Women Micro-entrepreneurs Research Articles

Assessing the Participation of Women in Microfinance Institutions: Evidence From a Multinational Study

ABSTRACT Microfinance institutions (MFIs) typically offer small credit services with no collateral to low-income clients, particularly women microentrepreneurs. Evidence suggests that microcredit services are an effective tool for the social and financial empowerment of women and have a significant impact on maternal health, children's education, and sustainable economic growth. With multiple financial institutions offering various microfinance services, women's participation as borrowers has changed. We examine the variation in women borrowers’ participation rates in 105 developing countries by analyzing participation rates using selected determinants such as legal status, outreach, external control, and target clients. Results indicate a preference for unregulated MFIs, particularly nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which suggests that in spite of the advent of formal financial institutions, women in developing countries are more likely to seek loans from grassroots MFIs. However, with more commercial banks offering microcredit and microsavings with a preference for borrowers with assets, women could be left behind. This raises important questions regarding the objectives of microfinance services and empowerment of women. Future studies should examine the impact of transformations of NGO MFIs on low-income women clients.

Propuesta de intervención psicosocial en autodeterminación, habilidades sociales y capacidad emprendedora: contribución desde la psicología a la integración de mujeres microempresarias con discapacidad intelectual

Se elabora una propuesta de intervención en bienestar subjetivo, autodeterminación, habilidades sociales y capacidad emprendedora en mujeres microempresarias con discapacidad intelectual a partir de un diagnóstico realizado en 20 mujeres con discapacidad intelectual. Se administró una batería de cinco instrumentos compuesta por la escala de satisfacción con la vida de Diener et ál. (1984), escala de felicidad subjetiva de Lyubomirsky y Lepper (1999), escala de autoconcepto de la Rosa y Díaz (1999), cuestionario de habilidades sociales de Goldstein (1999) y cuestionario de emprendimiento de Spencer y Spencer (1993). Los principales resultados descriptivos indican que las mujeres de la muestra manifiestan altos niveles de desarrollo de su autoconcepto (autodeterminación) (x= 382,6; σ=53,32), habilidades sociales (x= 91,6; σ=6,65) y bienestar subjetivo, tanto en felicidad subjetiva (x= 21,45; σ=3,96) como en satisfacción vital (x= 27,85; σ=5,79) y niveles moderados de su capacidad emprendedora (x= 65,85; σ=5,66). Se obtuvo un adecuado nivel en todas las variables en las mujeres de la muestra, enfocando la propuesta de intervención en potenciar sus habilidades y competencias, desarrollando conocimientos paralelos que apoyen a los ya existentes.

The Economic Impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on Microenterprises in the Context of Development

AbstractThis paper investigates the impact of information and communication technologies, especially landline and mobile phones, computers, and Internet cafés in facilitating economic growth in the developing world. Data on access to ICTs, as well as business‐relevant behaviors and attitudes, was collected by a multi‐stage probability sample of women microentrepreneurs in Mumbai, India. Main findings include evidence that in urban microenterprises owned by women, business growth is a function of ICT access and is related to motivation to use ICTs for business purposes; and that the more positive a woman microentrepreneur feels about her status and power because of her business, the more she will be motivated to use ICTs in support of her business. Implications for the study of digital divides and strategies for studies of communication and technology more generally are considered.

Rethinking the mentoring process for women micro-entrepreneurs

Women in small/micro-enterprises may benefit from mentoring strategies that reflect evolving learning needs. A model is developed which reframes 'classical' understandings of mentoring, to enable women to become more proactive in managing their learning networks. Implications for the design of entrepreneurship development programmes and suggestions for future research are presented.

Change Makers? Women's Microenterprises in a Bolivian City

If entrepreneurs are society's innovators, what is the role of businesspeople in poor countries — particularly, the ‘micro’ businesspeople that make up the majority? What hope for decreasing poverty and improving livelihoods do microbusinesses offer? In particular, what is the role of women microentrepreneurs, whose incomes have been understood to contribute a great deal to the well‐being of poor households? This paper is based on case studies collected in the late 1990s in Sucre, Bolivia, a context in which many women are the owners of independent microenterprises. Women in Sucre control a range of microenterprises in the commerce, production and service sectors and are recognized as businesspeople by their spouses, families and people in their community. Under such conditions of ‘empowered’ business ownership, what is the potential of these businesses to decrease poverty? The study explores the business experiences of women microentrepreneurs, their priorities, entrepreneurial abilities and the obstacles they face. It suggests the kinds of business activities which women in Sucre are most likely to undertake and the income levels which these activities generally attract. Finally, it indicates that, while women in Sucre can control resources and take advantage of opportunities as businesswomen, other constraints mean that most women's businesses have only a limited ability to decrease poverty. ‘Microenterprise development’ alone is insufficient to address the complex relationships affecting how these women and their households access resources.

