The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), APEC Women Connect, and DHgate have co-released the results of a survey conducted to better understand the current situation for women in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, as part of The La Serena Roadmap for Women and Inclusive Growth (2019-2030). (MSMEs). The survey's main focus is on women's adoption of digital solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how society can help women participate in both digital transformation and economic integration.
Between August and September 2021, the survey contacted women-led MSMEs (almost 80 percent of which employ fewer than 300 people) in 21 APEC member economies.
Alongside the "social distancing mandate", the two other major catalysts for respondents to adopt digital tools and services during COVID-19 (such as online education, virtual communication, and e-commerce) were "social responsibility" and "business opportunities".
MSMEs, in general, have put digitalization into practise after seeing the potential impact it can have. Nearly 90% of respondents, about half of whom were female, said that digital technology had helped their MSME achieve real results, such as "increased productivity," "creation of new revenue sources," and "better brand awareness."
To help their businesses develop, 53.3 percent of those polled said they required training in digital tools and knowledge, and over half said they'd want a free trial of digital tools and IT equipment. Access to e-learning platforms is also available to help their personnel enhance skills and competency in order to improve business administration and digitalization in the long run. These findings indicate where real and coordinated efforts may be made to empower MSMEs in terms of digital transformation in the public and commercial sectors.
While digitally empowering women to help them realise their economic potential is never an easy endeavour in the near term, this poll is a step in the right direction.
