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Gender, entrepreneurship, and coping with the COVID‐19 pandemic: The case of GoFood merchants in Indonesia

Author

Listed:
  • Yesim Elhan‐Kayalar
  • Yasuyuki Sawada
  • Yana van der Meulen Rodgers

Abstract

This paper examines business performance and crisis‐mitigation strategies among micro, small, and medium‐sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We utilise a new primary dataset based on administrative records, survey data, and follow‐up interviews with merchants using the digital application GoFood, an on‐demand cooked food delivery service. Three empirical findings emerge: first, the overall employment size of women‐owned businesses shrank more than men‐owned businesses after the onset of the pandemic; second, women were more likely than men to cut personal expenditures and use government assistance as crisis‐mitigation strategies; and third, competition increased sharply as new merchants entered the platform, with the service areas of both incumbents and entrants shrinking over time. These results have implications for policies on womenʼs entrepreneurship, the uptake of business development services, and financing programs for MSMEs.

Suggested Citation

  • Yesim Elhan‐Kayalar & Yasuyuki Sawada & Yana van der Meulen Rodgers, 2022. "Gender, entrepreneurship, and coping with the COVID‐19 pandemic: The case of GoFood merchants in Indonesia," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(3), pages 222-245, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaps:v:9:y:2022:i:3:p:222-245
    DOI: 10.1002/app5.362
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Yesim Elhan-Kayalar & Jade Joy Therese Tolentino, 2025. "Digital Platforms and the Future of Work: A Gendered Perspective," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 68(2), pages 605-626, June.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development

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