MONASH BUSINESS MALAYSIA
INCLUSIVE GROWTH
TURNING RESEARCH INTO CHANGE
Empowering Entrepreneurs, Advancing Energy Access
A t the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Grace Lee saw an alarming gap emerging: women micro-entrepreneurs from Malaysia’ s B40 group( the bottom 40 % of household income earners) were struggling to pivot to digital platforms. Despite undergoing digital skills training, many still hesitated to embrace online marketplaces.
QUICK INSIGHTS
What holds back microentrepreneurs from going digital? A lack of confidence, which limits growth and digital adoption.
How does mindset training help? It empowers women to start new ventures and embrace technology.
What role can blockchain play in energy access? It enables rural communities to share renewable energy directly.
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“ Our research uncovered that the barrier wasn’ t technical knowledge, it was a psychological one. They lacked the belief that they could succeed.”
PROFESSOR GRACE LEE Head of the Department of Economics
Teaming up with Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia( AIM), the country’ s largest microcredit organisation, Professor Lee and an interdisciplinary research team developed a new intervention. Rather than focusing purely on skills, the program incorporated principles of growth mindset and self-efficacy, helping women shift their own perceptions about what they could achieve.
The results were powerful. More than 500 Malaysian women completed the training, gaining the confidence to innovate, explore new ventures, and adopt digital platforms. The model’ s success has since crossed borders, with 200 women entrepreneurs trained in Indonesia.
Backed by the Monash ASEAN Grant( AUD 354,000) and the Ministry of Education’ s Fundamental Research Grant Scheme( AUD 27,576), the project exemplifies how research can drive inclusive economic growth.
“ When we empower women, we create ripples of change that uplift families and communities.”
GRACE
Why is policy critical for energy innovation? Strong legal frameworks are needed to unlock decentralised energy systems.
How can research create real-world impact? By lifting communities out of poverty and advancing clean energy access.