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Mattering Matters: Agency, Empowerment, and Mobile Phone Use by Female Microentrepreneurs

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  • Han Ei Chew
  • Vigneswara P. Ilavarasan
  • Mark R. Levy

Abstract

This article attempts to enrich our understanding of the role that mobile phones play in the empowerment of women in the developing world. We adapt and explicate an innovative social psychological concept, "mattering," embed it in the literature that examines the impact of mobile phones on social development outcomes, and consider the utility of mattering for the ICT4D community. Mattering is the perception that others are aware of, interested in, and depend on us. Based on a sample of 335 female microentrepreneurs in Chennai, India, we created a valid and reliable measure of mattering and its three dimensions. Mattering was predicted by (1) entrepreneurial expectations, an element of an individual's mindset; (2) social use of mobile phones; and (3) the perceived benefits of mobile phones for maintaining business networks. Findings suggest that mobile phone use plays a significant role in contributing to female entrepreneurs' perception that they matter .

Suggested Citation

  • Han Ei Chew & Vigneswara P. Ilavarasan & Mark R. Levy, 2015. "Mattering Matters: Agency, Empowerment, and Mobile Phone Use by Female Microentrepreneurs," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 523-542, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:titdxx:v:21:y:2015:i:4:p:523-542
    DOI: 10.1080/02681102.2013.839437
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    1. Vigneswara Ilavarasan & Mark R Levy, 2010. "ICTs and Urban Microenterprises: Identifying and Maximizing Opportunities for Economic Development," Working Papers id:2819, eSocialSciences.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nisreen Ameen & Nnamdi O. Madichie & Amitabh Anand, 2023. "Between Handholding and Hand-held Devices: Marketing Through Smartphone Innovation and Women’s Entrepreneurship in Post Conflict Economies in Times of Crisis," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 401-423, February.
    2. Anne Matheson & Pamala J. Dillon & Manuel Guillén & Clark Warner, 2021. "People Mattering at Work: A Humanistic Management Perspective," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 405-428, December.
    3. Alessio D'Ignazio & Paolo Finaldi Russo & Massimiliano Stacchini, 2022. "Micro-entrepreneurs’ financial and digital competences during the pandemic in Italy," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 724, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    4. Chatterjee, Susmita & Dutta Gupta, Sangita & Upadhyay, Parijat, 2020. "Technology adoption and entrepreneurial orientation for rural women: Evidence from India," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).

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