Women Entrepreneurs Research Articles

From challenges to competencies: informal female entrepreneurship in emerging economies

PurposeInformal female entrepreneurs in emerging economies operate in challenging business environments. This research examines the competencies of informal female entrepreneurs (IFEs) to explore how they persist because and despite the unique set of challenges they face.Design/methodology/approachWe undertake a qualitative study focusing on IFE in the Indian context. Using the abilities–motivation–opportunity (AMO) framework as a theoretical lens, we interviewed 14 IFEs to gain insights into their entrepreneurial challenges and understand how they address the challenges.FindingsThe results demonstrate that IFEs are prone to various challenges around the individual level, business challenges on an operating and functional level and other challenges rooted in their business environment. Further, the study sheds light on the competencies of IFEs on three fronts, namely, ability-enhancing competencies, including – technical skills, problem solving, communication and adaptability; motivation-enhancing competencies, including – self-motivation, resilience and optimism and lastly, opportunity-enhancing competencies, including – local-centric approach, networking and resourcefulness.Research limitations/implicationsThe study highlights the nuanced settings of informal female entrepreneurship in an emerging economy context. By highlighting the challenges and competency interplay, our study opens novel avenues for the interrelationships to be studied in further detail.Originality/valueOur study provides close insight into the everyday challenges of IFEs operating in informal economies. Their competencies and perseverance-related attributes contribute to the mainstream entrepreneurship literature, as these entrepreneurs exhibit unique competencies that allow them to thrive in challenging contextual settings. Their willingness to learn new skills, opportunity recognition, motivation and adaptability skills contribute to a better understanding of the phenomenon of informal female entrepreneurship.

Investigating female entrepreneurship: a micro-perspective of drivers and barriers for aspiring and experienced women entrepreneurs

Investigating female entrepreneurship: a micro-perspective of drivers and barriers for aspiring and experienced women entrepreneurs

The impact of micro finance institutions on the development of female entrepreneurship evidence from Tunisia

The impact of micro finance institutions on the development of female entrepreneurship evidence from Tunisia

Financing women entrepreneurship in the developing world: An fsQCA analysis of informal financing schemes

Financing women entrepreneurship in the developing world: An fsQCA analysis of informal financing schemes

Digitalization as a resilience strategy for women owned SMEs during crises

AbstractAlthough the entrepreneurial gender gap is decreasing in European economies, the obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs remain numerous and often differ from those encountered by men. The COVID-19 pandemic, and then the energy crisis, have made it even harder for women entrepreneurs to sustain their businesses and have added to the challenges of work and private life. Women entrepreneurs, among many others, had to face how to survive crises and adjust their businesses to new circumstances to become more resilient, remain competitive and sustainable in times of crises, and in particular to improve their digital skills. A new insight is crucial for more efficient entrepreneurial development for women. A cross-country research helps to identify the needs of women entrepreneurs and provide a solid basis for the development of tailor-made activities focusing on innovative and practical solutions to support the up-skilling and resilience of women entrepreneurs. Through a survey conducted with 608 women entrepreneurs from seven European countries, our basic question was how women entrepreneurs managed to get through and become resilient in times of crises. The focus of our analysis is digitalization: did the rapid digital transition help women entrepreneurs become resilient during turbulent times? Did the practicing of digitalization-based resilience strategies (including remote work, online sales and similar approaches) improve women entrepreneurs' operational efficiency and strength?

Gender Gap in Entrepreneurial Potential in Finland and Reflecting Its Underlying Causes

The gender gap in entrepreneurship is a widely recognized phenomenon meaning that women are less likely to start a business than men. However, increased gender equality is believed to remove barriers to female entrepreneurship. We used secondary data collected for Global Entrepreneurship Monitor from 2003, 2009, 2015, and 2021 to get closer to this phenomenon in Finland, one of the most equal countries in the world. The aim of the study was to clarify the gender gap in entrepreneurship potential in Finland during recent decades, taking into account different age groups. We found that the gender gap exists in business start-up intentions and has not narrowed in the twenty-first century in any age group. A clear gender gap was also found in fear of failure in starting a business and perceived skills in entrepreneurship. Finally, the underlying causes of the gender gap in the Finnish context are discussed.

