COVID-19 pandemic, a blessing or a curse for sales? A study of women entrepreneurs from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa community

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Said Muhammad ◽  
Kong Ximei ◽  
Zahoor Ul Haq ◽  
Irshad Ali ◽  
Nicholas Beutell
Keyword(s):  
Family Support ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Sales Volume ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had profound economic effects, putting women entrepreneurs at considerable risk of losing income and sales growth as a result. This study aims to examine whether the COVID-19 pandemic is a blessing or a curse for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan’s informal sector. The influence of business type, family support and other socio-economic factors on the sales volume of women’s businesses is examined. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 400 women entrepreneurs using a survey questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to investigate the relationships between perceived sales volume and socio-economic as well as demographic factors of women entrepreneurs. Findings Findings for RQ1 revealed that the pandemic was a blessing for cloth and cosmetic entrepreneurs, but a curse for those women selling dairy products. Results for RQ2 showed that age, homeownership, household size, family support and type of business were significant predictors of sales. Furthermore, women entrepreneurs were greatly influenced by their family’s desires and decisions, such that women entrepreneurs who received support from families and relatives reported higher sales than those who did not receive such support. Practical implications The results may assist policymakers in designing supportive programs to encourage women’s informal entrepreneurial activities. Creating entrepreneurial ecosystems may provide support for women entrepreneurs beyond family support. The findings provide a better understanding of women’s business effectiveness during COVID-19 pandemic. It reveals the resilience of women entrepreneurs in the face of cultural, economic and institutional constraints encountered during the pandemic. Originality/value This study is unique because it focuses on the impact of the pandemic at the household level rather than examining broad macroeconomic scenarios. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first attempt to explore the informal, home-based business sector of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan during the pandemic.

Socio-cultural environments and emerging economy entrepreneurship

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grisna Anggadwita ◽  
Bachruddin Saleh Luturlean ◽  
Veland Ramadani ◽  
Vanessa Ratten
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Integrated Analysis ◽  
Cultural Environment ◽  
Women Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Women entrepreneurship has been growing and contributing significantly to economic activities, and it may also reduce unemployment, especially in developing countries. Many women entrepreneurs have begun to experience problems, including within their socio-cultural environment, in the beginning of or when they run their businesses. Among those developing countries, Indonesia has been recognized as having diverse ethnic groups, traditions, religions and languages. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how the socio-cultural environment affects women entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach This study aims at exploring the impact of the socio-cultural environment on entrepreneurial behavior, including the involvement of women in entrepreneurial activities in Indonesia as a multicultural country. A theoretical framework is empirically tested to identify the impact of the socio-culture environment on behavior and on women entrepreneurial activity through an integrated analysis. Findings A quantitative method with a causal descriptive approach is used in this study. The data are analyzed by using a descriptive statistics with the structural equation modeling technique. This study is intended to focus on women entrepreneurs in micro, small and medium enterprises in Bandung, Indonesia. A total of 210 women entrepreneurs have participated in this study. Practical implications include useful information for women entrepreneurs to overcome the impact of the socio-cultural environment in their entrepreneurial activities, and suggest insights for future research. Originality/value The development of women entrepreneurship in emerging economies may continuously face challenges, particularly in countries with multicultural attributes.

The impact of gender and culture on networking and venture creation

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 332-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tugba Kalafatoglu ◽  
Xavier Mendoza
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
African Region ◽  
Female Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Entrepreneurial Networking

Purpose To date, little research has been focused on the nature and dynamics of female entrepreneurial networking activity. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine how gender and culture affect business creation, how women perceive social capital, and how important their personal networks are for their businesses, especially in the context of patriarchal societies. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women entrepreneurs living and operating businesses in Turkey and in four countries of the Middle East and North African region, namely, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Egypt. Findings The results indicate that being a woman entrepreneur in a highly patriarchal society limits entrepreneurial activities due to culture and social norms. However, networking appears as the key factor for these women entrepreneurs to overcome the barriers that they face, such as access to capital, financial information, resources, and new business opportunities. Research limitations/implications This study has limitations that tend to be commonly found in exploratory studies, so you cannot make generalizations. However, the findings lay the groundwork for future studies to examine the role of networking activity in female entrepreneurship in the context of patriarchal societies. Practical implications The findings are helpful for policymakers and other social groups interested in improving the conditions for female entrepreneurship. Governments and other economic actors need to provide training in both management and networking skills, encourage local businesses and associations to provide their venues for networking opportunities, and also provide support to women business organizations. Social implications Women’s entrepreneurship is growing, but still there is a scarcity of scholarly literature on the women entrepreneurs and their entrepreneurial activity. Originality/value This research provides empirical evidence of the nature and dynamics of female entrepreneurial networking activity in the context of patriarchal societies.

