What Determinants Drives Digital Transformation Among Women Entrepreneurs in East Java? Insights from a Spatial Approach

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the determinants of digital transformation among female entrepreneurs, taking into account the interplay between spatial-cultural relationships and the process of digital transformation by women. In this study, East Java will be spatially and culturally divided into four cultural group Pandhalungan, Madura, Arek, and Mataraman. Hypothesis testing results indicate that female entrepreneurs in East Java are positively and significantly influenced by income levels, education, migration, marital status, the status of women as household heads, and asset ownership. On the other hand, age, the number of household members, and involvement in the primary sector negatively affect digitally transforming female entrepreneurs. Based on social implications, it can be concluded that the Pandhalungan, Arek, and Mataraman communities share similar characteristics, wherein the digital era has culturally opened doors and attempted to adapt to the times, notably by utilizing the internet as a means of facilitating transactions. Conversely, the Madura cultural group exhibits resistance to technological innovation, possibly due to factors such as high poverty rates, low Human Development Index (HDI), a prevalent patriarchal environment, and an insufficiently supportive environment for digitization, all contributing to the resistance to technological innovation among female entrepreneurs in this cultural group.