Gendered enterprise: Women and Australian business history

AbstractThis special issue examines women and Australian business history. Contributions explore women's entrepreneurship in small urban businesses, side hustles, agriculture, and family companies. Articles highlight the importance of women's businesses, as a financial necessity for women, their families, and their communities. Authors examine the barriers for women in business, including legislation, licensing, societal expectations, and discrimination. Articles also explore women's intersections with other demographic characteristics, with access to enterprise mediated by class and the rural–urban divide. Finally, contributions examine the way traditional archives have obscured histories of businesswomen, and the opportunities offered by feminist historical methodologies for studying business history.

Business Sustainability Among Women Entrepreneurs in Ghana

There is a problem among women entrepreneurs in Ghana caused by the lack of training among women’s entrepreneurs that includes social, cultural, economic, political, demographic, institutional, and technological support. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study was to explore business strategies that women entrepreneurs in Ghana need to learn to make their business sustainable beyond 5 years. Ten successful women entrepreneurs from 5 industries in Ghana, who had the training, experience, and information to understand the causes of business failure and had applied that information to gain business sustainability beyond 5 years were recruited. Data analysis involved triangulation, member checking, and Yin’s 5 steps. Key findings were change management and adaptation, agility and flexibility in operations, analysis of stakeholders, creation of business policies and objectives, designing and executing digital implementation plan, developing and supporting corporate culture, developing and measuring performance standards, and enhancing internal control and processes. Findings could reduce poverty and increase women’s employment, sustainability in women-owned businesses, community development, and the standard of living.

Socio-Economic Characteristics of Women Entrepreneurs in Botswana

The present study offers a comprehensive examination of the socio-economic attributes of female entrepreneurs in Botswana, specifically emphasizing the convergence of demographic profiles, educational backgrounds, and entrepreneurial performance. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative and qualitative research, the study rigorously analyses the elements influencing entrepreneurial outcomes for women in the region. The findings emphasize a robust positive association between increased levels of education and the achievement of business success. Specifically, women with higher education qualifications exhibit better business results in revenue growth, market expansion, and operational profitability. Nevertheless, the research also reveals enduring obstacles female entrepreneurs encounter, namely in obtaining financial access, managing socio-cultural limitations, and harmonizing family responsibilities with business requirements. The results emphasize the necessity of implementing focused policy measures, educational changes, and support structures that specifically tackle the distinct obstacles that women encounter in entrepreneurship.

Female Entrepreneurs Targeting Women: Strategic Redirection Under Scientific Decision-Making

Female Entrepreneurs Targeting Women: Strategic Redirection Under Scientific Decision-Making

Boosting Business Performance: The Impact of Entrepreneurial Culture on Women Entrepreneurs’ Behavior

Entrepreneurship has been extensively examined across various management disciplines, with significant attention given to women entrepreneurship, which has made considerable strides in recent years. Despite this positive trend, many women continue to face challenges in balancing their business responsibilities with household duties. These challenges often lead to role conflicts as women navigate the demands of both their professional and domestic roles. This research aims to evaluate the impact of adopting an entrepreneurial culture on shaping the entrepreneurial behavior of women entrepreneurs, with the ultimate goal of enhancing their business performance. The study involved 88 married women entrepreneurs and utilized partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for analysis. Additionally, Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) was employed to elucidate the significance and impact of each variable. The findings highlight the crucial role of adopting an entrepreneurial culture in women entrepreneurship, demonstrating its substantial influence on both the transformation of entrepreneurial behavior and the enhancement of business performance. Consequently, to achieve superior business performance, it is recommended that entrepreneurs should focus on the cultivation and refinement of their entrepreneurial culture.

