




































BANGLADESH JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 9(5) (2024), 10-18 

10 

        MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 
          BJMSR VOL 9 NO 5 (2024) P-ISSN 2687-850X E-ISSN 2687-8518 

         Available online at https://www.cribfb.com 

     Journal homepage: https://www.cribfb.com/journal/index.php/BJMSR 

                                                                                                                                                                                                    Published by CRIBFB, USA 
                                                                                                                                     

PERCEPTION OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS REGARDING 

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING        
 

 Sonia Laskar (a)1     Habibur Rahman Laskar (b)     Md. Nazrul Islam Barbhuyan (c)   
 

(a) Research Scholar, Dept. of Business Administration, Assam University, Silchar, India; E-mail: officialsonia64@gmail.com 

(b) Sr. Asst. Professor, Dept. of Business Administration, Assam University, Silchar, India; E-mail: habibmba@yahoo.com 
(c) Asst. Professor, Department of Education, Rabindranath Tagore University, Hojai, India; E-mail: drnib@rtuassam.ac.in  
                     

 
A R T I C L E I N F O 

 
 

Article History: 

 

Received: 18th July 2024 

Reviewed & Revised: 18th July 

to 10th November 2024 

Accepted: 14th November 2024 

Published: 22nd November 2024 

 
Keywords: 

 

Transformational Entrepreneurs Perception, 
Influence, Social Media, Social Media 

Marketing, Women Entrepreneurs. 

 
JEL Classification Codes: 

 

B54, C12, M13, M15, M31 
 

      Peer-Review Model:  

 

      External peer review was done through  

      double-blind method. 

        

 
A B S T R A C T      

 
Social media users' exponential rise has transformed marketing and given companies access to a 

worldwide audience never before possible. However, the impact of demographic factors on women 

entrepreneurs' perceptions of social media marketing still needs to be studied, particularly in developing 

regions. This study investigates the influence of age, educational qualifications, and daily business hours 

on women entrepreneurs' perceptions of social media marketing in Assam, India. The research employs 

a quantitative approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire to collect data from 286 women 

entrepreneurs from all eight cities of Assam, India (under urban agglomeration). To evaluate the 

hypotheses, one-way ANOVA and factorial ANOVA tests were conducted using SPSS software at a 5% 

significance level. The results reveal that age and educational background significantly influence women 

entrepreneurs' perceptions of social media marketing. Notably, 28% of respondents invest 7-9 hours 

daily in their businesses, while 32.5% dedicate 3-5 hours, highlighting the varied time commitments 

among women entrepreneurs. The study finds that these time investments also play a role in shaping 

perceptions of social media marketing. This research contributes to understanding women's 

entrepreneurship in the digital age, particularly in the context of developing economies. It provides 

insights into the factors influencing the adoption and perception of social media marketing strategies 

among women business owners. The study's focus on Assam, India, offers a unique perspective of women 

entrepreneurs in emerging markets, highlighting the need for tailored approaches to support and 

empower women in leveraging digital marketing tools for business growth. 

 
 

© 2024 by the authors. Licensee CRIBFB, USA. This open-access article is distributed under the 
terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license 
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).  

            

 

INTRODUCTION 

In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital entrepreneurship, the intersection of social media marketing and women's 

entrepreneurship presents a compelling area of research. Social media platforms have revolutionized business-customer 

relationships and product promotion strategies, offering unprecedented opportunities for entrepreneurs to reach and engage 

potential customers (Appel et al., 2020). As of 2023, the global social media user base has surpassed 4.89 billion, 

representing more than half of the world's population. This massive audience provides a fertile ground for marketing 

initiatives, particularly benefiting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources.  

The rise of women entrepreneurs in recent years has been significant, yet they continue to face unique challenges 

in the business world. According to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs 2023, women's business ownership rates 

have shown resilience and growth despite global economic challenges. However, gender disparities persist in access to 

resources, societal expectations, and growth objectives (Elam et al., 2021). 

In this context, social media marketing emerges as a potentially transformative tool for women entrepreneurs. 

Recent studies have highlighted that women entrepreneurs are more likely to utilize social media for marketing than their 

male counterparts (Pergelova et al., 2019; Ara, 2021). This trend raises important questions about the perceptions, strategies, 

and outcomes of social media marketing among women entrepreneurs. Similarly, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 

(Yadav & Unni, 2016) contend that "it is crucial to develop targeted support mechanisms and policies by understanding the 

perceptions of women entrepreneurs towards digital marketing tools." Despite the growing importance of social media 

marketing and the increasing number of women entrepreneurs, there is a notable gap in our understanding of how these two 

phenomena intersect. Specifically, more is needed to know about how women entrepreneurs perceive and approach social 

                                                      
1Corresponding author: ORCID ID: 0009-0003-7975-2300 

© 2024 by the authors. Hosting by CRIBFB. Peer review is the responsibility of CRIBFB, USA.  

https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i5.2252 
 

To cite this article: Laskar, S., Laskar, H. R., & Barbhuyan, M. N. I. (2024). PERCEPTION OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS REGARDING SOCIAL 

MEDIA MARKETING. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 9(5), 10-18. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i5.2252 

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
https://www.openaccess.nl/en
https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i5.2252
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7975-2300
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3623-8542
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9108-5977


Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

11 

media marketing and how age, educational qualifications, and time dedicated to their business influence these perceptions.  

