Development of Women-Led Micro and Small Enterprises in Indonesia

This chapter aims to examine the development of women entrepreneurs in Indonesia with the focus on their personal motivations or initial reasons to own businesses and their main constraints in doing business. The chapter is based on literature review, secondary data analysis from Indonesian National Statistics Agency (BPS) and some international/regional organizations, and a small field survey of women owning micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the Greater Jakarta area. It reveals from the secondary data analysis that despite the growing number of women-led businesses, the gender gap in entrepreneurship in Indonesia still persists. Findings from the field survey show that many of the respondents run their own businesses as a means to survive, and limited access to finance is the most serious constraint faced by the respondents, caused by their lack of valuable assets as collateral. The results may potentially have profound impact on women entrepreneurship policy and equality policy.

Female Entrepreneurship in the Nollywood Film Industry

The Nigerian film industry (Nollywood) has predominantly been presented as a masculine world. This is not unconnected to the fact that most of the players and central figures in the history and growth of the industry are masculine. However, female entrepreneurship has marked the industry right from the early stages of its existence. Like their male counterparts, female entrepreneurs have, through exceptional entrepreneurial techniques, provided actionable solutions to some of the production and distribution crises which the industry has witnessed. Using empirical understandings, this chapter critically explores female entrepreneurship in the sector. It provides a micro-level perspective of socio-economic challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the Nollywood film industry and their future prospects. The chapter begins by exploring entrepreneurship in Nigeria's economy before delving into the prospects and challenges of women entrepreneurship in the Nollywood industry.

Women Entrepreneurs in Turkey

This chapter makes a contribution to the ongoing efforts to fill the emerging market perspective gap in the entrepreneurship literature with respect to Turkey. It primarily provides a thorough account of the current position of women entrepreneurs operating in the Turkish economy. With exhibitions of current demographic data and statistics, it offers a comprehensive depiction of the importance of women entrepreneurs to the viability of the Turkish economy. Moreover, this chapter sheds light on the deficient aspects of the Turkish system in terms of societal, economic, and professional challenges are and will try to explore how these factors affect the performance of women entrepreneurs while recommending possible routes for improvement.

Strategies to Empower Women in Higher Education Positions

There seems to be a dearth of helpful resources outlining strategic ways that organizations can provide women with empowering and meaningful mentoring opportunities from a global perspective. This effort will include the following objectives: 1) provide a review of research on mentoring women in general; 2) provide a review of conceptual and empirical research available on the mentoring experiences of women in specific positions; 3) discuss the global implications of mentoring and empowering women; 4) provide suggestions and recommendations related to future opportunities that may assist women in obtaining more career and professional development opportunities globally. Several authors provide narratives on their experiences in higher education positions. Women's experiences are unique and specific. Therefore, these experiences need to be documented in the literature as a way for women to become empowered within the higher education arena. This book chapter seeks to provide meaningful experiences of women and their perceptions of being mentored in higher education.

Women Entrepreneurship in a Fragile and Volatile Economy

Women entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe has undergone a formidable structural transformation since independence (1980) and has significantly contributed towards survival of the economy, especially during the hyperinflationary period which heightened in 2008. What is peculiar about Zimbabwe is that the economy has suffered a protracted deterioration for almost two decades, fitting into the category of a fragile and volatile economy. This coincided with an exponential growth of women-owned enterprises (WOEs) in the informal economy with the wide recognition of the informal economy as the “new” economy supporting the livelihoods of the majority of people. Women entrepreneurs are increasingly becoming active economic agents in this new economy. Unpacking the paradox of a volatile and fragile economy coexisting with the growth of WOEs is critical. Analyzing the survivalist and coping strategies employed by these women in order to sustain and grow their enterprises in such an economic context is critical in order to influence policy direction and development.

