‘They don’t waste money on women’: gendered entrepreneurial household dynamics and the total social organization of labour

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article examines gendered household dynamics and the organization of labour in Entrepreneurial Households (EHs), using Glucksumann’s Total Social Organization of Labour theory (TSOL). It challenges the perception of EHs as neutral spaces and argues that analysing households provides a more nuanced understanding of the gendered dynamics in households where a member is formally self-employed or owns a business. While women may work for these businesses and contribute to household income through other employment, their labour is often unpaid, intertwined with gendered roles and viewed as a readily available household resource rather than formal employment subject to contracts. This leaves women vulnerable to coercion and exploitation, limiting their opportunities for formal employment and education outside the household. Even after years of significant informal work, they may remain without recognized careers or experience. Such gender dynamics and organization of labour also differ, depending on whether the registered business owner is a man or woman. The article subsequently highlights ongoing inequalities in household labour division, often obscured by the prioritization of ‘men’s work’, while emphasizing the crucial role of the broader household in business survival.