To solve this scientific issue, this study examines how women entrepreneurs' perceptions of social media marketing are 

influenced by their business-related and demographic traits. By reviewing this crucial nexus between gender, 

entrepreneurship, and digital marketing, this research aims to identify the distinct strategies, obstacles, and prospects female 

entrepreneurs face when utilizing social media platforms to move their businesses forward. 

This gap is particularly pronounced in developing economies like India, where the number of women entrepreneurs 

is growing rapidly. However, they still represent only a small fraction of the entrepreneurial landscape. This research aims 

to address this scientific problem by examining the influence of women entrepreneurs' demographic and business-related 

characteristics on their perception of social media marketing. Focusing on this critical intersection of gender, 

entrepreneurship, and digital marketing, this study seeks to uncover the unique approaches, challenges, and opportunities 

women entrepreneurs encounter in leveraging social media platforms for business growth. The findings of this research will 

contribute to the growing body of literature on women's entrepreneurship and provide valuable insights for policymakers, 

educators, and aspiring entrepreneurs in the digital age. The present study examines how women entrepreneurs perceive and 

utilize social media marketing in their business operations. This research is particularly relevant in developing economies 

like India, where the number of women entrepreneurs is growing rapidly. However, they still represent only a small fraction 

of the entrepreneurial landscape (Srivastava & Misra, 2017). 

Focusing on this critical intersection of gender, entrepreneurship, and social media marketing, this study contributes 

to the growing literature on women's entrepreneurship. It provides valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and 

aspiring entrepreneurs in the digital age. The main objective of the research is to study the influence of women entrepreneur's 

age, educational qualifications, and number of hours dedicated to the business daily on the perception of social media 

marketing.  

Beginning with the introduction, the article is divided into separate sections. The literature review focuses on 

pertinent previous research, and the materials and methods section describes the methodology and research design. This 

study follows a descriptive research design. The findings are presented and interpreted in the results and discussion, and the 

main ideas and their broader implications are highlighted in the conclusion.  

 

LITERATURE REVIEW 

The advent of social media has revolutionized the marketing landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities for businesses 

to connect with global audiences. This literature review synthesizes research focusing on social media marketing perceptions 

among women entrepreneurs, particularly emphasizing the factors influencing adoption and effectiveness. The marketing 

landscape has changed significantly since the introduction of social media platforms. Nowadays, companies have 

unparalleled access to billions of prospective clients across the globe. Social media's role in modern marketing strategies 

has been widely recognized. The exponential development of social media users has given marketers enormous 

opportunities to connect and interact with their target customers. This growth has been particularly significant for 

entrepreneurs, especially women, in enhancing brand visibility and market expansion (Appel et al., 2020). In the digital era, 

social media marketing has emerged as a crucial asset for entrepreneurs, particularly women entrepreneurs, enhancing brand 

visibility, customer engagement, and market expansion. Dwivedi et al. (2021) noted the increasing importance of AI-

powered chatbots and predictive analytics in creating personalized customer experiences, indicating the evolving 

sophistication of social media marketing tools. Integrating e-commerce features directly into social platforms is streamlining 

the path to purchase, blurring the lines between social media and e-commerce (Harris et al., 2019; Krings et al., 2024). This 

development blurs the lines between social media and e-commerce, streamlining the path to purchase and offering new 

opportunities for entrepreneurs to monetize their social media presence. In the context of developing countries (Ukpere et 

al., 2014; Akhter et al., 2022; Zayed et al., 2022) emphasize the empowering potential of social media for women 

entrepreneurs. Their study highlights how social media provides cost-effective marketing solutions that align with the unique 

challenges women face in these regions, potentially leveling the playing field in entrepreneurship. Cesaroni et al. (2017) 

conducted a comparative analysis of women entrepreneurs in Italy and Iran, revealing that social media platforms enable 

women to transcend traditional barriers to business growth, facilitating networking and customer outreach. The "digital 

double bind" concept introduced by Duffy and Pruchniewska (2017) highlights women entrepreneurs' complex balancing 

act on social media, navigating between professionalism and authenticity. This finding suggests the need for tailored 

marketing strategies that address women's challenges in the digital space. Dwivedi et al. (2015) proposed a framework for 

social media marketing strategies for women entrepreneurs in India, emphasizing the importance of content creation, 

community building, and personal branding. Understanding the perceptions and attitudes of women entrepreneurs towards 

social media marketing is vital for effective implementation. This research provides valuable insights into the practical 

application of social media marketing for women entrepreneurs in emerging markets. Thompson-Whiteside et al. (2018) 

explore the concept of personal branding, arguing that it allows women entrepreneurs to leverage their unique experiences 

to stand out in competitive markets. This research suggests that personal branding strategies on social media could be 

particularly effective for women entrepreneurs.  The impact of social media engagement on entrepreneurial opportunities is 

explored by Fischer and Reuber (2011). Their study indicates that social media interactions can foster collaborations and 

open new avenues for business growth, highlighting the networking potential of these platforms.  

According to Hasan and Almubarak (2016), a positive correlation exists between the intensity of social media 

marketing and performance metrics in women-owned SMEs. Similarly, Srivastava and Misra (2017) found that effective 

social media use among women entrepreneurs in the handicraft sector led to enhanced market reach and sales. These studies 

provide empirical evidence of the positive impact of social media marketing on women-owned businesses.  

