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Top2. Background
In the statement of the problem, according to the International Telecommunication Union (2015), the internet is used by 43.3% of the world population, which corresponds to 3,200 million Internet users. The way in which the internet has increased its penetration in the online market has caused changes in the way how businesses interact with consumers, developing e-commerce, causing companies to increase the total number of sales and an increase in online retail interactions of consumers (VanderMeer, et al, 2001). The number of digital shoppers globally is rapidly expanding from 1.32 billion in 2014 to 1,66 billion in 2017 and is expected to increase to 2,14 billion in 2021 (Statista, 2018).
This translates into an increase in electronic sales of global retailers from 2014 by 1,336 billion dollars to 2,290 billion dollars in 2017 and an increase of 4,479 billion dollars is forecast for 2021 (Statistica, 2018). With a participation in the retail e-commerce of 2016 in the regions of Asia and the Pacific with 12.1%, Eastern Europe with 8.3%, North America with 8.1%, Central and Eastern Europe with 3.4% and Latin America with 1.9% (Statista, 2018).
The population that was analyzed in the research were certified exponential SMEs, being these companies that use and adapt new technologies for their development, modifying their development and distribution model to reduce their growth limitations, being their axis the digital transformation. Joining the new digital trends to sell their products (Ismail, et al, 2014).
These SMEs are found within the cottage industry that has a predominant role in economic development and the fight against poverty, since it is part of the global creative economy that produces the world's largest workforce and generates income of $34 thousand million a year according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
They are run by women entrepreneurs in developing countries, since this industry is mostly made up of women who make traditional crafts to obtain economic resources that 70% are allocated to the community and family (González, 2016). As women are the key economic agents that produce prosperity, employment, innovation and increased economic development (UN Women, 2016).