scholarly journals Competencies associated with growth of women-led SMEs

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 588-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siwan Mitchelmore ◽  
Jennifer Rowley ◽  
Edward Shiu
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Entrepreneurial Competencies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the entrepreneurial competencies that women SME owners perceive to be important to the success of their business, and the competencies that women with high turnover growth rate deem important, and makes a comparison between the two sets of competencies. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire-based survey of female entrepreneurs in England and Wales collected data on those entrepreneurial competencies that women perceived to be important for their business, alongside key business performance measures, such as turnover growth rate. A ranking of the top ten competencies that women thought were important for success was generated; this ranking was compared with a list of four competencies identified as being important by those women whose businesses exhibited high business growth. Findings – All of the competencies perceived by the whole group to be important to the success of their business were personal and relational competencies. This is in stark contrast to the findings from logistic regression, which shows that high-growth businesses can be differentiated from low-growth businesses regarding the importance assigned to the following four competencies by their owners: pro-activeness, strategic planning and implementation for opportunities, acquiring finance, and risk-taking. Originality/value – This study suggests that women business owners’ prioritisation of the key competencies for their business may impact on business growth, and raises the question as to whether women business owners are able to identify the competencies that will drive the growth of their business. The particular contribution of this study is this gap, which poses challenges for policy makers, practitioners, and researchers.

Growth barriers of women-owned home-based businesses in Iran: an exploratory study

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 244-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meisam Modarresi ◽  
Zahra Arasti ◽  
Kambiz Talebi ◽  
Maghsoud Farasatkhah
Keyword(s):  
Business Owners ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Growth Barriers ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the growth barriers of women’s home-based businesses (HBBs) in Iran. Design/methodology/approach The qualitative approach was used by 22 in-depth interviews with Iranian female HBBs owners/mangers. Findings Business growth barriers of women were categorized in a multi-level framework of individual barriers (micro), business-related barriers (medium) and environmental barriers (macro). The most important micro-level barrier is lack of skills and experience, while the financial barriers identified as the most business-related one and, finally, the problems of having work interactions with men is the most important environmental barrier women-owned HBBs mentioned. Research limitations/implications The results of this paper can help policy-makers better understand growth barriers for women-owned HBB and attenuate these barriers by developing purposeful supportive growth policies that are commensurate with the barriers. Also, HBB women owners themselves could better concentrate on removing barriers by deepening their understanding of their business growth barriers. Originality/value The paper contributes to the scarce knowledge about women-owned HBBs in Iran, a rapidly growing, developing country, which can provide better insights from a less explored context. Moreover, as there is only a limited understanding of HBB growth, especially in relation to women business owners, the paper results can prove helpful for researchers in the domain of female entrepreneurs.

Women’s entrepreneurship in Iran

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 446-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meisam Modarresi ◽  
Zahra Arasti ◽  
Kambiz Talebi ◽  
Maghsoud Farasatkhah
Keyword(s):  
Business Owners ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Working At Home ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Financial Issues ◽  
Depth Interviews

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the growth motivations of women owning and managing home-based businesses (HBBs) in Iran. Design/methodology/approach The qualitative approach was used by 20 in-depth interviews with Iranian female HBBs owners/mangers. Findings The business growth motivations of women owning and managing HBBs were categorized in intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Results show that women owning and managing HBBs are motivated to growth their businesses by intrinsic motivations including need for achievement, need for independence, proving competency and socio-cultural concerns. Also, they are motivated by some extrinsic motivations including financial issues, fame, positive feedback from others and the problems of working at home. Research limitations/implications Given the importance of entrepreneurial growth, the findings provide additional insight into growth motivations of women entrepreneurs. Practical implications The results of this study can help policymakers to develop purposeful growth policies for women’s HBBs that are commensurate with the motivations. Social implications Also, women owning and managing HBBs themselves could better concentrate on enhancing business growth by deepening their understanding of their business growth motivations. Originality/value The paper contributes to the scarce knowledge about women-owned HBBs in Iran, a rapidly growing, developing country, which can provide better insights from a less explored context. Moreover, as there is only a limited understanding of HBB growth, especially in relation to women business owners, the study results can prove helpful for researchers in the domain of female entrepreneurs. Also, this paper contributes to theory on the motivation for entrepreneurship and to research on growth motivation.

