Enhancing Sustainability of Women-Led Rural Tourism MSMEs through Foreign Language Education, Digital Literacy, and Learning Agility

Firinta Togatorop; Doris Yolanda Saragih; Hengki Mangiring Parulian Simarmata

doi:10.55681/jige.v6i4.4444

Authors

Firinta Togatorop Administrasi Perkantoran, Politeknik Bisnis Indonesia, Pematangsiantar, Indonesia
Doris Yolanda Saragih Administrasi Perkantoran, Politeknik Bisnis Indonesia, Pematangsiantar, Indonesia
Hengki Mangiring Parulian Simarmata Administrasi Perkantoran, Politeknik Bisnis Indonesia, Pematangsiantar, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55681/jige.v6i4.4444

Keywords:

Women entrepreneurs, MSME sustainability, Foreign language, Digital literacy, Learning agility

Abstract

This study explores the influence of foreign language proficiency, digital literacy, and learning agility on the sustainability of women-led MSMEs in rural tourism, with digital literacy as a mediator and learning agility as a moderator. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, Social Cognitive Theory, and Human Capital Theory, a quantitative explanatory design was employed using PLS-SEM on data from 300 women entrepreneurs in Samosir, Indonesia. Findings indicate that foreign language proficiency does not directly predict sustainability (β = 0.082; p = 0.080) but has a strong indirect effect via digital literacy (β = 0.393; p < 0.001). Language skills act as enablers rather than stand-alone drivers. Foreign language significantly enhances digital literacy (β = 0.837; p < 0.001), which in turn strongly predicts MSME sustainability (β = 0.469; p < 0.001). Learning agility also directly contributes (β = 0.414; p < 0.001) but does not moderate the language-sustainability link (β = −0.011; p = 0.238). The study advances theory by identifying digital literacy as a mediator and learning agility as an independent enabler. Practically, it recommends integrated, culturally grounded training. The primary limitation is its single-regional focus, suggesting future cross-regional, longitudinal, and conditional modeling.

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