facilities and constructing innovations that suit the most vulnerable groups. Continued promotion of inclusion of tribal women in decision making processes and creating forums that allow their input will go further in cementing the stated goals of organizational development for inclusion.

In providing solutions to these complex problems and utilizing the endogenous capabilities of Indigenous people, India could set up the example for positive assimilation of Indigenous peoples into the national economy, as well as for fair and effective development.

6. Findings & Discussions

Challenges in Digital Adoption Among Tribal Women

Tribal women entrepreneurs experience several challenges on digital adoption, which greatly affects their economic progress and business performance.

Lack of education and insufficient use of software and other forms of digital technologies is most important problem here which due to systematic social disparities in rural regions (Prabhakar et al., 2024). Unfortunately, the tribal women do not possess adequate skills or knowledge which can enable them to use technology appropriately, thus, there is a gap in the utilization of the digital space to advance business.

Expensive internet services and digital tools augment the digital divide because the poorer areas are affected most. These challenges are worsened by the infrastructural deficiencies; poor electricity and a relatively weak internet connection especially in the rural tribal areas (Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, 2023). The lack of specific digital training programs further puts tribal women off pace with the technological adoption.

Also, the culture and tradition of most tribal women are that they do not go out much and get education; hence, even the exposure to the available technologies is also minimal. As a result, a majority of them are unable to expand their businesses, compete effectively in various markets and markets or utilize the use of technology to automate processes.

Working to overcome these barriers in the form of low-cost internet options, education and training, and localized tech solutions is the key for ensuring that more Native American women can overcome digitally divided status and ensure that economic independence is possible. If tribal women are empowered with the technology and the understanding of how to use it for their benefit, then they can eliminate many of the obstacles that lower their success rates, and they can work toward contributing positively to their tribes’ economic development thus decreasing the economic gap.

There is hardly any doubt that the economic development of each nation can only be sustainable if tribal women entrepreneurs are empowered. They are financially independent and their success most times has an impact on local economy. Tribal women can do better in their ventures, enter higher value chains, and contribute to sustainable community development through better access to education, cheap technologies and Fence building through economic development training programs.


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)6
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

Table: Digital Literacy Initiatives in Tribal Areas, 2023

Program NameNumber of Training CentersIndividuals Trained
Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)1,50045,000
Digital India Internship Programme2005,000
Cyber Shiksha for Tribal Women1003,000

Source: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)

Impact of Digital Tools on Entrepreneurial Success

Impact of Digital Transformation on Women Entrepreneurs in Rural Areas”: E-business has recently affected women entrepreneurs in rural areas in a dramatic way creating opportunities and risks at the same time. The use of mobile money, e-shops, social media accounts means that women are now able to take their enterprises across borders. As stated by Aryan (2024), the use of digital technologies helps rural women to overcome the geographical limitations, expand the customers’ circle and increase their economic literacy.

But it is fraught with some challenges. Lack of adequate competencies in technology by some of the rural women may also counter productively, inhibit the efficient usage of such instruments. However, the problem of accessing cheap and stable internet connection in the rural zones has not yet been solved. Aryan (2024) considers it essential to develop the customized training intervention, so that female entrepreneurs would be capable of fulfilling all the skills required in the digital environment. Most of these initiatives also serve as a way of promoting entrepreneurship while at the same time promoting the socio-economic development of rural societies.

Key Benefits of Digital Transformation:

1. Increased Market Access: Digital platforms allow rural women entrepreneurs to showcase their products to national and international audiences.
2. Cost Efficiency: Online transactions and marketing reduce operational costs compared to traditional methods.
3. Empowerment Through Knowledge: Digital tools provide access to resources, training, and mentorship programs, enabling informed decision-making.

However, there are the following limitations to apply the theoretical concept of digital transformation in enhancing the performance of rural women entrepreneurs; gender bias, lack of infrastructure.

Digital Inclusion and Tribal Women Entrepreneurs: Tribal women’s entrepreneurship effectively requires the adoption of digital inclusion as a key driver of change to the ecosystem. These women then cross the digital divide and are able to obtain information, clients, and funding which closed off to them before. Also establishing based on the International Journal of Advanced Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (2018), it has been argued that digital initiatives have enhanced the prominence of tribal women in e- commerce, Agrotechnology, micro-financing.

