IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v9y2025issue-14p1269-1281.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital Transformation and Strategic Resilience: A Framework for Sustainable Women Entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe’s Post-Covid Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Musitaffa Mweha

    (Programme Management, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Harare, Zimbabwe)

Abstract

This study examines how digital transformation enables strategic resilience among women entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe’s volatile post-COVID economy. Through a comprehensive desk review of academic literature, policy documents, and industry reports (2020-2025), the research identifies key mechanisms by which digital technologies such as mobile money, e-commerce platforms, and digital financial services help women entrepreneurs overcome traditional barriers to market access, financial inclusion, and supply chain disruptions. Findings reveal a staged progression in digital adoption, with mobile technologies serving as critical entry points due to Zimbabwe’s high mobile penetration (102.26%). Women entrepreneurs leverage these tools to expand markets, secure alternative financing, enhance operational flexibility, and innovate business models, demonstrating remarkable adaptability amid economic instability. The study develops a conceptual framework for sustainable women entrepreneurship, integrating five dimensions: digital literacy, technology-enabled financial inclusion, digital market expansion, innovation-driven business models, and collaborative digital ecosystems. Four emerging sustainable business models are identified, digitally enhanced traditional enterprises, digital service innovators, circular economy facilitators, and digital community enterprises each combining profitability with social impact. However, persistent challenges include infrastructure gaps, gender-specific constraints (e.g., time poverty and cultural norms), and fragmented policy support. Practical implications highlight the need for integrated, gender-responsive policies, targeted financial products, and capacity-building programs that address both digital and entrepreneurial resilience. The research contributes to literature on gender, digital entrepreneurship, and strategic resilience in developing economies, offering actionable insights for policymakers, financial institutions, and support organizations. Ultimately, the study underscores digital transformation as a vital enabler of sustainable women-led enterprises in Zimbabwe’s evolving economic landscape, advocating for systemic support to harness its full potential.

Suggested Citation

  • Musitaffa Mweha, 2025. "Digital Transformation and Strategic Resilience: A Framework for Sustainable Women Entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe’s Post-Covid Economy," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(14), pages 1269-1281, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-14:p:1269-1281
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-9-issue-14/1269-1281.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/digital-transformation-and-strategic-resilience-a-framework-for-sustainable-women-entrepreneurship-in-zimbabwes-post-covid-economy/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Satish Nambisan, 2017. "Digital Entrepreneurship: Toward a Digital Technology Perspective of Entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(6), pages 1029-1055, November.
    2. Katherina Kuschel & María-Teresa Lepeley, 2016. "Women start-ups in technology: literature review and research agenda to improve participation," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 27(2/3), pages 333-346.
    3. Seetharaman, Priya, 2020. "Business models shifts: Impact of Covid-19," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    4. James Austin & Howard Stevenson & Jane Wei–Skillern, 2006. "Social and Commercial Entrepreneurship: Same, Different, or Both?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(1), pages 1-22, January.
    5. Verhoef, Peter C. & Broekhuizen, Thijs & Bart, Yakov & Bhattacharya, Abhi & Qi Dong, John & Fabian, Nicolai & Haenlein, Michael, 2021. "Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 889-901.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Irene Bertschek & Joern Block & Alexander S. Kritikos & Caroline Stiel, 2024. "German financial state aid during Covid-19 pandemic: Higher impact among digitalized self-employed," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(1-2), pages 76-97, January.
    2. Muhammad Farooq Islam & Ozge Can, 2024. "Integrating digital and sustainable entrepreneurship through business models: a bibliometric analysis," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    3. Jinqiu He & Huiwen Su, 2022. "Digital Transformation and Green Innovation of Chinese Firms: The Moderating Role of Regulatory Pressure and International Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Kun Wang & Bing Chen & Yuhong Li, 2024. "Technological, process or managerial innovation? How does digital transformation affect green innovation in industrial enterprises?," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 1-32, February.
    5. Zahoor, Nadia & Zopiatis, Anastasios & Adomako, Samuel & Lamprinakos, Grigorios, 2023. "The micro-foundations of digitally transforming SMEs: How digital literacy and technology interact with managerial attributes," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    6. Ge Zhang & Yuxiang Gao & Gaoyong Li, 2023. "Research on Digital Transformation and Green Technology Innovation—Evidence from China’s Listed Manufacturing Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-23, April.
    7. Ancillai, Chiara & Sabatini, Andrea & Gatti, Marco & Perna, Andrea, 2023. "Digital technology and business model innovation: A systematic literature review and future research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    8. Bin Li, 2023. "Effects of digital economy on social entrepreneurship: Evidence from China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(8), pages 4248-4261, December.
    9. Du, Juntao & Shen, Zhiyang & Song, Malin & Zhang, Linda, 2023. "Nexus between digital transformation and energy technology innovation: An empirical test of A-share listed enterprises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    10. Belitski, Maksim & Korosteleva, Julia & Piscitello, Lucia, 2023. "Digital affordances and entrepreneurial dynamics: New evidence from European regions," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    11. Changwei Pang & Qiong Wang, 2024. "How Digital Transformation Promotes Disruptive Innovation? Evidence from Chinese Entrepreneurial Firms," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 7788-7818, June.
    12. Yangjun Ren & Botang Li, 2022. "Digital Transformation, Green Technology Innovation and Enterprise Financial Performance: Empirical Evidence from the Textual Analysis of the Annual Reports of Listed Renewable Energy Enterprises in C," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    13. Yang Yu & Fangrong Ren & Yun Ju & Jingyi Zhang & Xiaoyan Liu, 2024. "Exploring the Role of Digital Transformation and Breakthrough Innovation in Enhanced Performance of Energy Enterprises: Fresh Evidence for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
    14. Ciampi, Francesco & Faraoni, Monica & Ballerini, Jacopo & Meli, Francesco, 2022. "The co-evolutionary relationship between digitalization and organizational agility: Ongoing debates, theoretical developments and future research perspectives," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    15. Jie Wu & Steven Si & Zhiyang Liu, 2022. "Entrepreneurship in Asia: Entrepreneurship knowledge when East meets West," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(3), pages 317-342, July.
    16. Zhai, Huayun & Yang, Min & Chan, Kam C., 2022. "Does digital transformation enhance a firm's performance? Evidence from China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    17. Cheng, Linyin, 2024. "Does digital transformation matter for trade credit provision? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    18. Santos, Susana C. & Liguori, Eric W. & Garvey, Erin, 2023. "How digitalization reinvented entrepreneurial resilience during COVID-19," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    19. Xu, Chao & Sun, Guanglin & Kong, Tao, 2024. "The impact of digital transformation on enterprise green innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 1-12.
    20. Zhu, Xiumei & Li, Yue, 2023. "The use of data-driven insight in ambidextrous digital transformation: How do resource orchestration, organizational strategic decision-making, and organizational agility matter?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-14:p:1269-1281. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.