Performance drivers of women-owned microcredit funded enterprises in Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-230
Author(s):  
Charles Stephen Tundui ◽  
Hawa Petro Tundui
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Product Cycle ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Performance Drivers ◽  
The Government

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate performance drivers of women-owned businesses that are funded primarily through microcredit. It draws on Storey’s theory of small business growth and family embeddedness axiom to examine the factors that drive the performance of businesses that are funded primarily through microcredit. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a cross-sectional survey that covered 208 women business owners who had access to microcredit. The authors use a logistic regression analysis to model the relationship between independent variables and enterprise performance. Findings The paper demonstrates that microcredit plays a significant role in business performance. The credit amount has the most significant influence on the enterprise capital base, whereas the effect on profits is insignificant. Also, owners are more likely to report growth in profits if they possess skills in business management. In addition, younger business owners and necessity entrepreneurs are more likely to report success in their businesses. Other factors that have a significant effect on business performance are product cycle, loan use and family support. Originality/value Many women in Tanzania are entering business ownership and depend on microcredit as their primary source of capital for starting and growing their businesses. However, just a few businesses grow into small and medium-sized enterprises. For informed policy decisions, it is important that the factors influencing the performance of funded businesses are known and well understood. This understanding will help the government and development practitioners assist women in achieving business growth rates that could warrant their empowerment and poverty reduction prospects.

scholarly journals Measuring dimensions of perceived business success among Malaysian and Bangladeshi SME owners

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shehnaz Tehseen ◽  
Fatema Johara ◽  
Hussam Al Halbusi ◽  
Md Asadul Islam ◽  
Fadi Abdel Muniem Abdel Fattah
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Business Success ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of Malaysian and Bangladeshi retail small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business owners on the key elements of business growth.Design/methodology/approachThe construct measurements have all been taken from previous researches. The data were gathered from retail SMEs in Malaysia and Bangladesh in order to evaluate entrepreneurs' perception towards the essential elements of a business performance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with PLS-technique, specifically Smart-PLS Version 3.2.4, was used to accomplish the study's objectives and analyze the measurements, as well as the structural model.FindingsAccording to the findings, Malaysian and Bangladeshi SMEs have different perspectives toward the dimensions of their business performance. For example, Malaysian retail SME owners consider business growth and financial results to be the most important aspects of their success. Retailers consider financial performance to be less critical than non-financial performance when it comes to their business's success. Owners of Bangladeshi retail SMEs, on the other hand, see efficiency relative to competition, and that non-financial performance is the key component to achieving business success. In the sense of Bangladeshi SMEs, market development and financial results are seen as less significant in attaining success.Research limitations/implicationsSince this research was only conducted in Malaysia and Bangladesh, it did not cover a large number of countries. The sample size was limited; therefore, the findings of this study cannot be applied to the entire population of Malaysian and Bangladeshi retail SMEs due to the non-probability sampling technique.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study show that entrepreneurs or business owners in the retail sector in Malaysian and Bangladeshi SMEs view the attributes of their business performance differently.Originality/valueThis study adds to the rising context of entrepreneurship by examining SME owners' perception of main business performance dimensions in the scope of Asian retail SMEs.

Annotated bibliography on women business owners: A diversity lens

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonita L. Betters-Reed ◽  
Lynda L. Moore
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
African American Women ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
White Female ◽  
Institutional Barriers ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Race Ethnicity

When we take the lens of race, ethnicity, gender, and class to the collected academic work on women business owners, what does it reveal? What do we really know? Are there differing definitions of success across segments of the women businessowner demographics? Do the challenges faced by African American women entrepreneurs differ from those confronting white female entrepreneurs? Do immigrant female women businessowners face more significant institutional barriers than their counterparts who have been U.S. citizens for at least two generations? Are there similar reasons for starting their businesses?

scholarly journals Are international small business owners really that different?

