Success Strategies of Women's Culinary MSMEs : The Role of Financial Access, Social Support, Digital Literacy and Business Environment

Abstract

The culinary sector's women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are a key element of inclusive economic growth in Indonesia, especially for urban food and beverage businesses. However, existing studies on the factors affecting their performance have produced mixed and inconsistent findings across regions and industries. This study was conducted to analyze the effect of financial access, social support, digital skills, and business environment on the performance of women-owned culinary MSMEs. A quantitative causal design was used and data were collected from 267 such enterprises through purposive sampling and structured questionnaires. The analysis was carried out using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the SmartPLS software. The results suggest that the business environment had a significant effect on enterprise success while financial access, technological literacy, and social support did not have a statistically significant direct effect. This suggests the greater role of external factors, such as regulation, market forces, and competition, in shaping business outcomes. The study provides empirical insights in detail and recommends policy measures to strengthen the ecosystem support for women entrepreneurs in the culinary MSMEs sector. These findings emphasize the need for targeted approaches to overcome women's specific challenges in this domain. The stakeholder can help to facilitate the sustainable development and innovation of culinary MSME by creating a more conducive ecosystem.