ShEO: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs

The rise of digital technologies has revolutionized the business landscape, particularly in terms of accessibility and scalability for entrepreneurs. In India, the entrepreneurial ecosystem has historically been male-dominated, but recent trends indicate a significant increase in women-led startups. ShEO, a Flutter-based application, is designed to support and empower women entrepreneurs by providing a comprehensive platform for mentorship, funding, and resource access. The platform leverages matchmaking algorithms to offer a personalized feed, allowing users to connect directly with mentors and investors through short video pitches. This innovative approach not only bridges the gap between entrepreneurs and financial backers but also fosters a more inclusive and supportive ecosystem for women to scale their businesses. The app includes additional features such as a resource library, messaging system, and a dedicated section for funding opportunities, creating a holistic environment for business growth. This paper explores the impact of digital tools like ShEO in empowering women entrepreneurs, reducing barriers to entry, and promoting gender equity in the startup ecosystem.

Development of financial literacy and fintech adoption on women SMEs business performance in Indonesia

Women-owned small businesses are crucial to the Indonesian economy. Despite this contribution, women entrepreneurs face many challenges when building their businesses, especially getting business loans. Women entrepreneurs adopt less technology and have less financial expertise than men. This study aims to determine financial literacy factors affecting women SMEs' business success and the extent of financial technology (FinTech) use as an alternative funding source to formal financial institutions. The study examines FinTech adoption using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT Theory). This study also examines how FinTech adoption mediates the indirect effect of financial literacy on SME business performance. The study uses a quantitative research approach using a judgmental sample of 270 women entrepreneurs who have previously used FinTech. The data is analyzed with SEM-PLS. According to the study, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and social influence all have a beneficial impact on FinTech adoption among women-owned small businesses. The survey found that FinTech adoption was a key factor influencing women SMEs' business performance. The findings also indicate that financial literacy has a beneficial effect on business success. The study reveals FinTech adoption as a mediating factor in the association between financial literacy and SMEs business success. As a result, our findings contribute to a better understanding of how digital technology adoption affects SMEs' performance and long-term sustainability. The findings offer insights for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and company owners looking to enhance the survival rate of SMEs by improving operations and harnessing digital technology to promote capital accessibility, FinTech adoption, and financial literacy.

Women’s Entrepreneurship for Poverty Alleviation: Impact of Mission Shakti in Odisha, India

The study analyzes the impact of women’s entrepreneurial efforts on rural poverty (RP) reduction across two resource-scarce regions of Odisha, India. Its main objectives are creating creative home-based ventures (HBVs) and long-term RP solutions. The analysis assesses how home-based entrepreneurs’ sociocultural, economic and educational backgrounds affect the development of HBVs and the mitigation of RP. A women-led project in Odisha called Mission Shakti uses self-help groups and business ventures to empower women. The original data was gathered from 363 respondents in Odisha who were members of the Mission Shakti group. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to investigate the correlations between the constructs, and AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures 21.0) and SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 20.0) were used for the analysis. The findings indicate that RP alleviation through Mission Shakti in Odisha and entrepreneurship have a statistically significant and favourable relationship. The additional findings of the study demonstrate that respondents’ sociocultural capabilities, rather than their educational and economic backgrounds, have a considerable and favourable influence on the expansion of their home-based enterprises and that the improvement of RP alleviation is more positively impacted by the qualitative growth of entrepreneurship than by the numeric growth. The study’s concentration on woman entrepreneurs in Mission Shakti’s rural Khordha and Angul areas is one of its limitations. It is possible to carry out comparable research in other Indian areas where the rural populace is significantly deprived. Policymakers in rural Odisha should consider the findings to address targeted RP. Thus, this report recommends that home-based businesses in rural Odisha should actively explore entrepreneurship to reduce poverty. Additionally, the study offers a helpful lesson to different parties involved in programs to reduce poverty in other developing nations. The integration of capacity theory and SEM in the setting of a rising economy such as Odisha, India, contributes to the body of knowledge in this research regarding the relationship linking entrepreneurship and the alleviation of RP.

