Abstract
In an increasingly changing world, women encounter significant barriers to starting and growing businesses. This quantitative study aims to understand the relationship between gender role orientation and business performance, emphasising the moderating effects of contextual factors and resource accessibility. Using an interdisciplinary approach, it investigates a topic largely unexplored in non-Western contexts based on data from entrepreneurs in Kazakhstan. This study analyses the role of human, social and knowledge capital, regional culture, access to financing and mentorship in shaping women’s engagement with digital tools and platforms. Specifically, it analyses how the use of digital technologies influences the relationship between gender role orientation and business performance, highlighting sectoral differences between creative and non-creative industries. The findings offer recommendations for entrepreneurs and policymakers, initiating a broader dialogue on women’s entrepreneurship.