Authors :
Amira Meliani
Volume/Issue :
Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 7 - July
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/4ywaep2u
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/3a5ytak2
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul1941
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Abstract :
This article explores the institutional, social, and technological factors influencing women’s entrepreneurship in
Morocco and Saudi Arabia, drawing on 40 in-depth interviews with female entrepreneurs. Despite policy reforms under
frameworks such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Morocco’s National Initiative for Human Development, women face
structural impediments, including limited access to finance, restricted networks, and entrenched cultural norms. Guided by
six theoretical frameworks—including Social Capital Theory and Gendered Entrepreneurship Theory—this study uncovers
how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies offer emerging avenues for empowerment. Findings suggest that AI,
coupled with gender-sensitive policies, can mitigate some barriers, though regional disparities remain pronounced. The
article concludes with actionable recommendations for policy makers, financial institutions, and development organizations
to create a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem across the MENA region.
Keywords :
Women Entrepreneurship, MENA, Institutional Barriers, Artificial Intelligence, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Gender Policy, Digital Inclusion.
References :
- A Selection of Key Academic and Institutional Sources
- OECD (2023). Bridging the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship. https://www.oecd.org/gender
- World Bank (2023). Women, Business and the Law. https://wbl.worldbank.org/
- UNCTAD (2021). Gender and E-commerce Platforms in the Global South.
- Beninger, K. (2021). The Algorithmic Bias in Financial Inclusion. McKinsey Digital.
- GEM Consortium (2023). Global Entrepreneurship Monitor – MENA Report.
This article explores the institutional, social, and technological factors influencing women’s entrepreneurship in
Morocco and Saudi Arabia, drawing on 40 in-depth interviews with female entrepreneurs. Despite policy reforms under
frameworks such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Morocco’s National Initiative for Human Development, women face
structural impediments, including limited access to finance, restricted networks, and entrenched cultural norms. Guided by
six theoretical frameworks—including Social Capital Theory and Gendered Entrepreneurship Theory—this study uncovers
how artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies offer emerging avenues for empowerment. Findings suggest that AI,
coupled with gender-sensitive policies, can mitigate some barriers, though regional disparities remain pronounced. The
article concludes with actionable recommendations for policy makers, financial institutions, and development organizations
to create a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem across the MENA region.
Keywords :
Women Entrepreneurship, MENA, Institutional Barriers, Artificial Intelligence, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Gender Policy, Digital Inclusion.