 Cesaroni and Consoli (2015) found that SMEs view social media as a cost-effective marketing solution, enabling 



Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

12 

competition with larger firms. Ainin et al. (2015) highlighted that perceived ease of use and usefulness significantly 

influence social media adoption among SMEs, particularly noting Facebook's positive impact on financial and non-financial 

performance. Tafesse and Wien (2018) pointed out that the effects of social media marketing vary by industry and strategy, 

suggesting the need for tailored approaches. This finding underscores the importance of considering sector-specific factors 

when developing social media marketing strategies for women entrepreneurs. 

                Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness were identified by Abdul Jalil et al. (2019) as critical factors 

influencing social media marketing adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia, supporting 

the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) proposed by Davis (1989). The extensive use of this model in social media 

marketing research underscores its significance in comprehending user behaviour. 

Focussing on the specific demographic of women entrepreneurs, Schiffman and Kanuk (2010) define perception 

as "the process by which individuals select, organize, and interpret stimuli from the external environment to create a 

meaningful picture of the world." 

              The existing literature studies show that women entrepreneurs' perceptions of social media marketing would impact 

their use. Some salient factors also influence women entrepreneurs' perceptions of adopting social media marketing. These 

salient factors are perceived usefulness, ease of use, compatibility, cost, and perceived risk, as apparent from the literature 

review. Table 1 shows the authors who have identified the factors influencing the perception and adoption of social media 

marketing. 

 

Table 1. Factor Influencing Perception about Social Media Marketing 

 
Sl no.  Factors Study 

1.  Perceived Usefulness (AlSharji et al., 2018) (Eze et al., 2021) (Fatima & Bilal, 2020) (Kim & Chiu, 2019) (Sultan & Sharmin, 2020)  

(Talukder et al., 2018)  

2.  Perceived ease of use  (Hassan & Shahzad, 2022) (Jaman et al., 2020) (Sultan & Sharmin, 2020)  (Talukder et al., 2018)  

3.  Compatibility  (Brown & Russell, 2007) (Wang et al., 2018)  

4.  Cost of set up (AlSharji et al., 2018) (Chatterjee & Kumar Kar, 2020) (Hassan & Shahzad, 2022) (Jaman et al., 2020) (Sultan & 
Sharmin, 2020)  

5.  Perceived Risk  (Chatterjee & Kumar Kar, 2020) (Jaman et al., 2020)  

 

Recent studies have further explored the factors influencing social media marketing adoption among women 

entrepreneurs. Fatima and Bilal (2020) emphasized the role of perceived usefulness in driving social media marketing 

adoption among women-owned SMEs in Pakistan. Their findings suggest that understanding the potential benefits of social 

media marketing is crucial for its successful implementation. Kim and Chiu (2019) investigate the impact of social media 

marketing on brand equity and customer relationships in the fashion industry. Their study provides insights into how women 

entrepreneurs in specific sectors can leverage social media to build strong brand identities and foster customer loyalty. Eze 

et al. (2021) examine the factors influencing social media adoption among SMEs in Malaysia, highlighting the importance 

of perceived usefulness and ease of use. Their research contributes to the growing body of literature applying the Technology 

Acceptance Model to social media marketing in diverse cultural contexts. 

 Sultan and Sharmin (2020) explore the challenges and opportunities of social media marketing for women 

entrepreneurs in Bangladesh. Their study identifies critical barriers to adoption, including lack of technical skills and 

concerns about online privacy, providing valuable insights for policymakers and support organizations. Hassan and Shahzad 

(2022) investigated the impact of social media marketing on the performance of women-owned microenterprises in Pakistan. 

Their findings suggest that effective use of social media can significantly enhance business outcomes for women 

entrepreneurs in developing economies. Wang et al. (2018) examined the role of compatibility in social media marketing 

adoption among SMEs. Their research highlights the importance of aligning social media strategies with business processes 

and organizational culture. 

Chatterjee and Kumar Kar (2020) comprehensively reviewed the factors influencing social media marketing 

adoption among SMEs in India. Their study synthesizes existing literature and proposes a framework for understanding the 

complex interplay of technological, organizational, and environmental factors affecting social media marketing adoption. 

With these factors, demographic factors also play a role in shaping perceptions towards social media marketing. Kuhn et al. 

(2016) found that older entrepreneurs may be more reluctant to adopt social media marketing due to lower digital literacy 

or skepticism about its efficacy. Conversely, (Perrin, 2015; Ramasamy et al., 2024) noted that middle-aged business owners 

(35-50 years) often successfully leverage social media, balancing professional experience with digital literacy. 

                Additionally, educational background affects social media marketing strategies, (Ainin et al., 2015) observed that 

more educated entrepreneurs are likely to perceive more significant potential in social media and employ more sophisticated 

marketing techniques. Dahnil et al. (2014) further noted that formal business education correlates with integrating social 

media into holistic marketing strategies (Ainin et al., 2015).  

               Entrepreneurs with technological backgrounds tend to focus on analytics and data-driven tactics, impacting their 

social media marketing techniques (Rauniar et al., 2014). The industry sector plays a role in the prioritization of social media 

marketing. Entrepreneurs in B2C sectors, mainly retail and services, place higher importance on social media marketing 

than those in B2B sectors.  

 Despite the potential benefits, women entrepreneurs need help adopting and effectively using social media 

marketing. Genç and Öksüz (2015), while Turkish women entrepreneurs recognized Facebook's benefits, they faced 

challenges regarding time management and technical skills. His study highlights the need for support and training programs 



Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

13 

to help women entrepreneurs leverage social media platforms effectively. Despite the advantages, challenges persist. 

