INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION IN ENHANCING ICT ADOPTION AMONG WOMEN-LED VENTURES IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study investigates the role of social capital and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in enhancing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption among women-led ventures in Pakistan, a context marked by patriarchal constraints and limited digital access. Drawing on the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Resource-Based View (RBV) frameworks, the research examines how social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking ties) and EO (innovativeness, proactiveness, risk-taking) facilitate ICT adoption, with digital social capital and digital competence as mediators. A quantitative approach, utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), was applied to data collected from 350 women entrepreneurs across six Pakistani cities (Lahore, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Mardan, Karachi, Hyderabad). Findings reveal that social capital (β = 0.42, p < 0.01) and EO (β = 0.38, p < 0.01) significantly drive ICT adoption, with digital social capital (β = 0.25, p < 0.05) and digital competence (β = 0.22, p < 0.05) mediating these relationships.