USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE BY HOUSEWIVES IN PORT HARCOURT

Keyword : Keywords: Social media, Economic independence, and Housewives

Author(s) : Michael Ibe UKAEGBU, PhD, Chinwendu Juliet OJUKWU And Genevieve A .INYANG

Abstract :

In many parts of the world, the use of social media for economic independence by housewives is increasing speedily. Women especially housewives are expending huge time and resources on social media sites to keep track of job or business opportunities than for social activities. It is against this backdrop that this study assesses the use of social media for economic independence amongst Port Harcourt housewives. The discourse centered on the extent Port Harcourt housewives applies social media to emancipate themselves financially. The broad objective of the study is to assess the use of social media for economic independence by Port Harcourt housewives. Other objectives are to; ascertain the level of exposure of Port Harcourt housewives to social media, find out what they use it for, the level of usage for economic purposes, and factors inhibiting their use. The survey design was used with the questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. The theory adopted for the study is the uses and gratification theory. The total projected population was 1,005,904, and a sample size of 400 responses was drawn from 10 cluster areas out of which 392 copies of the questionnaire were returned and used for analysis. The sampling technique utilized is the cluster and purposive sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using simple percentages and presented in tables. The study found among others that social media has been very instrumental in Port Harcourt housewife’s training on financial independence, it also found that the use of social media for socio-economic gain and financial independence amongst Port Harcourt housewives is very high. However, the paper recommends that housewives especially Port Harcourt housewives should be better enlightened on the possibilities and economic opportunities the use of social media can offer.

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