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-117
Author(s):  
Sarah Gundlach ◽  
Andre Sammartino
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Small Business Owners ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Traits ◽  
Tolerance For Ambiguity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Do So

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of individual traits and attributes on the entrepreneurial and internationalization actions of Australian businesswomen, many of whom run small businesses. Design/methodology/approach This study is exploratory and quantitative, based on a questionnaire survey of 323 Australian businesswomen. Drawing upon the extant literature on internationalization, gender and entrepreneurship, the study explores two micro-foundational relationships of interest – personality and capability assessment differences between female business owners and their employed counterparts, and the impact of such traits and assessments on their internationalization. A further question is explored in terms of any differentials in perceptions of barriers in internationalization. Findings The findings show key personality dimensions do not differ dramatically between Australian businesswomen working in their own businesses (i.e. entrepreneurs) or as employees in organizations, while there are surprisingly few differences between women who are engaged internationally and those yet to do so. When comparing the female entrepreneurs and employees, in particular, the findings around tolerance for ambiguity and management efficacy are notably counterintuitive. This leads to the development of testable propositions to refine the causal claims in this domain. Practical implications The study calls into question the distinctiveness of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial endeavors, at least for female businesswomen. Originality/value By including entrepreneurs and employees, women who have engaged internationally and those that are yet to do so, the study avoids some of the potential self-selection and confirmation biases inherent in studies of only entrepreneurs or small business owners. The investigation of individual traits, attributes and experiences as micro-foundations for internationalization motivations challenges existing theories of small business expansion.

Difficulties facing women entrepreneurs in Israel: a social stratification approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sibylle Heilbrunn ◽  
Khaled Abu-Asbeh ◽  
Muhammed Abu Nasra
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Social Stratification ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Majority Population ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore the difficulties facing entrepreneurs in three groups of women in Israel: immigrant women from the Former Soviet Union (FSU), women belonging to the Palestinian Israeli minority and Jewish Israeli women belonging to the majority population. Relying on the stratification approach, the authors investigate the extent to which labor market, resource and women-specific disadvantages constrain women's entrepreneurship within these three groups. Design/methodology/approach – The target research population consisted of 477 women entrepreneurs who operated businesses between 2009 and 2010. Using systematic sampling, the authors surveyed 148 FSU immigrant women business owners, 150 Jewish Israeli women business owners and 170 Palestinian Israeli women business owners, using a comprehensive questionnaire administered in the entrepreneurs' native language. Findings – The authors found similarities and differences between the three groups as to their ability to handle difficulties deriving from labor market, resource and women-specific disadvantages. Overall, the authors found that Palestinian women entrepreneurs have relatively more difficulties than the other two groups. Research limitations/implications – Women entrepreneurs' socio-political status within stratified social realities imposes constraints on their economic activities. Further research should investigate policies, which could assist in overcoming these constraints taking into consideration similarities and differences between specific groups. Originality/value – In addition to shedding light on the impact of socio-political environmental circumstances on women entrepreneurs in a particular country, the authors believe that applying the social stratification approach is especially valuable at the intersection of minority status, gender and entrepreneurship.

scholarly journals The heterogeneous landscape of innovation in female led-businesses – cross-country comparisons

