The empowerment of consumers with disabilities : the role of self-esteem, accessibility, and access to information

Manuscript type: Empirical research Research Aims: This study aims to investigate the roles of accessibility, self-esteem, and information access in empowering consumers with physical disabilities in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 100 participants with physical disabilities aged 17 years and older. The data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling Partial Least Squares (SEM PLS). Research Findings: The results show that self-esteem and information accessibility significantly affect the empowerment of disabled consumers. The Disabled Consumer Empowerment Index falls under the "not empowered" category, with the knowledge dimension scoring the lowest based on a trafic-light evaluation system. Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the essential roles of self-esteem, accessibility, and information access in the empowerment of consumers with disabilities. Practitioner/Policy Implication: The findings suggest that consumer protection agencies and the government should collaborate to improve the self-determination rights of consumers with disabilities in Indonesia. Research limitation/Implications: The study is limited to individuals with physical disabilities and relies on self-reported data, which may not fully represent all disability types or experiences.