Small Business Financing for Supporting SMEs in Indonesia

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the main pillars of a country economy, especially within developing countries. These types of businesses have existed since the Dutch colonial era. However, their existence is now threatened due to the rapid expansion of modern businesses that have spread into rural areas of Indonesia. Therefore, SMEs are in dire need of government assistance from both central and local governments, from a financial and non-financial perspective. In order to strengthen the SMEs' capital, so that they are able to sustain their businesses, this chapter intends to propose a financing model for SMEs that could be given by the government through financial institutions, so that SMEs will be able to gain easy access to capital resources. In the other words, this condition is expected to give maximum support to the development of SMEs. As a result, the SMEs will contribute to eradicating unemployment and poverty by strengthening the economy of Indonesia.

What Women Entrepreneurs Need to Succeed in Emerging Economies?

Many efforts have successfully been implemented by both public and private institutions to advance women entrepreneurship, recognized to be an indicator of overall social development. Despite several efforts, women still represent a minority share of entrepreneurship, specifically among the emerging economies. A study conducted to understand the status of entrepreneurial competencies among the male and female genders in India has proved that women were equally competent to men on the required entrepreneurial competencies. Among the 10 entrepreneurial competencies tested, women were found to be marginally inferior only on three competencies. The degree of difference is very marginal, and the effect size is quantified to be only up to 25% of the sample, which would easily be overcome with further efforts. In view of the observations, the chapter proposes to concentrate on the gender gap rather than skill gap to improve women entrepreneurship, specifically among the emerging economies.

The South African Female Entrepreneurship Context

For a long time, women have been excluded from economic activities in male-dominated organizations and patriarchal society. Therefore, due to this factor, their participation in economic activities such as employment and entrepreneurial initiatives has been a subject of scholarship for some time. Drawing on institutional and feminist theories, this chapter argues that feminist entrepreneurship should consider the emerging economies as heterogeneous regions with unique contexts that affect the entrance into and performance in entrepreneurial activities. Any entrepreneurship scholarship that conflates the different regions and contexts within which female entrepreneurs are found, underplays the nuances that affect them through a compressive use of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and Global Entrepreneurship Development Institute databases. This chapter illustrates how the South African context enables, as well as impedes, women from total entrepreneurial activity. While current regulative institutions are in place, the number of women entering TEA and flourishing is still low.

Experience of Female Entrepreneurs With Disabilities in Zimbabwe

The global population of people with disabilities is estimated to be around one billion which represents 15% of the population. It is further estimated that the majority of people with disabilities are found in developing countries to which the majority are women. Adding on to the challenge, 82% percent of disabled people live below the poverty line and can barely employ sustainable means of earning a living and neither can they widen livelihood options due to their circumstances. Thus, they are languishing in absolute poverty. Developing countries are lagging behind in promoting the economic rights of women with disabilities. This is mainly shown by their absence in formal employment because many developing countries do not have policies which facilitate the employment of women with disabilities. Women with disabilities in Zimbabwe are concentrated in light industry entrepreneurship. The majority are found in vending, buying, and selling of cloth and electrical items, others are involved in cross-border trading.

Contemporary Perspectives on Women Entrepreneurship in India

An entrepreneur is a person who initiates and establishes an enterprise. Entrepreneurship refers to the decisions one takes in setting up and running a new enterprise. The individual constitutes the most important element in entrepreneurship. This individual who decides to be an entrepreneur can be a “HE” or “SHE.” So though the word “Entrepreneur” does not discriminate between genders, yet there is an underlying thread which is of interest to researchers and practitioners alike to study “women entrepreneurship.” Because of the economic restructuring and societal acceptance more women have started establishing enterprises. Being women for whom the social barriers are now breaking and acceptance coming, one should say that women entrepreneurship is in its infancy and transitionary period. Due to this fact, it has its own unique facets. Based on in depth literature review and grounded theory approach, this chapter intends to explore factors which influence women entrepreneurship and provide contemporary perspectives on women entrepreneurship in the Indian context.