The way women are supported to start and grow businesses needs updating for the digital age, according to researchers from the University of East London.
The academics argue that while women continue to face barriers such as unequal access to finance and greater caring responsibilities, digital ways of working - from online collaboration and flexible working to cloud-based tools - should be at the heart of helping more women to grow businesses.
A new paper published in the Journal of Management Development calls for “digital workplace innovation” to be a key tool for governments in supporting women entrepreneurs.
The study reviews 50 years of research, covering more than 12,000 published papers, before proposing a new model of women’s entrepreneurship for the digital age. It argues that digital skills and remote working can help women develop confidence, gain business experience, build professional networks and access leadership opportunities.
The researchers say experienced women entrepreneurs also have a vital role to play by mentoring others and helping the next generation overcome barriers.
Professor Kirk Chang, from the Royal School of Business and Law, said:
“For years we’ve talked about the barriers women face in business, and those barriers remain real. But the world of work has changed dramatically. If we want more women to build successful businesses, we need to rethink the support we give them. Digital skills, flexible ways of working and access to technology should no longer be treated as optional extras. They should be part of the foundation.”
Senior Lecturer in Business Administration Dr Ozlem Ozdemir said:
“Too often we ask how women can succeed within traditional models of entrepreneurship. Our research suggests it is time to rethink the model itself. As business becomes increasingly digital, we need new ways of supporting women that reflect how modern businesses actually operate.”
The researchers stress that technology alone is not enough. They say digital tools must be backed by investment in digital skills, inclusive workplace design and better institutional support.
They hope the new framework will help educators, policymakers and business support organisations design more effective programmes.
Women entrepreneurship theory through digital workplace innovation: a new concept by Kirk Chang, Ozlem Ozdemir and Ritu Kumari of the Quantum University School of Business in India, is published in the Journal of Management Development .
Journal of Management Development
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Women entrepreneurship theory through digital workplace innovation: a new concept
15-Jul-2026