Taiminen and Karjaluoto (2015) identified time constraints as a significant barrier to social media adoption among SMEs. 

This challenge is particularly relevant for women entrepreneurs who often balance business responsibilities with domestic 

duties. Nawi et al. (2017) noted that entrepreneurs' lack of technical skills is more prevalent in developing countries 

(Bocconcelli et al., 2017). The struggle SMEs face in producing consistent, high-quality content regularly. This task requires 

significant time and creative resources. This challenge can be particularly acute for women entrepreneurs managing multiple 

roles. Measuring social media marketing efforts' return on investment (ROI) remains a significant concern. McCann and 

Barlow (2015) pointed out the difficulties SMEs face in quantifying the impact of their social media marketing activities. 

This uncertainty can affect women entrepreneurs' perceptions of the value and effectiveness of these platforms. Despite 

being a crucial component of many firms' marketing efforts, social media marketing is not without criticism. Measuring 

social media marketing campaigns' return on investment (ROI) can be difficult for many organizations. There is criticism 

regarding the utility of social media since (Hoffman & Fodor, 2010) argued that traditional ROI measurements may not be 

appropriate for social media. Handling social media marketing initiatives might require a lot of time and resources. 

According to a study by Michaelidou et al. (2011), 26% of marketers devote 6–10 hours a week to social media marketing, 

which raises questions regarding effectiveness. The public nature of social media introduces reputational risks for 

businesses. Aula (2010) discusses how social media can amplify negative opinions, potentially harming a brand's reputation. 

This risk factor can significantly influence women entrepreneurs' perceptions and approaches to social media marketing. 

Ethical concerns surrounding data collection and targeting methods on social media platforms have been raised by Acquisti 

et al. (2016). These concerns can impact women entrepreneurs' perceptions of social media marketing, particularly regarding 

customer trust and brand integrity. 

Despite the growing body of research, the literature must address several gaps and contradictions. The influence 

of demographic factors such as age and Education on social media marketing perceptions among women entrepreneurs still 

needs to be explored, particularly in specific regional contexts like Assam, India. Additionally, the relationship between 

time investment in business activities and social media marketing effectiveness for women entrepreneurs requires further 

investigation. Given the gaps and contradictions in the existing literature, this study aims to examine the influence of age, 

Education, and time dedication to business on the perceptions of women entrepreneurs towards social media marketing in 

Assam, India.  

This research aims to contribute to understanding factors affecting social media marketing adoption and 

effectiveness among women entrepreneurs in specific regional contexts. Based on the above literature review, we propose 

the following hypotheses: 

   

H1: Age has no significant influence on the perception of women entrepreneurs regarding social media marketing. 

H2: Education has no significant influence on the perception of women entrepreneurs regarding social media marketing. 

H3: There is no significant influence of the number of hours dedicated to business per day by women entrepreneurs on their 

perception of social media marketing. 

H4: The influence of age, educational qualification, and number of hours dedicated to business per day on the perception of 

women entrepreneurs towards social media marketing are similar. 

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

This study explored the perception of women entrepreneurs towards social media marketing in the eight major cities of 

Assam, India. According to the 2011 census, there are 991 active women entrepreneurs across these urban agglomerations 

(Commissionerate of Industries and Commerce, Assam). No restrictions were placed on participant characteristics beyond 

being a woman entrepreneur operating a business in one of the eight target cities. A simple random sampling method was 

used to collect data from the population of women entrepreneurs in the eight cities of Assam. The researcher personally 

visited the premises of women entrepreneurs to collect data with the help of a printed questionnaire. Based on Yamane's 

formula, a sample size of 286 was calculated with a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error (Isreal, 2003). This sample 

size was sufficient to represent the target population of women entrepreneurs in Assam accurately. A structured 

questionnaire was designed based on an extensive review of the existing literature on social media marketing perceptions 

of women entrepreneurs. The questionnaire was tested through a pilot study, which found it to be highly reliable, with a 

Cronbach's Alpha of 0.806. The final questionnaire gathered data on the women entrepreneurs' usage of social media 

platforms, their perceived benefits and challenges of social media marketing, and their overall attitudes toward integrating 

social media into their business strategies. This study employed a quantitative research design to understand the perceptions 

of women entrepreneurs toward social media marketing. The data collected through the structured questionnaire was 

analyzed using statistical techniques, including one-way ANOVA and factorial ANOVA tests (Singhal & Padmanabhan, 

2009). The one-way ANOVA test was used to examine the differences in social media marketing perceptions among women 

entrepreneurs from the eight cities in Assam. The factorial ANOVA test was then applied to explore the interactive effects 

of various demographic and business-related factors on the women entrepreneurs' social media marketing perceptions. 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 

Table 2 presents the demographic characteristics of the women entrepreneurs from all cities of Assam, India. The 

information includes age, educational qualifications, and daily business hours. Among the respondents are 93 women 

entrepreneurs below 25, representing 32.5%. 78 women entrepreneurs, representing 27.3%, fall within the age range of 26 

to 35 years. The lowest percentage of women entrepreneurs were from the age group of 36-45 years. 



Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

14 

Table 2. Demographic information 

 
Items N % 

Age (In Years)   

Below 25 93 32.5% 

26-35yrs 78 27.3% 

36-45yrs 30 10.5% 

46-55yrs 53 18.5% 

56 and above 32 11.2% 

Education   

Class 10 26 9.1% 

Class 12 69 24.1% 

Graduate 105 36.7% 

Post Graduate 57 19.9% 

Others 29 10.1% 

Hours dedicated to business per day   

Less than 3hrs 24 8.4% 

3-5 hrs 93 32.5% 

5-7hrs 63 22.0% 

7-9hrs 80 28.0% 

More than 9hrs 26 9.1% 

**n=286   

 

105 women entrepreneurs are graduates, making up 36.7% of the total, followed by 24.1 % who were educated up 

to secondary level. The lowest percentage of women entrepreneurs were enrolled, with 26 women entrepreneurs. 10.1 % of 

the women entrepreneurs were either technical diploma holders or doctorate holders. There are 93 women entrepreneurs, 

representing 32.5 % who put at least 3 to 5 hours into their business daily, followed by 28% who put 7 to 9 hours into their 

business daily. Only 8.4% of the women entrepreneurs put less than 3 hours into their business daily. The total sample size 

is indicated as n=286 respondents. This detailed demographic analysis provides extensive insights into the makeup of the 

surveyed women entrepreneurs in the different cities of Assam, India. 

 

H1: Age has no significant influence on the perception of women entrepreneurs regarding social media marketing. 

 

Table 3 shows a one-way ANOVA of age's influence on women entrepreneurs' perception regarding social media 

marketing in all cities of Assam.  

 

Table 3. One way ANOVA 

 
Perception Level Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 

Between Groups 78.126 4 19.532 53.282 0.000 

Within Groups 103.005 281 0.367   

Total 181.131 285    

 

Table 3 above shows the results of ANOVA for H1. The significance value is 0.00 (i.e., p=0.00), below 0.05. 

Hence, the null hypothesis (H1), i.e., no significant influence of age on the perception of women entrepreneurs regarding 

social media marketing, is rejected. Therefore, women entrepreneurs' perception of social media marketing is highly 

influenced by their age. 

 

H2: Education has no significant influence on the perception of women entrepreneurs regarding social media marketing. 

 

One-way ANOVA was carried out to find the influence of educational qualification on the perception of women 

entrepreneurs regarding social media marketing in all cities of Assam, as shown in Table 4.  

 

Table 4. One way ANOVA 

 
Perception Level Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 

Between Groups 74.658 4 18.665 49.259 0.000 

Within Groups 106.473 281 0.379   

Total 181.131 285    

 

 



Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

15 

Table 4 shows the results of ANOVA for H2. The significance value is 0.00 (i.e., p=0.00), below 0.05. Hence, the 

null hypothesis (H2) is rejected, i.e., there is no significant influence of Education on the perception of women entrepreneurs 

regarding social media marketing. Therefore, their level of Education highly influences the perception of women 

entrepreneurs regarding social media marketing. 

 

H3: There is no significant influence of the number of hours dedicated to business per day by women entrepreneurs on their 

perception of social media marketing. 

 

One-way ANOVA was carried out to find the influence of the number of hours put into the business daily on 

women entrepreneurs' perception of social media marketing in all the cities of Assam, as shown in Table 5. 

 

Table 5. One way ANOVA 

 
Perception Level Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 

Between Groups 37.156 4 9.289 18.130 0.000 

Within Groups 143.975 281 0.512   

Total 181.131 285    

 

Table 5 shows the results of ANOVA for H3. The significance value is 0.00 (i.e., p=0.00), below 0.05. Hence, the 

null hypothesis (H3) is rejected, i.e., there is no significant influence of the number of hours dedicated to business per day 

by women entrepreneurs on their perception of social media marketing. Therefore, the perception of women entrepreneurs 

regarding social media marketing is highly influenced by the hours they dedicate to their business daily. 

 

H4: The influence of age, educational qualification, and number of hours dedicated to business per day on the perception 

of women entrepreneurs towards social media marketing are similar. 

 

The primary goal of running a factorial ANOVA is to determine whether there is a three-way interaction between 

the three independent variables (i.e., Age Group, Educational Qualification, Number of business hours). The row "Age 

Group * Educational Qualification * Hours dedicated to business per day " in Table 6 can be consulted to determine whether 

there is a statistically significant three-way.  

 

Table 6. Factorial ANOVA 

 
Tests of Between-Subjects Effects 

Dependent Variable:   Perception Level 

Source Type III Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig. 

Corrected Model 145.061a 74 1.960 21.382 0.000 

Intercept 480.823 1 480.823 5244.588 0.000 

Age Group 21.636 4 5.409 59.000 0.000 

Educational Qualification 2.237 4 0.559 6.101 0.000 

Hours dedicated to business 3.684 4 0.921 10.047 0.000 

Age Group * Educational Qualification 6.569 14 0.469 5.118 0.000 

Age Group * Hours devoted to business 3.495 14 0.250 2.723 0.001 

Educational Qualification * Hours dedicated to 

business 

5.893 15 0.393 4.285 0.000 

Age Group * Educational Qualification * Hours 

devoted to business 

5.158 19 0.271 2.961 0.000 

Error 19.344 211 0.092     

Total 1474.000 286       

Corrected Total 164.406 285       

a. R Squared = .882 (Adjusted R Squared = .841) 

 

The statistical significance level, or p-value, of the three-way interaction term in the factorial ANOVA is displayed 

in the "Sig." column. According to the observation, the three-way interaction term has a statistical significance level of.000 

(p =.000). Therefore, p <.05 means that there is a statistically significant three-way Age Group * Educational Qualification 

* Number of business hour interaction effect. This leads to rejecting the null hypothesis (H4), i.e., the influence of age, 

educational qualification, and number of hours dedicated to business per day on the perception of women entrepreneurs 

towards social media marketing are similar. Therefore, age, educational qualification, and number of hours dedicated to 

business per day significantly influence the perception of women entrepreneurs.  