Inside Microfinance Matrix: Microfinance Institutions’ Characteristics and Women Credit Access

This study aims to explore the role of Microfinance Institutions’ (MFIs) organisational characteristics including ownership structure, target market, and institutional size, in shaping the lending pattern in reaching women entrepreneurs. This study employs Ordinary Least Square and Fractional Logit regression using STATA on pooled panel data of 2,330 MFIs across 116 countries. A fuzzy algorithm and Principal Component Analysis are applied to verify the consistency of the results. Findings suggest larger MFIs demonstrate greater inclusivity towards women, attributed to their extensive resources and institutional capabilities. Similarly, MFIs targeting affluent clients exhibit a higher likelihood of catering to the financial needs of women. Non-government organisations (NGOs) emerge as key drivers of women credit access, consistently prioritizing women entrepreneurs through targeted interventions. This study contributes to theoretical implications of the interplay between institutional ownership and goals related to social welfare. This finding also expands microfinance literature by emphasising how ownership influences the strategic orientation of MFIs. This study holds significance for financial regulators, and policymakers to utilise this study as a framework to evaluate the interplay between organisational scale, financial sustainability, and the fulfilment of social objectives within the microfinance sector.

The Sustainability Role of Women Entrepreneurs through the Digital Financial Literacy Movement

This study discusses how financial technology and financial literacy play a crucial role in supporting the sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in East Java. The utilization of financial technology, which includes various digital services such as online payments and access to financing, along with financial literacy, which refers to the understanding and ability to manage finances wisely, has been proven to be essential in maintaining the competitiveness and growth of businesses, especially among female entrepreneurs.The research was conducted using a survey involving 390 female entrepreneurs in East Java, selected through purposive sampling. Using multiple linear regression analysis, the findings indicate that both financial technology and financial literacy significantly impact the sustainability of women’s businesses in the region. However, this study is limited by its focus solely on female entrepreneurs in East Java, which may restrict the generalizability of the results to other cities. Therefore, a larger sample size across various regions would provide more comprehensive insights. This study suggests that the East Java government should pay closer attention to this sector, given its significant contribution to the regional and national economy.

Variability of agricultural income for empowerment: Case of cucumber and potato leaves producers in Goréké (San Pedro – Côte d’Ivoire)

Female entrepreneurship in rural areas in French-speaking Africa is more related to rural, processing and marketing activities. The objective of this study is to present the variability of agricultural income of female producers for their empowerment. To this end, fifty female producers from the village of Goréké were interviewed. The areas, poultry droppings + sawdust, NPK 12 22 22, masses and incomes were observed. A Principal Component Analysis showed that on a hectare of cucumber, reasonable amounts of NPK 12 22 22 (80 kg) and organic residue (6,000 kg) provided the best mass (16,000 kg). At the level of potato leaves, 1,600 kg of organic residue and 20 kg of NPK provided the best mass (1,600 kg). Furthermore, the potato leaf producer had an average income during the shortage period of 2226,642 ± 1602,093 CFA francs compared to that of cucumber which is 584,714 ± 296,718 CFA francs. On the other hand, during the abundance period, the average incomes are respectively 713,793 ± 536,983 for potato leaves and 467,771 ± 237,374 CFA francs for cucumber. This difference is explained by the higher selling price per kilogram of potato leaves. In conclusion, the potato leaf producer would be more financially independent. In perspective, training will be provided to market gardeners to optimize the masses produced by rationalizing the masses of fertilizer used for an improvement in income.

