Rabeya Rahaman & Koushik Prashad Pathak

Transcription

1 Measuring women empowerment through ICT-based business initiatives: The case of e-retail stores in Dhaka City Rabeya Rahaman & Koushik Prashad Pathak

2 Outline Background of the study Research question and research objectives Conceptual framework Methodology of the study Analysis and findings Conclusion and future scope 2

3 1. Background of the study 162 Million Source: World Bank,

4 1. Background of the study Table 1: Labour force participation rate (%) Source: BBS, 2015, xii 4

5 1. Background of the study Source: The Independent, Christian Aid, Dhaka Tribune, Lachman (2011), The Bangladesh Chronicle 5

6 In million 1. Background of the study Internet Users Year Source: BTRC,

7 1. Background of the study Dhaka has the 2nd largest number of active Facebook users 80 percent of internet users are using the Facebook 23 percent internet users shop online in Bangladesh Source: The Daily Star, 2015; UNCTAD,

8 1. Background of the study Source: The Facebook 8

9 2. Research Question Do ICT-based business initiatives (e-retail stores) lead to economic and social empowerment of the women of Dhaka city in Bangladesh? 9

10 2. Research Objectives To conceptualise women empowerment To formulate a framework to measure women empowerment To measure the economic and social empowerment of the women in Dhaka 10

11 3. Conceptual Framework 3.1 Women empowerment Empowerment is the expansion in people's ability to make strategic life choices in the context where this ability was previously denied to them." - Kabeer, 2001 Disempowered: Unable to make choices Empowerment: The process of change (e-retail stores) Empowered: Able to make choices Figure1: Measuring the process of change Source: Author s elaboration based on Kabeer (2001) 11

12 3. Conceptual Framework 3.2 Indicators of women empowerment Dimensions Economic Social Indicators Control over income (Frankenberg and Thomas, 2001; Jejeebhoy, 1995; Kishor, 2000; Mayoux, 2001) Contribution to family expenditures (Kabeer, 1998) Savings for the future (Hashemi et al., 1996) Economic decision making (Grasmuck and Espinal, 2000; Jejeebhoy, 2000; Kishor, 2000) Domestic decision making (Jejeebhoy, 2000) Freedom of movement (Hashemi et al., 1996) Shared family responsibilities (Sen, 1999) Social recognition (Jejeebhoy, 1995) Table 2: Proposed dimensions and indicators to measure women empowerment at individual and household level Source: Author s elaboration based on Malhotra and Schuler (2005) 12

13 3. Conceptual Framework Economic: Disempowered: Unable to make choices Empowerment: The process of change (e-retail stores) Empowered: Able to make choices Control over income Contribution to family expenses Savings for the future Economic decision making Social: Household decision making Freedom of movement Shared family responsibilities Social recognition Figure 2: Measuring women empowerment Source: Author s construction based on Kabeer (2001) and Malhotra and Schuler (2005) 13

14 4. Methodology of the study Nature of the study: Descriptive Sources of data: Primary and secondary sources Data collection and analysis: In-depth interviews Data collection tool: Semi-structured questionnaire Sample size: 24 women (dropout 38 women) 14

15 5. Analysis and Findings 5.1 Demographic profiles of the respondents Demographics Particulars No. of respondents Types of business Online clothing store 16 Online jewellery store 6 Demographics Particulars No. of respondents Academic qualification Higher Secondary 4 Certificate or A Level Graduate 8 Duration of business Online herbal cosmetic store Less than 3 years years 12 More than 5 years 2 2 Post graduate 12 Job experience No job experience 8 Previously employed 14 Currently employed 2 Marital status Unmarried 4 Age years years years 4 Married 20 Family Nuclear family (2 4 people) Large family (More than 4 people) 16 8 Table 3: Demographic profiles of the respondents (Total 24) Source: Field research 15

16 5. Analysis and Findings 5.2 Reasons for starting e-retail stores 2 woman 4 woman Economic freedom Recognition 18 woman Creativity Figure 3: Reasons of involvement in online business Source: Field research 16