 

CONCLUSIONS  

The research explores how women entrepreneurs in Assam perceive social media marketing and examines the influence of 

age, education level, and business hours on their perception of social media marketing. Social media presents an accessible 

and powerful platform, especially for women entrepreneurs in developing regions. To empower women entrepreneurs in 

this fast-paced digital age, understanding the factors shaping their perception of social media marketing is crucial for 

developing effective strategies. The findings reveal that these variables significantly influence and shape the perception of 

women entrepreneurs towards social media marketing. It fills the research gap by focusing on a specific geographic setting 



Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

16 

that has not received much attention in previous studies. The study showed that Assamese women entrepreneurs have a 

diverse demographic profile. This research provides new insights into how time invested in business operations may 

influence perceptions of digital marketing approaches. A small sample size restricted this study, and it only considered the 

women entrepreneurs from Assam, India. Therefore, the potential for generalizing the results to broader contexts is limited. 

Moreover, the research only examines three variables: age, Education, and operating hours. The study fails to consider 

additional factors such as digital literacy, technology accessibility, and industry-specific challenges. With these limitations 

in mind, upcoming researchers should focus on increasing the sample size and including a set of women entrepreneurs from 

different regions and industry domains. To thoroughly comprehend entrepreneurs' perspectives, it would be beneficial to 

investigate topics like the social media platforms they prefer, their proficiency with digital tools, and their support networks. 

The study's findings offer several practical applications to support women entrepreneurs in Assam. These include developing 

tailored social media marketing training programs, establishing mentorship initiatives, creating flexible workspace 

solutions, implementing digital access programs, providing policy recommendations, and developing industry-specific 

guidelines. Future research should build on bigger sample size and more places, studying things like digital literacy and how 

easy it is to access technology, doing longitudinal studies, looking at platform-specific preferences, testing digital tool 

proficiency, looking at support networks, making cross-cultural comparisons, checking out the long-term effects of social 

media marketing adoption, finding barriers to adoption, and planning intervention studies. By implementing these practical 

applications and pursuing these research directions, stakeholders can work toward empowering women entrepreneurs in 

Assam and similar regions to leverage social media marketing effectively for business growth and success. These efforts 

will address women entrepreneurs' unique challenges in social media marketing and contribute to a more comprehensive 

understanding of the factors influencing their perceptions and practices in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. 

 

 
Author Contributions: Conceptualization, S.L. and H.R.L.; Methodology, S.L. and H.R.L.; Software, H.R.L.; Validation, S.L., H.R.L. and M.N.I.B.; 

Formal Analysis, H.R.L.; Investigation, S.L.; Resources, S.L. and H.R.L.; Data Curation, S.L.; Writing – Original Draft Preparation, S.L.; Writing – 

Review & Editing, H.R.L.; Visualization, S.L. and H.R.L.; Supervision, H.R.L. and M.N.I.B.; Project Administration, H.R.L. and M.N.I.B.; Funding 
Acquisition, H.R.L. and M.N.I.B. Authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. 

Institutional Review Board Statement: Ethical review and approval were waived for this study, due to that the research does not deal with vulnerable 
groups or sensitive issues. 

Funding: The authors received no direct funding for this research. 

Acknowledgments: Not Applicable.  

Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. 

Data Availability Statement: The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available 

due to restrictions. 

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

REFERENCES 

Abdul Jalil, M. M., Mohd, F., Man, M., Ali, N., & Muhamad, S. (2019). Social media application usage and women 

entrepreneurship achievement through e-business model: Case of Setiu wetland. ACM International Conference 

Proceeding Series, Part F1479(February), 505–509. https://doi.org/10.1145/3316615.3316709 

Acquisti, A., Taylor, C., & Wagman, L. (2016). The economics of privacy. Journal of Economic Literature, 54(2), 442–

492. https://doi.org/10.1257/jel.54.2.442 

Ainin, S., Parveen, F., Moghavvemi, S., Jaafar, N. I., & Mohd Shuib, N. L. (2015). Factors influencing the use of social 

media by SMEs and its performance outcomes. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 115(3), 570-588. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-07-2014-0205 

AlSharji, A., Ahmad, S. Z., & Abu Bakar, A. R. (2018). Understanding Social Media Adoption in SMEs: Empirical 

Evidence from the United Arab Emirates. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 10(2), 302–328. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/jeee-08-2017-0058 

Appel, G., Grewal, L., Hadi, R., & Stephen, A. T. (2020). The future of social media in marketing. Journal of the Academy 

of Marketing Science, 48(1), 79–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-019-00695-1 

Aula, P. (2010). Social media, reputation risk and ambient publicity management. Strategy and Leadership, 38(6), 43–49. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/10878571011088069 

Ara, J. (2021). A study on funding and financial strategy followed by women entrepreneurs: a new way to entrepreneurial 

growth of bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 4(1), 1-13. 

https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v4i1.1261 

Akhter, A., Islam, K. M. A., Karim, M. M., & Latif, W. B. (2022). Examining determinants of digital entrepreneurial 

intention: A case of graduate students. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 20(3), 153-163. 