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 610-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adina Filculescu
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Public Support ◽  
High Growth ◽  
International Programs ◽  
Female Entrepreneurship ◽  
Female Entrepreneurs ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Female led-businesses are nowadays regarded as a vehicle for worldwide economic and social wellbeing. Seen as a mechanism for better social inclusion, empowerment, wide institutional change and local economic development, female entrepreneurship has been the focus of many scholarly pursuits. However, one field in which the interest in female-led businesses has been somewhat overlooked and overshadowed by other topics is the field of innovation studies. There are various national and international programs meant to increase the level of innovativeness of female-led businesses and there are reports presenting somewhat contradictory results in which women business owners are portrayed either as more innovative or at a disadvantage when it comes to the resources needed for innovation in comparison to their male counterparts. Thus, this study seeks to disentangle the various aspects which affect the landscape of innovation in female led-businesses by focusing on the way in which the national contexts creates opportunities or barriers for innovation. Based on the qualitative data provided by the GEM 2012 Adult Population Survey, we show that, in the case of the six countries included in the sample, the landscape is highly heterogeneous and that macrolevel indicators such as percentage of female entrepreneurs, public support for high growth female entrepreneurship and gender equality are not capable of fully explaining the innovation behavior of female-led businesses. The results presented here contribute to advancing the research on innovation and female entrepreneurship by opening up new avenues for research which will renounce the paradigm of an ideal type of female-led business, and start to seriously take into consideration the heterogeneity of these businesses and of the landscapes in which they operate.

Growth aspirations among women entrepreneurs in high growth firms

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oxana Bulanova ◽  
Espen John Isaksen ◽  
Lars Kolvereid
Keyword(s):  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Research Question ◽  
High Growth ◽  
Business Growth ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Growth Firms ◽  
Event Model ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
Perceived Desirability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between perceived desirability (attitude towards growth) and feasibility (entrepreneurial self-efficacy) of business growth and women entrepreneurs’ continued business growth aspirations. Hypotheses are derived guided by the Entrepreneurial Event Model (EEM). The authors also address the following research question: what reasons do women entrepreneurs state for wanting or not wanting continued business growth? Design/methodology/approach – The sample consists of 93 of the largest independent businesses in Norway started by women entrepreneurs in 2004, 2005 or 2006 (response rate 57.5 per cent). The hypotheses are tested using logistic regression. The authors carry out a post hoc analysis of open-ended questions, containing a qualitative analysis of the reasons for not wanting or wanting the business to grow. Findings – The results support the hypotheses. Controlling for industry, location and the women entrepreneurs’ age, perceived desirability and feasibility of business growth predict growth aspirations. Thus, the findings suggests that the EEM is an appropriate and useful model. Reasons are grouped in reasons relating to considerations for the entrepreneur, the business and the environment. The most common reason for not wanting the business to grow relates to business considerations, including that growth would jeopardize the quality of services offered by the business. Important reasons for wanting the business to grow include fun and excitement. Research limitations/implications – Policy makers and educators can encourage business growth by efforts aiming to increase the desirability and feasibility of growth. Practitioners as well as scholars should be aware of the inducements and costs associated with business growth. The study contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by exploring and identifying areas that both encourage and hinder further business growth among high-growth women entrepreneurs. Originality/value – Research on women-owned businesses is still scarce, and few if any previous studies have surveyed growth aspiration in new high-growth women-owned businesses. The combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques is also a novel contribution of this survey.

scholarly journals Women business owners’ start-up motivations and network content

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 590-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalleh Sharafizad ◽  
Alan Coetzer
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Business Owners ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women Business Owners ◽  
Training Interventions ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Work Family ◽  
Starting A Business

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how women small business owners’ (SBOs) business start-up motivations influence their network content. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 women SBOs who were recruited through purposeful sampling methods. Interview data on their start-up motivations were used to categorise them into three types: classic, forced and work-family. The interviews explored the network contents of the three categories of participants. Findings – There were many similarities between network contents of classic and forced SBOs, as both groups had started their business for financial reasons rather than family reasons. All the participants’ networks contained information and advice, economic transactions, intangible support and strong ties. However, the sources and types of network content were different for the classic and forced SBOs when compared to work-family SBOs. Research limitations/implications – This study has limitations that tend to be commonly found in exploratory studies, such as a small sample size. However, the findings lay the groundwork for future quantitative studies that examine associations between SBOs’ motivations for starting a business and their network contents. Originality/value – This research responds to calls for studies aimed at developing a more nuanced understanding of SBOs’ networking behaviour. The study provides empirical evidence of a relationship between the motivations for starting a business and the network content of SBOs. The findings can be used by businesswomen’s network organisations in their mentoring and training interventions.

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