Entrepreneurial behaviour of rural women on bamboo handicrafts in Tripura, north-east India

Abstract

Women entrepreneurship development is an essential part of human resource development. Any strategy aimed at economic development will be lop-sided without involving women who constitute half of the world population. Entrepreneurship enhances financial independence and self esteem of women which empower them socially and economically. The hidden entrepreneurial potentials of women have gradually been changing with the growing sensitivity to the role and economic status in the society. The present study has been conducted to know the entrepreneurial behaviour of rural women of Tripura. Being one of the major bamboo growing states in India, bamboo handicrafts providing self employment to many rural women and in order to understand the intricacies associated with the bamboo handicrafts, this enterprise has been selected purposively for the study. The study has been conducted in Sepahijala and West Tripura district in 2015–16. Total sample size for the present study was 80. Result shows that 58.75% rural women belong to medium entrepreneurial behaviour category followed by 25% low and 16.25% belong to high entrepreneurial behavior category. The study also indicated that investment on enterprise, annual income, credit orientation, extension participation, mass media participation and level of aspiration have positive and significant relationship with entrepreneurial behavior. The entrepreneur are solely dependent on the middlemen for marketing of their product which ultimately reflected in the marketing orientation as it is evidenced negative significant relationship in the study. Therefore, to promote women entrepreneurship and improve their socio-economic condition adequate institutional, financial support should be given by the Govt. for sustainable livelihood besides the development of infrastructure on marketing.