Constraints Faced by Women Entrepreneurs – Stages of Economic Development

• Published in: International journal of business & economics 2024-05, Vol.23 (2), p.137-160
• Main Authors: Sujana, Adapa, Reddy, Yarram Subba
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Data analysis; Economic development; Economic growth; Efficiency; Entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurship; Females; Financial institutions; GDP; Gross Domestic Product; Politics; Software
• ISSN: 1607-0704

Entrepreneurship is a much debated research area globally, as the concept is linked to economic growth and prosperity. In order to promote entrepreneurship, it is important to understand the barriers to entrepreneurship; however there has been little research on the barriers to entrepreneurship from the perspective of stages of economic development. Secondary data in the form of qualitative text that is available from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) website are analysed using NVivo software. The next level of analysis followed upon data triangulation resulted in the emergence of meso level contextual factors and micro level individual factors resulting into case studies. The gendered nature of entrepreneurship as experienced by male and female venture owners are investigated from within case and crosscase analyses. The findings obtained indicate the existence of certain similarities and differences between male and female respondents perceptions of barriers to entrepreneurship in factor-driven, efficiency-driven and innovation-driven economies. Both male and female respondents identified macro categories of economic, political, legal, regulatory, socio-cultural and technological barriers to entrepreneurship. Some differences between male and female respondents perceptions of the barriers to entrepreneurship were observed in the micro categories that emerged from the study. These findings are important for national governments to focus on effective interventions to reduce the identified barriers at the macro, meso and micro levels in order to promote entrepreneurship and economic development.