Challenges in Achieving Digital Inclusion:

1. Cultural Barriers: Traditional norms and gender roles often restrict tribal women's access to digital tools.
2. Resource Constraints: Limited access to smartphones and internet facilities poses a significant challenge.
3. Skill Gaps: The lack of digital literacy programs tailored to the needs of tribal communities further widens the divide.

Strategies for Promoting Digital Inclusion:

  • Community-Based Training Programs: These programs help tribal women learn essential digital skills in a culturally sensitive manner.
  • Subsidized Technology Access: Providing affordable devices and internet services ensures wider participation.
  • Policy Interventions: Governments and NGOs must collaborate to create policies that address the unique challenges faced by tribal women.

Therefore, the 2018 study reveals how the process of digitalisation can pave way for economic empowerments of women in the tribes. Because cultural and organizational realities feel like barriers, broadband access and specialized outreach defines and empowers the potential actuality of native female business owners within the context of an expanding digital existence.

Comparative Analysis Across Regions

Regional Variations in Digital Entrepreneurship among Women in Tribal Areas:


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)7
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

Digital entrepreneurship has become an innovative phenomenon, which breaks geographical and socio-economic barriers for tribal women. Nonetheless, the level of uptake and effectiveness of the innovation and its outcomes differ across the world depending on cultural reasons, technological gadgets, and leadership guidelines.

North-East India: Another dimension: Unlike most developed countries, the North-East region of India, still relatively alien to the economic world outside, comprises ethnic groups and, therefore, offers or poses special prospects for women entrepreneurs. Research shows that females in this area are using social media to sell artistic handmade products, farm fresh and other native products (Sharma, 2020). subsequent initiatives have only strengthened these claims with the economy’s “Vocal for Local” campaign that encourages local products and indigenous practices.

However, the advancements achieved for the North-East for digital entrepreneurship is inadequate due to infrastructural issue such as intermittency of internet connection and lack of awareness amongst the women. Besides, cultural aspects like the female restrictions of certain tribes reduce employment contributions in the business.

Table: NEDFi Support to Tribal Entrepreneurs in Northeast India, 2023

StateNumber of Projects FinancedAmount Disbursed (INR Crores)
Assam15075
Meghalaya10050
Manipur8040
Nagaland7035

Source: North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi)

Odisha: A Case Study of Mayurbhanj District: As a source of income, the employment of mobile applications for e-commerce is on the rise among the tribal women in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha (Naveen et al., 2023). There has been an emergence of women managed virtual shops that focus on selling handmade products, farm produce and eco-tourism.

Change has been driven by factors such as the government’s skill development programs and usage of subsidies for ‘smart’ devices to access the internet.

Worthy of note also is the contribution made by the NGO’s; the women have been trained in digital marketing and financial management skills to support business viability.

However, there are questions about the accessibility and the cost of the digital tools in use. There is also the problem of many women who still use go-betweens to interact with daily online platforms, meaning less profit and personal autonomy.

Comparative Insights: A Case Study of Mayurbhanj District: As a source of income, the employment of mobile applications for e-commerce is on the rise among the tribal women in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha (Naveen et al., 2023). There has been an emergence of women managed virtual shops that focus on selling handmade products, farm produce and eco-tourism.

Change has been driven by factors such as the government’s skill development programs and usage of subsidies for ‘smart’ devices to access the internet. Worthy of note also is the contribution made by the NGO’s; the women have been trained in digital marketing and financial management skills to support business viability.

However, there are questions about the accessibility and the cost of the digital tools in use. There is also the problem of many women who still use go-betweens to interact with daily online platforms, meaning less profit and personal autonomy.

Digital Economy in Tribal Communities: A Cross-Regional Analysis

Digital Infrastructure in Tribal Areas: Access to digital infrastructure is a cornerstone of economic development. Many tribal regions struggle with inadequate internet connectivity, limited access to devices, and scarce digital literacy programs. It was reported that over 60% of surveyed tribal areas lacked stable internet connections, directly affecting their participation in the digital economy. The integration of government-backed programs such as digital literacy campaigns and affordable broadband initiatives has shown promise in bridging this gap.

