AU Institutional Repository
Multi-Path Sustainable Digital Entrepreneurship Value Creation Model for Resource-Constrained Ecosystems
- Repository Home
- →
- Research Papers
- →
- School of Science Technology & Engineering
- →
- View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
| dc.contributor.author | Omoga, Charles | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ong'ang’a, Peter | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kosgei, Nehemiah | |
| dc.contributor.author | Mengwa, Victor | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-22T06:49:15Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-22T06:49:15Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://41.89.205.12/handle/123456789/2881 | |
| dc.description | According to the western-centric paradigm, the success of digital ventures requires the implementation of complex and capital-intensive technologies. However, there is a conundrum regarding the need for small and medium enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa to overcome extreme institutional gaps, low broadband penetration rates and limited access to funds, while simultaneously needing to have global standards for socio-environmental tracking for their patient funding. This study proposes and empirically tests an integrative model of Sustainable Digital Entrepreneurship (SDE) in the challenging context of Western Kenya. Following a mixed-methods approach, qualitative data from 18 purposefully selected, successful sustainable digital entrepreneurs, analysed using NVivo 14 software, are paired with quantitative data from a snowball sample of 30 digital entrepreneurs. Analysis includes descriptive statistics, regressions, and a correlation matrix. The conceptual framework of the underlying model combines the Resource-Based View (RBV), Institutional Theory, and Stakeholder Theory. The finding suggests that Socio-Environmental Value Creation (SEVC) is significantly and highly associated with the level of execution of Sustainable Digital Entrepreneurship activities (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). A robust co-mediation mechanism is present, indicating that SEVC is significantly affected by such factors as Frugal Digital Capability (r = 0.61), Community Engagement (r = 0.55), and Local Institutional Support (r = 0.50). Optimised SMS-based services, light USSD architectures, as well as offline-first mobile apps are some examples of a frugal approach, which enabled entrepreneurs to receive the highest score of 4.8 out of 5.0. Moreover, it was found that a significant and high correlation exists between the practice of tracking sustainability performance (r = 0.68) and the level of overall business performance of those digital entrepreneurs who actively track their sustainability performance. This study challenges the Resource-Based View assumptions of focusing on assets, since it suggests low-threshold digital designs can work well in resource-poor environments. It practically results in a region-specific scorecard, which decreases the information asymmetry when considering the investment of impact investors and offers a comprehensive socio-environmental evaluation score for policymakers. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Sustainable Digital Entrepreneurship (SDE), Frugal Digital Innovation, ResourceConstrained Ecosystems, Value Creation Model, Mixed-Methods, Resource-Based View (RBV) | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | ALUPE UNIVERSITY | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | East African Journal of Business and Economics | en_US |
| dc.title | Multi-Path Sustainable Digital Entrepreneurship Value Creation Model for Resource-Constrained Ecosystems | en_US |
| dc.type | Other | en_US |
