Digital Communication Networks and Women's Economic Empowerment: The Mediating Role of Social Capital in Vietnam

Abstract

This study investigates the complex relationship between digital communication networks, social capital formation, and women's economic empowerment within Vietnam's rapidly evolving digital landscape. Drawing upon social capital theory and feminist economic frameworks, the research examines how digital communication technologies facilitate the accumulation of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital, which subsequently enhances women's economic opportunities and outcomes. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining structural equation modelling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the study analysed data from 847 Vietnamese women entrepreneurs and micro-enterprise operators across urban and rural contexts. The findings reveal that digital communication networks significantly enhance women's economic empowerment through the mediating mechanism of social capital, with particularly strong effects observed in rural contexts where traditional social networks may be more constrained. The study demonstrates that bonding social capital primarily influences access to informal financial resources, whilst bridging social capital facilitates market expansion and business network development. Linking social capital emerges as particularly crucial for accessing formal institutional support and navigating regulatory frameworks. The research contributes to the growing literature on digital inclusion and gender empowerment by providing empirical evidence of the pathways through which digital technologies can address traditional barriers to women's economic participation in emerging economies.