The Role of Instagram Videos on the Growth of Female-Owned Businesses in Lagos

Although videos are a compelling form of content on Instagram, women entrepreneurs on Instagram exist within a highly competitive space, and they need to seek out approaches that will give them a competitive edge while creating content for promoting their businesses. The study aimed to explore how Instagram videos can engage potential consumers, promote products, and increase brand awareness. Twenty-three women entrepreneurs were chosen using a snowball sampling technique and were then interviewed in detail, using a qualitative approach. The study showed that Instagram videos and other marketing campaigns influence the growth of women-owned businesses. The key metrics that indicated growth were engagement rates, direct communication channels, lead generation and conversion rates, website traffic, testimonials, and follower growth and retention. These metrics helped women entrepreneurs assess and improve their marketing strategies, identify areas that need improvement, and make decisions to maintain and improve company success. The study recommends that future research should combine both qualitative and quantitative research designs to provide statistical validation for the study's findings as well as content analysis of Instagram videos used by women-owned businesses on Instagram.

Factors Influencing the Career Advancement of Malaysian Women Homepreneurs on the TikTok Platform

Entrepreneurship significantly contributes to economic growth, with recent studies highlighting the rise of female entrepreneurs who challenge traditional business roles by becoming "homepreneurs." The current research focuses on Malaysian women homepreneurs using TikTok, a platform that has transformed from entertainment to a vital business tool, facilitating unique career advancement opportunities. This study aims to explore the impact of digital marketing skills, product quality, customer engagement, and understanding of TikTok's algorithm on the career advancement of Malaysian women homepreneurs. In the quantitative study focusing on the career advancement of Malaysian women homepreneurs using TikTok, the methodology incorporated structured questionnaires to assess the relationships between key variables. The data was collected from 400 participants via Google Forms, leveraging a purposive sampling technique to ensure a representative sample of women homepreneurs active on TikTok. The statistical analysis revealed that while digital marketing skills and customer engagement did not significantly impact career advancement on TikTok, a thorough understanding of the platform's algorithm was strongly associated with career progression. Conversely, the results indicate that product quality was negatively significant in driving career advancement for Malaysian women homepreneurs on TikTok. This study highlights the need for targeted strategies focusing on product excellence and deep comprehension of platform algorithms to effectively leverage TikTok for career development.

Explanation of the Opportunity Identification Model Based on Gender Restrictions Affecting Women's Entrepreneurial Identity

Background: Stereotypical beliefs and gender biases play a limiting and discouraging role in the development of women's entrepreneurship, which can have a significant impact on women's willingness to become entrepreneurs. Methods: This research aims to identify and analyze the gender-based limitations affecting the entrepreneurial opportunities of female entrepreneurs using a mixed-methods approach. This research is applied in terms of its objective. In the qualitative phase, 14 experts were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Data collection was conducted through library studies and semi-structured interviews. In this section, the data were analyzed in three stages: open, axial, and selective coding, which resulted in the identification of 51 indicators and 12 components. The research questionnaire was designed based on these indicators. In the quantitative section, the statistical population was all female entrepreneurs in the pharmaceutical companies under study, which totaled 425 people. Using Cochran's formula and a simple random sampling method, 170 people were selected as the sample size. Data collection was carried out using a researcher-made questionnaire, whose reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.89 and validity using expert opinion. Data analysis was performed using SPSS23 and PLS3 Smart software. Results: Based on the research findings, 12 components of social, cultural, economic, educational, legal, behavioral, personality, individual, commercialization, knowledge enhancement, entrepreneurial awareness, and market recognition limitations were identified under the title of dimensions and components of gender-based limitations affecting women's entrepreneurial opportunities. The results also showed that social limitations (β=-0/578), cultural limitations (β=-0/429), economic limitations (β=-0/408), educational limitations (β=-0/346), legal limitations (β=-0/297), behavioral limitations (β=-0/215), personality limitations (β=-0/189), and individual limitations (β=-0/138) have a negative and significant impact on entrepreneurial opportunities