Economic Opportunities through Digital Platforms: Digital platforms provide tribal communities with opportunities to market traditional crafts, agricultural products, and cultural experiences to a global audience. For instance, platforms like e-commerce marketplaces have enabled artisans to showcase their handicrafts beyond local markets.


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)8
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

A study found that such initiatives increased artisan incomes by an average of 35%, underscoring the transformative potential of digital platforms.

Furthermore, digital platforms facilitate education and skill development, enabling individuals in tribal areas to gain employable skills and participate in remote work opportunities. Case studies revealed that online skill-training programs contributed to a 20% employment increase among trained tribal youth.

Challenges in Adopting Digital Economies:

However, there are several constraints which hinder the tribal communities to induce the digital economy. They include; Cultural issues, Language issues, and Digital systems have in most cases been considered with suspicion and therefore do not encourage engagement. Furthermore, the costs of the devices and connectivity to the networks are still heavily expensive to many households.

Solutions to these must be sensitive to local cultural beliefs and involve both governments and private organizations as well as local political leaders. Lukewarm models from the study included training and development that is tailored to focus on the community as well as shared use of technology resources that is religion and languages of the community as provided by.

Case Studies: Regional Perspectives:

Southeast Asia: Today, people from tribal endogenous groups in Southeast Asia today have subscribed to mobile banking and digital payment system thereby enhancing the status of financial inclusion as captured. A project exploring the application of block chain technology in land registration enabled the tribals to take a stand for their land right leading to economic development of the society.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Tribal areas of sub-Saharan Africa received solar-powered internet cafés which provided educative and commercial access. A pilot program in Kenya observed that women- based cooperatives utilised these centres to sell their merchandise on line, thus increasing their income by 50%.

They have been used by the Native American tribes in North America to encourage ecotourism and to conserve traditional customs.

Another effort revealed how tribal owned enterprises promoted their businesses through social media to boost tourist bookings and hence revenue, by 40 %.

7. Conclusion

The research also proves that technological advancement has a massive chance of transforming entrepreneurship among tribal women. Some of the findings are as follows; Contrary to expectations, it was found that digital tools greatly improve market access, cost reduction and knowledge enablement; however, some of the challenges that prevails include; infrastructure constraints, digital literacy and cultural/structural constraints. To counter this challenge, a coordinated approach towards the advancement of digital inclusion for women entrepreneurs is important.

Policy Implications

Digital Infrastructure: Authorities need to recognize that the way of enhancing the quality of lives of people in tribal regions is through the expansion of adequate devices and dependable internet connection.

Education and Training: Future modifications of digital literacy interventions should be designed to enhance tribal women’s knowledge of how technology can be useful for business.

Financial Support: Tribal women’s economic challenges are best solved through policies that support affordable access to technology tools, and easy-access microcredit.

Recommendations

Community-Based Initiatives: The NGOs and other local organisations should culturally sensitive trainings to the local tribal women knowing and creating awareness about the digital skills.

Collaborative Efforts: Success can be accessed through collaborations between e-commerce platforms and government institutions, who would offer market linkages and sponsorship to these tribal women.

Encouraging Innovation: Governments and private sectors should encourage digital solutions that will address the needs of the tribal people.


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)9
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

Promoting Leadership: The creation of platforms through which tribal women entrepreneurs can report and also contribute to policy formulation to boost economic and social emancipation will bring positive change.

When integrated and supported with technology, cultural sensitivity, and favourable policies, tribal women entrepreneurs can help close the gap within their tribal community and deliver tribal sustainable development.

Acknowledgment

I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. I. RAVI, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Annamalai University for his support and guidance during this study and offering intellectual and moral support.