17 5. Analysis and Findings 5.3 Economic empowerment Previously 20 Currently Family savings Personal savings Contribution to family savings Contribution to family expenditures Household decision making Financial decision making Freedom to help parents Freedom to give gifts to relatives Figure 4: Comparison between previous and current economic conditions of the respondents (No. of respondents) Source: Field research 17

18 5. Analysis and Findings 5.4 Social and interpersonal empowerment Previously Currently Figure 5: Comparison between previous and current social status of the respondents (No. of respondents) Source: Field research 18

19 5. Analysis and Findings 5.5 Women s economic and social empowerment Disempowered: Unable to make choices Empowerment: The process of change (e-retail stores) Empowered: Able to make choices Economic: Control over income (+) Contribution to family expenses (+) Savings for the future (+) Economic decision making (-/?) Social and Interpersonal: Household decision making (+/?) Freedom of movement (-) Shared family responsibilities (-) Social recognition (+/?) Figure 6: Women s economic, social, and psychological empowerment Source: Field research 19

20 6. Conclusion An economically empowered woman could be socially disempowered Family is the primary source of their social disempowerment Lack of awareness about social empowerment Women's willingness is the key to be empowered 20

21 7. Future scope of research The outcomes of this research are not enough to generalise women empowerment in Bangladesh Research with large sample, like Women from other professions Women of other urban cities in Bangladesh Why does economic empowerment not lead the women toward social empowerment? 21

22 References BBS (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics) (2015). Labour Force Survey Bangladesh Dhaka: Dynamic Printers. BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission) (2017). [Online] Available at [Accessed 08 May, 2017]. Christian Aid (2017). Bangladesh: Crafting a future. Available on [Accessed 08 October, 2017]. Dhaka Tribune (2013). Saarc handicrafts fair in Dhaka begins Sunday. Available on [Accessed 08 October, 2017]. 22

23 References Kabeer, N. (2001). Reflections on the Measurement of Women s Empowerment. In Discussing Women s Empowerment - Theory and Practice. Sida Studies. 3, pp Lachman, P., (2011). Microfinance in Bangladesh. Fordham Political Review. Available on [Accessed 08 October, 2017]. Malhotra, A. and Schuler, S. R. (2005). Women s Empowerment as a Vaiable in International Development. Measuring Empowerment: Cross- Disciplinary Perspectives. Washington, DC: The World Bank. pp Narayan, D. (2005). Conceptual Framework and Methodological Challenges. In D. Narayan (Ed.), Measuring Empowerment: Cross- Disciplinary Perspectives. Washington, DC: World Bank. pp

24 References The Daily Star (2015). 80pc Bangladesh Internet Users on Facebook. [Online] Available at [Accessed 08 May, 2017]. The Bangladesh Chronicle (2014). Rmg safety: Inspections lead to fear of job loss. Available on [Accessed 08 October, 2017]. The Independent (2015). Microfinance in Bangladesh. Available on nce-in-bangladesh [Accessed 08 October, 2017]. 24

25 References UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) (2016). UNCTAD B2C E-COMMERCE INDEX [Online] Available at cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahukewjoyixhof3uahvoblakhefscdoqfggomaa &url=http%3a%2f%2functad.org%2fen%2fpublicationslibrary%2ftn_un ctad_ict4d07_en.pdf&usg=afqjcnf3bprzerjzp2bdi3c3vrwfgsweew [Accessed 08 May, 2017]. World Bank (2017). Data: Population. [Online] Available at [Accessed 08 May, 2017]. 25

26 Rabeya Rahaman Currently I am working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Management Studies, Jagannath University. I am from MIDE I did my BBA and MBA from Department of Management Studies of University of Dhaka. My area of interest is women empowerment and women entrepreneurship. I have six research articles in this related field and have been working with Ministry of Women Affairs and other related NGOs. 26

27 Koushik Prashad Pathak Currently I am working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Marketing, University of Dhaka. I am from MIDE I did my BBA and MBA from Department of Marketing, University of Dhaka. My areas of interest are e-government, e-health, digital marketing and tourism branding. I have eight research articles in these related fields and have been working with ICT Division, University Grants Commission, Bureau of Business Studies and other related NGOs & private organizations. 27