The determinants of Tunisian influencer-mompreneurs’ success: an exploratory study of a new form of female web entrepreneurship on Instagram

Abstract

Purpose This paper is designed with the aim to enlarge our understanding of a new form of women’s entrepreneurship in an emerging market, which is Tunisia. By exploring the role of nowadays’ “influencer-mompreneurs” on Instagram, our research provides a springboard to holistically investigate an up-to-date facet of female entrepreneurship in the digital era and to identify the determinants of its success. Design/methodology/approach This study took place in Tunisia and examined a sample of 20 female followers of three successful influencer-mompreneurs. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted through semistructured interviews. To analyze the collected data, the authors used thematic analysis, through which the determinants of influencer-mompreneurs’ success on Instagram bearing on Tunisian followers’ perspectives and previous literature were identified. Findings The results suggest that the key determinants of influencer-mompreneurs’ success from their followers’ perspectives depend on their personal traits and their shared content. This is consistent with previous theories and models. In particular, source credibility theory and Ducoffe’s model of advertisement value, which to our knowledge, has not yet been wholly served with regard to influencer marketing research. Paradoxically, the findings reveal that “sharenting” details of their private lives as well as those of their children is also a determinant of influencer-mompreneurs’ success. Originality/value Research into influencer-mompreneurs’ success with presence of their children on Instagram can help to provide valuable insights because existing literature into the subject is ambiguous and requires further research to clarify this research gap. Furthermore, by broadening the view of a new form of women entrepreneurship in relation to mother-influencer marketing, this study will inspire future research to dig deeper into creative women owned businesses and to support such emerging economies in the African context.

Thematic Review of Motivational Factors, Types of Uncertainty, and Entrepreneurship Strategies of Transitional Entrepreneurship among Ethnic Minorities, Immigrants, and Women Entrepreneurs

“…There are comparatively fewer women entrepreneurs than their male counterparts, but their contribution to societal welfare through entrepreneurship venturing is higher than the activity of men (Minniti 2010;El Chaarani and Raimi 2022). Worse still, women entrepreneurs suffer several social, economic, cultural, and institutional barriers in the process of setting up their businesses in transitional economies that are most often characterized by a lack of an enabling regulatory environment, poor protection for the private sector, weak legislation on private property rights, and inadequate business incentives for supporting women enterprises (Zhu et al 2019;Boufares Tayaa and Bouzaabia 2022). The study of Longoria (2018) affirmed that women's entrepreneurship in transitional and developing economies is motivated by necessity/push factors strongly linked to the lack of employment opportunities, dissatisfaction with existing employment, the need to support families, and the quest to succeed despite the lack of access to education and business support interventions, among others.…”