Predicting entrepreneurial intentions through self-efficacy, family support, and regret

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ishfaq Ahmed ◽  
Talat Islam ◽  
Ahmad Usman
Keyword(s):  
Family Support ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intentions ◽  
Basic Premise ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
Internal And External Factors ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Entrepreneurial activities are the outcome of various individual dispositional and environmental factors. Taking both internal and external factors as the basic premise of venturing, this study aims to investigate the impact of entrepreneurial self-efficacy on intentions through the mediating role of regret and moderation of family support. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected through a questionnaire from 435 students of three large public sector universities at two points of time with an interval of four months. Findings Self-efficacy influences entrepreneurial intentions through regret, while the absence of family support increases regret. As the family support is often perceived to be absent in the Pakistani entrepreneurial culture, the outcomes are distinctive. Originality/value These findings add value in the existing literature by linking family support, self-efficacy and regret association, and their ultimate influence on entrepreneurial intentions.

Impacts of high-speed railway on the industrial pollution emissions in China

Kybernetes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (11) ◽  
pp. 2713-2735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaomin Fan ◽  
Yingzhi Xu ◽  
Yongqing Nan ◽  
Baoli Li ◽  
Haiya Cai
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Industrial Pollution ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
High Speed Railway ◽  
Central Cities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pollution Emissions ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of high-speed railway (HSR) on industrial pollution emissions using the data for 285 prefecture-level cities in China from 2004 to 2016. Design/methodology/approach The research method used in this paper is the multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model, which is an effective policy effect assessment method. To further address the issue of endogeneity, the DID integrated with the propensity score matching (PSM-DID) approach is employed to eliminate the potential self-selection bias. Findings The results show that the HSR has significantly reduced industrial pollution emissions, which is validated by several robustness tests. Compared with peripheral cities, HSR exerts a greater impact on industrial pollution emissions in central cities. In addition, the mechanism test reveals that the optimised allocation of inter-city industries is an important channel for HSR to mitigate industrial pollution emissions, and this is closely related to the location of HSR stations. Originality/value Previous studies have paid more attention to evaluating the economic effects of HSR, however, most of these studies overlook its environmental effects. Consequently, the impact of HSR on industrial pollution emissions is led by using multi-period DID models in this paper, in which the environmental effects are measured. The results of this paper can provide a reference for the pollution reduction policies and also the coordinated development of economic growth and environmental quality.

Rural women entrepreneurs in Oman: problems and opportunities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhail M. Ghouse ◽  
Omar Durrah ◽  
Gerard McElwee
Keyword(s):  
Rural Women ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Opportunities ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Traditional Roles

PurposeThis paper examines the challenges associated with rural women entrepreneurs in Oman. The study is based on women living in rural and highland areas who aim to move beyond their traditional roles in the family seeking avenues for growth and development. It identifies several problems encountered by rural women entrepreneurs and the impact on their future business opportunities.Design/methodology/approachA mixed research approach involving quantitative and qualitative elements was adopted for the study. The research is based on 183 survey responses and personal interviews with 8 rural women entrepreneurs. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted to analyse the quantitative responses and depict a model featuring the intensity of the problems affecting business opportunities. Seven short cases based upon the interviews with rural women entrepreneurs are also detailed.FindingsSeveral problems experienced by rural women entrepreneurs were identified hampering their business ventures, linked to personality, family, educational, socio-cultural, facilities, legal, financial and economic, organizational and geographical, out of which household, organizational and geographical linked problems were most significant. Entrepreneurial opportunities for rural women entrepreneurs are discussed.Practical implicationsThe research suggests that the policymakers should holistically consider how the rural women engaged in informal business for various means can be better supported and sustained by overcoming associated problems, can achieve business opportunities and contribute to regional socio-economic development.Originality/valueThere is a limited literature available on rural women entrepreneurship in an Arab context. The study provides an overview of the challenges and problems experienced by these women and the support areas required to overcome them for their sustainability in this region.