Funding Statement

This research received NO specific funding or grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

References

1. Aryan, S. (2024). Impact of digital technologies on women’s economic empowerment: Insights from SHGS in Bihar. International Journal of Financial Management and Economics, 7(2), 514–517. https://doi.org/10.33545/26179210.2024.v7.i2.409

2. Banerjee, S. D., & Mete, J. (2024). Tech-driven entrepreneurship: Exploring the role of technology in the economic empowerment of tribal communities in Birbhum district. https://www.census2011.co.in/

3. Bhatt, D. (n.d.). Digital literacy training for women entrepreneurs in the direction of atmanirbharta - A case of Karolia village. Public Policy and Research International.

4. Calvino, F., & Criscuolo, C. (2019). Business dynamics and digitalisation. OECD Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Papers, No. 62. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/going-digital

5. Digital Revolution 2.0: Transforming rural women into online entrepreneurs. (n.d.). Retrieved December 27, 2024, from: https://www.meesho.io/blog/digital-revolution-rural-women-online-entrepreneurs

6. Felicetti, A. M., Corvello, V., & Ammirato, S. (2024). Digital innovation in entrepreneurial firms: a systematic literature review. Review of Managerial Science, 18(2), 315–362. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-023-00638-9

7. Homepage - NEDFi. (n.d.). Retrieved December 28, 2024, from: https://www.nedfi.com/

8. India’s gendered digital divide: How the absence of digital access is leaving women behind. (n.d.). Retrieved December 27, 2024, from: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/indias-gendered-digital-divide

9. Kreiterling, C. (2023). Digital innovation and entrepreneurship: a review of challenges in competitive markets. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 12(1). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-023-00320-0

10. Lagrasta, F. P., Scozzi, B., & Pontrandolfo, P. (2024). Feminisms and entrepreneurship: a systematic literature review investigating a troubled connection. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-024-00977-3

11. Manisana Devi, S., & Munjal, K. (n.d.). Analyzing role of digitalization in social upliftment of tribal communities in India. LXV(8).

12. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. Retrieved December 28, 2024, from: https://www.meity.gov.in/

13. Natuvilakkandy, S. (n.d.). Realities of digital inclusion among tribal women: Experiences from Kerala. International Journal of Advanced Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (IJARSSH), 6(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/G9Q74

14. Naveen, S., Parida, J. K., & Panda, I. (2023). Tribal women empowerment through entrepreneurship: evidence from Mayurbhanj District, Odisha. Frontiers in Sociology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1158770

15. https://nstfdc.tribal.gov.in/(S(m21p5jmplwmbwcux1sey0dyg))/default.aspx


Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)10
Koza KO, et al. The Influence of Digital Revolution on Gender-Specific Entrepreneurship

16. Prabhakar, S., Prabhakar, P., Kumar, S., Nimesh, A., & Banerjee, M. (2024). The contribution of tribal women entrepreneurs to long-term economic growth: A bibliometric analysis and prospects for future study. https://doi.org/10.3390/iocag2023-16686

17. Rani, P., & Kumar, R. (n.d.). Exploring financial inclusion among women entrepreneurs: A survey in Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand. www.ijfmr.com

18. Satalkina, L., & Steiner, G. (2020). Digital entrepreneurship and its role in innovation systems: A systematic literature review as a basis for future research avenues for sustainable transitions. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072764

19. Sharma, A. (2020). A comparative analysis on women entrepreneurs of north east India. International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET), 11(11), 1694–1703. https://doi.org/10.34218/IJARET.11.11.2020.158

20. Singh, A. K. Tribal entrepreneurship in India: Role of national scheduled tribes finance and development corporation. Manpower Journal, LVII.

21. The Cherie Blair foundation for women. www.cherieblairfoundation.org

22. TM, A., & Joseph, R. P. (2021). Gender and firm innovation - A systematic literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 27(2), 301–333. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-08-2019-0480

23. Uplifting Tribal communities in India through digital entrepreneurship. Retrieved December 27, 2024, from: https://about.fb.com/news/2022/06/uplifting-tribal-communities-in-india-through-digital-entrepreneurship/

24. Vial, G. (2019). Understanding digital transformation: A review and a research agenda. Journal of Strategic Information Systems Review.

Disclaimer / Publisher's Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of Journals and/or the editor(s). Journals and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Soc Sci J Adv Res 2026;6(2)11