Are women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (WMSMEs) in Sri Lanka using social media as their transformative digital tool? Case study insights from Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study explores the use of social media tools by Sri Lankan women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (WMSMEs) as empowering digital technologies for entrepreneurship transformation. Following a qualitative case study approach, the study draws on in-depth, semi-structured, prolonged interviews with ten Sri Lankan women entrepreneurs representing different industries, supported by thematic analysis. Results show that social media enables such entrepreneurs to overcome geographical and socio-cultural borders, expand markets, and engage with consumers via visual storytelling and niche messaging. Entrepreneurs strategically mix and match platforms using Instagram and YouTube for brand building, Facebook for promotion, and WhatsApp for personalized communications while increasingly relying on analytics in guiding content and marketing decisions. Despite challenges such as low digital literacy, poor connectivity, and gendered social constraints, the women entrepreneurs exhibited resilience and adaptability in navigating the digital space. Despite the growing focus on digital tools, little is known about how women entrepreneurs strategically use social media for transformative business outcomes in developing contexts. This study engages with theories of digital entrepreneurship and gendered innovation to reveal how WMSMEs use social media for market expansion, customer engagement, and cultural storytelling. The findings highlight the need for targeted digital literacy programs to bridge infrastructure and socio-cultural gaps. This research contributes to the academic discourse by signifying WMSMEs' analytically driven, multi-platform strategies, and provides actionable insights for inclusive digitalization for policymakers.