Brazilian women’s entrepreneurial profile and intention

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Viveiros de Castro Krakauer ◽  
Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes de Moraes ◽  
Roberto Coda ◽  
Davi de França Berne
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Entrepreneurial Intention ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Robust Model ◽  
Behavioural Profile ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
Probabilistic Sample ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The paper aims to investigate the existence of typical preferred behaviours that might characterize Brazilian women’s entrepreneurial profile and whether this profile influences their motivation to undertake a venture. Design/methodology/approach Following the evolution of the literature on women entrepreneurship, the study criticizes the rational view that conceives entrepreneurship as a universal phenomenon and immune to gender. A quantitative approach based on multivariate data analysis (structural equation modelling) was applied to a sample of 418 women entrepreneurs with regard to six hypotheses associated with a specifically conceived conceptual model. Findings The behavioural categories tested in the model that most influence Brazilian women’s entrepreneurial profile are planning, identifying opportunities, sociability and leadership, corroborating the results of other international studies. Behaviours connected with persistence did not correlate to Brazilian women’s entrepreneurial profile. The hypothesis that women’s entrepreneurial profile positively influences their entrepreneurial intention was confirmed. Research limitations/implications As the study is based on an intentional, non-probabilistic sample, further research needs to be conducted using other forms of sampling, extending the findings to other contexts internationally and to other Brazilian regions. Practical implications Women can perceive whether their behavioural profile is suited to embracing entrepreneurship challenges, helping them to make effective career choices. Originality/value The study provides a robust model with high explanatory value. It contributes to the women’s entrepreneurship literature from the perspective of a Latin American developing country, offering valuable insights regarding the impact of entrepreneurial behavioural profile on women’s entrepreneurial activities.

The impact of an unconditional parental benefit on employment of mothers

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 33-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Kurowska
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Employment ◽  
Parental Leave ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Employment Rate ◽  
School Age ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Similar System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to solve the puzzle of the disproportionately lower employment rate of mothers of toddlers with relation to the employment rate of mothers of preschool and school-age children in Estonia. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on the Most Similar System Design and compares Estonia with Lithuania. The applied methods include inferential statistics and microsimulation techniques, employing the OECD Benefits and Wages Calculator, the OECD Family Support Calculator and EUROMOD – the European tax-benefit microsimulation model. Findings The comparison revealed that the overwhelming majority of the crucial aspects of socio-cultural, economic and institutional conditions were more favourable for maternal employment in Estonia than in Lithuania. This explains the higher maternal employment rates both for mothers of pre-schoolers and school-age children in Estonia. However, one particular element of the institutional context targeted to the mothers of toddlers – the unconditional parental benefit – had an entirely opposite character. This particular feature of the parental leave scheme was the only factor that could explain why the employment rate of mothers of toddlers is disproportionately lower than the employment rate of mothers of older children in Estonia and much lower than the employment of mothers of toddlers in Lithuania. Originality/value This study complements previous research by providing evidence on the relative importance of universal parental benefit schemes in the context of other country-specific conditions for maternal employment, including the availability of institutional childcare. Furthermore, the results presented show that childcare regime typologies, at least those that characterise Eastern European countries, should be more sensitive to children’s age.

