Two Sides of the Same Coin: Women Entrepreneurs in India by Choice or Necessity

Abstract

This study seeks to obtain a better understanding of the success of women entrepreneurs in emerging markets. Specifically, we examine the role of personal traits of the women entrepreneurs and the impact of the institutional environment on their entrepreneurial process viz motivation to start their business and to grow their enterprises. In order to study this phenomenon - growth of women entrepreneurs this paper uses a case study method to study women entrepreneurs in one of worlds fastest growing emerging market, viz India. The results of this study are based on 25 in-depth interviews of women entrepreneurs from diverse geographical, social, economical and industrial sectors in India. Specifically, the study provides evidence that the institutional environment (external stimulant) and internal motivations (internal stimulant) stimulate the potential entrepreneur’s. Further, individual entrepreneurial capabilities (in the from of personal characteristics, skills, education, career history etc.) leverage the effects of motivation on women entrepreneurs thus adding a variance. The findings suggest that Women Entrepreneurs in Indian can be we typified into two groups Women Entrepreneurs by Choice (WEC) and Women Entrepreneurs by Necessity (WEN) that co-exist in the same fabric. Finally, we identify how social networks and various entrepreneurial challenges like access to financial capital impact the growth of the two sub-sets of Indian Women Entrepreneurs. This study transcends the discussions of the Women Academy of International Business at the annual conference and aims to contribute to current literature on entrepreneurship by studying the women entrepreneurs in these less explored institutional settings.