Empowering beyond borders: the strategic roles of Indonesian women entrepreneurs in international market engagement

Purpose This study aims to examine the socioeconomic strategies used by Indonesian women entrepreneurs to enter and maintain participation in international markets. Design/methodology/approach This study uses an integrative theoretical framework combining the resource-based view, institutional theory and social identity theory. Using a qualitative design with a netnography and narrative inquiry approach, data was collected from nine publicly available YouTube interviews featuring Indonesian women entrepreneurs. Findings Four key dimensions emerge: women as agents of local-to-global transformation, resilience amid structural and gender-based barriers, digital adaptation and community-based social impact. This study revealed that many women entrepreneurs demonstrate exceptional resilience, despite facing constrained finances and limited institutional support, often as single parents or from underprivileged educational backgrounds. Originality/value This study addresses the issue of women entrepreneur leaders in Indonesia, a key global south economy.