The influence of price and promotion on package size propensity

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-103
Author(s):  
Amit K. Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Relative Price ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Consumer Decision Making ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Packaged Goods ◽  
Package Size ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The constantly changing prices, promotions, and packaging options have made decision making more complex for consumers of packaged goods. The purpose of this paper is to explore how price and promotions influence consumer propensity to buy a certain package size. Design/methodology/approach Scanner panel data for shelf-stable salad dressing obtained from Information Resources Inc. were used to compute the proportion of large packages bought, the relative price paid for large packages, propensity to use various types of promotions, and a behavioral covariate for each household. Data of over 5,600 households were analyzed using a multiple regression analysis for hypothesis testing. Findings The positive nature of relationship between the relative price of large packages and the proportion of large packages bought demonstrates the suboptimal nature of consumer decision making. The inefficiency is partially attributable to the abundance of promotions, to consumers’ lack of price awareness, and to the use of heuristics by consumers. Also, consumers who are prone to use promotions such as displays and temporary price reductions tend to purchase larger packages. They are more likely to buy impulsively and base their decisions on heuristics. In contrast, consumers who are influenced by featured price cuts and who utilize coupons tend to purchase smaller packages. Research limitations/implications Data were obtained from grocery stores; only a single product category was studied. Practical implications Offer coupons and advertise featured price cuts on small packages to increase the sales of smaller packages. To move large packages successfully, retailers should rely more on in-store displays and temporary price reductions. Originality/value The impact of price and promotions on package size propensity has never been investigated. This study is also one of the few that uses a household-level analysis based on observable purchase data for consumer packaged goods.

Christian entrepreneurial activities and micro women entrepreneurship development

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 657-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanny Adams Quagrainie ◽  
Abigail Opoku Mensah ◽  
Alex Yaw Adom
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Entrepreneurial Ventures ◽  
Women Entrepreneurship ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurship Development ◽  
Emergent Strategy ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities ◽  
The Church

Purpose Review of literature suggests mixed findings on the relationship between the church and micro women entrepreneurship development. This signals that questions remain about the roles of churches in entrepreneurial development. Thus, this paper aims to explore what entrepreneurial activities are provided by churches to their micro women entrepreneurs and how do these activities influence their entrepreneurial start up and growth. Design/methodology/approach Phenomenological research methodologies were used to purposive collected data from 38 women entrepreneurs and four church administers in Tema. Results were analyzed using the emergent strategy. Findings The results suggest that churches provided four entrepreneurial activities which are categorized as finance, networking, promotion of self-confidence and impartation of ethical values. These factors promoted the growth of women entrepreneurial growth but not the start-up of entrepreneurial ventures. The study concluded that the church should provide more support for new entrepreneurial ventures. Therefore, embeddedness because of membership of a church is a critical part of women entrepreneurship development. Research limitations/implications Further studies will need to replicate these findings with other types of businesses, in other locations. Practical implications This study suggests that policymakers should be working in conjunction with churches in a bid to promote micro women entrepreneurship development. Originality/value Limited research has been conducted on church entrepreneurial activities in the development of micro women entrepreneurs in developing economies such as Ghana. This empirical research provides important insights into this field.

Challenges and enablers of women entrepreneurs’ career advancement in Vietnam’s coffee industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giang NT Nguyen ◽  
Thinh Gia Hoang ◽  
Tam Minh Nguyen ◽  
Thanh Thien Ngo
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Career Advancement ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Contextual Influences ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Activities

Purpose This paper aims to explore the motivational factors and contextual facilitators of female entrepreneurs in Vietnam’s coffee industry and also the barriers facing them. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts the grounded theory approach, using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 31 women entrepreneurs in the coffee industry in the rural Central Highlands of Vietnam. Findings This study found that necessity-driven factors play an important role in motivating female entrepreneurs to advance their careers. However, these factors may be transformed into the opportunity-driven motives. Furthermore, the findings suggest that Asia’s collectivism culture and family support significantly affect the success of the women entrepreneurs, although gender inequality is not perceived as a serious constraint in entrepreneurial activities. Research limitations/implications This study has implications for the literature of women entrepreneurs regarding motivations and contextual influences in agricultural and rural areas of Vietnam. However, the sample size is relatively small which limits the concept generation of the study. For further research, a larger sample size with different business sectors should be considered to generate more explicit findings. Practical implications The findings from this study can assist the policymakers in developing strategies and governmental policies to support the career advancement of women entrepreneurs and improving gender equality in Vietnam. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature about understanding the motives and the roles of socioeconomic contexts in women’s entrepreneurial activities in agricultural and rural areas.

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