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Women online: A study of Common Service Centres in India using a capability approach

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  • Meenakshi Rajeev
  • Supriya Bhandarkar

Abstract

Income‐generating activities by women are an effective means of reducing gender‐based deprivation and disparities. In the constrained familial and community settings of developing economies, online platforms can be an appropriate means for women to carry out economic activities. In this context, important initiatives taken by the Government of India, such as the Common Service Centres scheme, are worth studying. This paper critically evaluates such revolutionary online platform–based entrepreneurial initiatives using the capability approach developed by Amartya Sen. We examine through case studies how women‐run businesses use online platforms and what determines their success, inputs, capabilities, and conversion factors. Further, national enterprise‐level data from Indiaʼs National Sample Survey Office are analysed to show that states with a higher level of gender inequality are also the regions with a lower level of information and communications technology usage by women‐run enterprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Meenakshi Rajeev & Supriya Bhandarkar, 2022. "Women online: A study of Common Service Centres in India using a capability approach," Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(3), pages 268-287, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiaps:v:9:y:2022:i:3:p:268-287
    DOI: 10.1002/app5.360
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Esther Duflo, 2012. "Women Empowerment and Economic Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 50(4), pages 1051-1079, December.
    2. Marco J. Haenssgen & Proochista Ariana, 2018. "The place of technology in the Capability Approach," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(1), pages 98-112, January.
    3. Ingrid Robeyns, 2005. "Selecting Capabilities for Quality of Life Measurement," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 191-215, October.
    4. Dass, Rajanish & Bhattacherjee, Atashi, 2011. "Status of Common Service Center Program in India: Issues, Challenges and Emerging Practices for Rollout," IIMA Working Papers WP2011-02-03, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    5. Jacqueline Strenio, 2020. "Time Heals all Wounds? a Capabilities Approach for Analyzing Intimate Partner Violence," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 31-55, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Santiago Barreno-Alcalde & Francisco Diez-Martin & Sandra Escamilla-Solano, 2024. "The Multidisciplinary Nature of the Capability Approach: Emerging Trends and Future Research Directions Through a Bibliometric Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, September.
    2. Mahasweta Roy Dutta, 2025. "Performance of women entrepreneurs in digital platforms: a SERVQUAL approach," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 52(1), pages 101-116, March.

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