Globalization and gender - dilemmas for microfinance organizations

The microfinance industry is itself becoming a global phenomenon. The proliferation of microfinance programmes - and in particular of a single loan product - has been accelerated by a global publicity campaign, the MicroCredit Summit. Women were to be targeted, but it is clear that women do not always benefit from credit for microenterprise. This article examines the circumstances of women microentrepreneurs - and finds that some of them are powerless home workers. It also examines the financial products aimed at them - and calls for more products, such as savings accounts, money transfers, or loans for domestic equipment. Also, as microfinance organizations (MFOs) develop and as the sector moves to embrace mainstream financial institutions, it is increasingly difficult to ignore the role of international capital markets. There is a need for 'patient capital' which will be rooted in and respond to local concerns. Financial services should be delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible, but subsidies may continue to be a necessary component in achieving this. Finally, it is argued that although NGOs may continue to provide only a small proportion of the financial services available, they should continue to play a strategic role in their development.

Courtyards, markets, city streets: urban women in Africa

Introduction * Urban Women in Africa: Courtyards, Markets, City Streets, Kathleen Sheldon. Migration and Urbanization * South African Women and Migration in Umtata, Transkei, 1880-1935, Sean Redding * Transitions in Kenyan Patriarchy: Attempts to Control Nairobi Area Traders, 1920-1963, Claire C. Robertson * Three Generations of Hausa Women in Kaduna, Nigeria, 1925-1985, Catherine M. Coles Courtyards: Marriage, Family, And Housing * Washing Dirty Laundry in Public: Local Courts, Custom, and Gender Relations in Postcolonial Lusaka, Karen Tranberg Hansen * Can Polygyny Be Avoided in Dakar?, Philippe Antoine and Jeanne Nanitelamio * Health, Gender Relations, and Poverty in the AIDS Era, Brooke Grundfest Schoepf * Moving and Coping: Women Tenants in Gweru, Zimbabwe, Miriam Grant Markets: Work and Survival * Women in Business: Class and Nairobi's Small and Medium-Sized Producers, Dorothy McCormick * Beyond Simple Survival: Women Microentrepreneurs in Harare and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Mary Johnson Osirim * Prostitution: A Petit-mtier During Economic Crisis: A Road to Women's Liberation? The Case of Cameroon, Paulette Beat Songue City Streets: Politics and Community * I Am With You as Never Before'': Women in Urban Protest Movements, Alexandra Township, South Africa, 1912-1945, John Nauright * Urban Women's Movements and Political Liberalization in East Africa, Aili Mari Tripp

Entrepreneurship and Nigerian women — is there any meeting point?

In spite of their considerable involvement in the trading and service sectors, the work contribution of Nigerian women has largely been ignored in official statistics. The majority of their microenterprises are too small to come within the government's size categories, so they do not qualify for official assistance. This article describes the obstacles women microentrepreneurs face, and emphasizes their critical role in helping families survive in the current economic climate.

Commercial banks and women microentrepreneurs in Latin America

This article examines the experience of a group of commercial banks in Latin America and the Caribbean in catering to microenterprise clients and to women in particular. The results indicate that a small number of commercial financial institutions are expanding the coverage and depth of financial services to these businesses, both at the wholesale and retail levels. Rather than focusing on one specific type of institution as the viable alternative, the overall supply of financial services to women microentrepreneurs – credit for enterprise and household investments, savings and payment services – should and does come from a variety of institutions including NGOs, banks, credit unions and other formal and semi-formal financial intermediaries. This variety will contribute to a larger and more efficient supply of financial services to heterogeneous groups of microentrepreneurs in the region.

The key to lending to women microentrepreneurs

Micro-lending institutions, whether they are open to all microentrepreneurs or specialize in lending to women, are able to reach a large number of women if they establish simple premises and procedures, and train their staff to be accessible and friendly. This article describes the measures adopted by 12 leading micro-lending institutions to attract women borrowers. It also describes the moves by such institutions to increase their loan coverage and savings mobilization by strengthening linkages with the formal financial sector. The challenge is to reap the benefits of scaling-up, without compromising on the unbureaucratic approaches found to work in attracting women microentrepreneurs.