Bocconcelli, R., Cioppi, M., & Pagano, A. (2017). Social media as a resource in SMEs’ sales process. Journal of Business 

and Industrial Marketing, 32(5), 693–709. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-11-2014-0244 

Brown, I., & Russell, J. (2007). Radio frequency identification technology: An exploratory study on adoption in the South 

African retail sector. International Journal of Information Management, 27(4), 250–265. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2007.02.007 

Cesaroni, F. M., & Consoli, D. (2015). Are Small Businesses Really Able to Take Advantage of Social Media?: Discovery 

Service para Universidad Del Pacifico. Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(4), 257–268.  

Cesaroni, F. M., Demartini, P., & Paoloni, P. (2017). Women in business and social media: Implications for female 

entrepreneurship in emerging countries. African Journal of Business Management, 11(14), 316–326. 



Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

17 

https://doi.org/10.5897/ajbm2017.8281 

Chatterjee, S., & Kumar Kar, A. (2020). Why do small and medium enterprises use social media marketing and what is the 

impact: Empirical insights from India. International Journal of Information Management, 53(March), 102103. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102103 

Dahnil, M. I., Marzuki, K. M., Langgat, J., & Fabeil, N. F. (2014). Factors Influencing SMEs Adoption of Social Media 

Marketing. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 148, 119–126. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.025 

Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS 

Quarterly: Management Information Systems, 13(3), 319–339. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008 

Duffy, B. E., & Pruchniewska, U. (2017). Gender and self-enterprise in the social media age: a digital double bind. 

Information Communication and Society, 20(6), 843–859. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2017.1291703 

Dwivedi, Y. K., Ismagilova, E., Hughes, D. L., Carlson, J., Filieri, R., Jacobson, J., Jain, V., Karjaluoto, H., Kefi, H., 

Krishen, A. S., Kumar, V., Rahman, M. M., Raman, R., Rauschnabel, P. A., Rowley, J., Salo, J., Tran, G. A., & 

Wang, Y. (2021). Setting the future of digital and social media marketing research: Perspectives and research 

propositions. International Journal of Information Management, 59(June), 102168. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102168 

Dwivedi, Y. K., Kapoor, K. K., & Chen, H. (2015). Food media, marketing and advertising. Food Policy in the United 

Kingdom, 15(3), 289–309. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003260301-6 

Elam, J. S., Glasser, M. F., Harms, M. P., Sotiropoulos, S. N., Andersson, J. L. R., Burgess, G. C., Curtiss, S. W., 

Oostenveld, R., Larson-Prior, L. J., Schoffelen, J. M., Hodge, M. R., Cler, E. A., Marcus, D. M., Barch, D. M., 

Yacoub, E., Smith, S. M., Ugurbil, K., & Van Essen, D. C. (2021). The Human Connectome Project: A 

retrospective. NeuroImage, 244(September), 118543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118543 

Eze, S. C., Chinedu-Eze, V. C., & Bello, A. O. (2021). Some antecedent factors that shape SMEs adoption of social media 

marketing applications: a hybrid approach. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 12(1), 41–

61. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-06-2019-0063 

Fatima, T., & Bilal, A. R. (2020). Achieving SME performance through individual entrepreneurial orientation: An active 

social networking perspective. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 12(3), 399–411. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-03-2019-0037 

Fischer, E., & Reuber, A. R. (2011). Social interaction via new social media: (How) can interactions on Twitter affect 

effectual thinking and behavior? Journal of Business Venturing, 26(1), 1–18. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2010.09.002 

Genç, M., & Öksüz, B. (2015). A Fact or an Illusion: Effective Social Media Usage of Female Entrepreneurs. Procedia - 

Social and Behavioral Sciences, 195(July 2015), 293–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.06.345 

Harris, L., Rae, A., Bandyopadhyay, S., Molecke, G., Pinkse, J., Sembada, A. Y., Koay, K. Y., Maroufkhani, P., Tseng, 

M. L., Iranmanesh, M., Ismail, W. K. W., Khalid, H., Burke-Garcia, A., Stanton, C. A., Denić, N., Radević, B., 

Siljković, B., Leidner, D. E., Gonzalez, E., … Journal, A. R. P. (2019). Brand strategies in social media. 

International Journal of Information Management, 32(3), 328–344. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-04-2013-0056 

Hassan, S., & Shahzad, A. (2022). The Impact of Social Media Usage on Small and Micro Social Commerce Enterprises 

in Malaysia. Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Science, 16(1), 141–166. 

Hoffman, D. L., & Fodor, M. (2010). Can you measure the ROI of your social media marketing? MIT Sloan Management 

Review, 52(1), 41–49. 

Hasan, F. S., & Almubarak, M. M. S. (2016). Factors influencing women entrepreneurs’ performance in SMEs. World 

Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 12(2), 82-101. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/WJEMSD-09-2015-0037 

Isreal, D. G. (2003). Determining Sample Size. University of Florida, 170, e351–e363. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2022.11.013 

Jaman, S. F. I. H., Damit, N. J. H., Ishak, N. A., Ason, M. L. A., Tamin, M. R., Tangphadungrutch, K., & Almunawar, M. 

N. (2020). The adoption of social media as marketing tools: Case small and medium enterprises in Brunei 

Darussalam. International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management, 11(2), 28–50. 

https://doi.org/10.4018/IJABIM.2020040103 

Kim, T., & Chiu, W. (2019). Consumer acceptance of sports wearable technology: the role of technology readiness. 

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 20(1), 109–126. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-06-

2017-0050 

Kuhn, K., Galloway, T., & Williams, M. C. (2016). Near, far, and online: small business owners' advice-seeking from 

peers. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 23(1), 189–206. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-

03-2015-0037 

Krings, W. J., Sharmen, S., Faisal-E-Alam, M., & Bhuiyan, A. B. (2024). Divulging young population’s willingness to 

purchase green products. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 9(3), 42-50. 

https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i3.2237 

McCann, M., & Barlow, A. (2015). Use and measurement of social media for SMEs. Journal of small business and 

enterprise development, 22(2), 273–287. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-08-2012-0096 

Michaelidou, N., Siamagka, N. T., & Christodoulides, G. (2011). Usage, barriers and measurement of social media 

marketing: An exploratory investigation of small and medium B2B brands. Industrial marketing management, 

40(7), 1153-1159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2011.09.009 



Laskar et al., Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research 9(5) (2024), 10-18

 

18 

Nawi, N. B. C., Mamun, A. A., Nasir, N. A. B. M., Shokery, N. M. B. A. H., Raston, N. B. A., & Fazal, S. A. (2017). 

Acceptance and usage of social media as a platform among student entrepreneurs. Journal of Small Business and 

Enterprise Development, 24(2), 375-393. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-09-2016-0136 

Pergelova, A., Manolova, T., Simeonova-Ganeva, R., & Yordanova, D. (2019). Democratizing Entrepreneurship? Digital 

Technologies and the Internationalization of Female-Led SMEs. Journal of Small Business Management, 57(1), 

14–39. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12494 

Perrin, A. (2015). Social Media Usage: 2005-2015. Retrieved from 

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/10/08/social-networking-usage-2005-2015 

Rauniar, R., Rawski, G., Yang, J., & Johnson, B. (2014). Technology acceptance model (TAM) and social media usage: 

An empirical study on Facebook. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 27(1), 6–30. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-04-2012-0011 

Ramasamy, M., Subbiah, J., Bordoloi, D., & Ramalingam, P. (2024). Bankers’ perspective on social media banking: a 

study with special reference to select indian banks. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 

9(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i2.2210 

Singhal, D., & Padhmanabhan, V. (2009). A Study on Customer Perception Towards Internet Banking: Identifying Major 

Contributing Factors. Journal of Nepalese Business Studies, 5(1), 101–111. 

https://doi.org/10.3126/jnbs.v5i1.2088 

Srivastava, S., & Misra, R. (2017). Exploring antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions of young women in India: A multi-

method analysis. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 9(2), 181–206. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-04-2016-0012 

Sultan, M. T., & Sharmin, F. (2020). An exploratory investigation of Facebook live marketing by women entrepreneurs in 

Bangladesh. Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020, 12195 LNCS, pp. 415–430. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-

030-49576-3_30 

Schiffman, L., & Kanuk, L. L. (2010). Consumer Behavior, Global Tenth Edition. United States of America: Pearson 

Education, Inc. 

Tafesse, W., & Wien, A. (2018). Implementing social media marketing strategically: an empirical assessment. Journal of 

Marketing Management, 34(9–10), 732–749. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2018.1482365 

Taiminen, H. M., & Karjaluoto, H. (2015). The usage of digital marketing channels in SMEs. Journal of Small Business 

and Enterprise Development, 22(4), 633–651. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-05-2013-0073 

Talukder, M., Quazi, A., & Djatikusumol, D. (2018). Social media and SMEs: A study of drivers of adoption of innovation 

in organizational setting. Journal of Electronic Commerce in Organizations, 16(2), 1–28. 

https://doi.org/10.4018/JECO.2018040101 

Thompson-Whiteside, H., Turnbull, S., & Howe-Walsh, L. (2018). Developing an authentic personal brand using 

impression management behaviours. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 21(2), 166–181. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/qmr-01-2017-0007 

Ukpere, C. L., Slabbert, A. D., & Ukpere, W. I. (2014). Rising trend in social media usage by women entrepreneurs across 

the globe to unlock their potentials for business success. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(10 SPEC. 

ISSUE), 551–559. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n10p551 

Wang, D., Wang, L., & Chen, L. (2018). Unlocking the influence of family business exposure on entrepreneurial intentions. 

International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 14(4), 951–974. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-017-

0475-2 

Yadav, V., & Unni, J. (2016). Women entrepreneurship: research review and future directions. Journal of Global 

Entrepreneurship Research, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40497-016-0055-x 

Zayed, N. M., Edeh, F. O., Islam, K. M. A., Nitsenko, V., Polova, O., & Khaietska, O. (2022). Utilization of Knowledge 

Management as Business Resilience Strategy for Microentrepreneurs in Post-COVID-19 Economy. 

Sustainability, 14(23), 15789. 

 
 

Publisher’s Note: CRIBFB stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. 

 

 
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee CRIBFB, USA. This open-access article is distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons 

Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). 

Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research (P-ISSN 2687-850X   E-ISSN 2687-8518) by CRIBFB is licensed under a Creative 

Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

