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Social enterprises appear to offer innovative solutions for empowering women in entrepreneurship and achieving gender equality. This research, however, finds that female social entrepreneurs remain disadvantaged relative to their male counterparts during social entrepreneurial financing. Although this female-male disparity becomes diminished when ventures indicate more social value orientation, the results show that this is because more social value orientation reduces the funding to male founders but has no apparent effect on female founders. These results contribute to research on social entrepreneurship from a gender lens and call for greater attention to gender assumptions about social entrepreneurship in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable procurement has become a very important aspect of business, with a lot of emphasis on the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the society in which firms operate. At the same time, female entrepreneurship has attained a very prominent position in various economies, especially those of developing countries, providing a lot of employment to many and contributing significantly to the growth of those countries. However, the contribution of female entrepreneurs to sustainability through their procurement practices has received minimal research especially in the developing country context, leaving us with little or no knowledge at all regarding the sustainable procurement practices of female entrepreneurs in developing economies. This study fills this knowledge gap by qualitatively investigating the dynamics of the adoption of sustainable procurement practices by female entrepreneurs in Ghana. We found that female entrepreneurs in these contexts adopt environment‐related sustainable procurement practices, diversity‐related sustainable procurement practices, safety‐related sustainable procurement practices, and the sustainable procurement practices of purchasing from local and small suppliers. The adoption and implementation of these practices however are not motivated by female entrepreneurs' quest to be sustainable, but their desire to save cost and make profits. Policy implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research contributes to the state of knowledge on gender aspects of entrepreneurship and SME-promoting policies from the perspective of the United Kingdom. In this paper, we draw upon the largest public policy intervention aimed explicitly at fostering new business start-ups, the Start-Up Loan (SUL) scheme. Since its inception in 2012 until the present day, question whether female start-up entrepreneurs were over-represented in terms of scheme participation, which would be the case if the barriers they face when seeking to start a new business are greater than their male peers. First, the study exploits available secondary data from the Eurostat and Global Entrepreneurship Monitor to determine the participation of females in entrepreneurship during the last decades. Second, we exploit the administrative data of the participants of the SUL scheme between 2012 and 2022 (N = 98,026). Methodologically, the study relies on summary statistical tools and estimation of the Cox proportional hazard models, predicting the loan default rates of the supported individuals across genders. With an average female representation of 40% over the last decade on the SUL scheme, which is significantly higher than in the UK business population, a very positive and unintended consequence of the scheme is that tens of thousands of female entrepreneurs were given the support that, in its absence, may have prevented or discouraged them from starting their new business. Furthermore, females participating in the SUL scheme have lower hazard rates than males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce dependence on external funding, financial bootstrapping can be an alternative low-cost funding solution for MSMEs. Cost efficiency can also be achieved by carrying out digital transformation in business operational activities. Furthermore, cost efficiency will lead to improved financial performance of MSMEs. This research investigates the influence of financial bootstrapping and digital transformation on the financial performance of MSMEs. Data collection was carried out through a field survey involving several enumerators and 180 respondents. The respondents of this research were female MSME entrepreneurs in the culinary sector in Central Java Province, Indonesia. The data was analyzed using the Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The research results revealed that financial bootstrapping and digital transformation have a significant positive effect on the financial performance of MSMEs. Furthermore, this study offers recommendations to improve the financial performance of MSMEs. Entrepreneurs must be creative in utilizing cheap internal funding sources and willing to adopt digital technology to increase operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.Fields entrepreneurship and small firm management; business, management and accounting; entrepreneurial finance

Objective: the number of women-owned SMEs in the Maldives has increased as a result of the recent popularity of e-commerce and the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe the entrepreneurial experiences of female entrepreneurs in the Maldives in order to gain an understanding of the various stages of entrepreneurial process. Theoretical approach: the conceptual framework of this research was based theoretically on values derived from entrepreneurial theories and the components and features derived from the existing entrepreneurial process models. Method: this study employed a qualitative methodology, with semi-structured interviews conducted with five established female entrepreneurs. Purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. The data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis method. Results: the study's findings revealed that the conception of the entrepreneurial idea, the first stage of the entrepreneurial process, was primarily inspired by the entrepreneur's passion and hobby. In the second stage, it was discovered that no proper business planning had been completed, and the business was initially self-financed. In the third stage, it was discovered that the majority of entrepreneurs launched their businesses through social media and managed day-to-day operations as a small team. When it came to fourth stage, most of female entrepreneurs preferred both image and financial growth, with the majority of them relying on government funds for further business growth. Conclusion: this research will assist policymakers to gain insight into female entrepreneurs' entrepreneurial experiences and, as a result, in developing effective policies and programs to help them expand their business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the flourishing entertainment culture of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries women were omnipresent on stage, showcasing their physical prowess as dancers, acrobats, trapeze artists, and animal tamers. However, the extent of their involvement behind the scenes remains relatively unknown. This paper explores the often-overlooked contributions of women in the management and workforce of the nineteenth-century funfair business in Western Europe, shedding light on their pivotal role in shaping and driving the success of these captivating spectacles. Within the funfair context, women were engaged at various levels, occupying positions as roundabout proprietors, stallholders, and managers of traveling shows, including theaters, menageries, wax museums, and puppet booths. Their involvement spanned across multiple facets of the funfair, encompassing both the administrative and operational aspects of these diverse attractions. Through a comprehensive analysis of historical sources and records, this study aims to unveil the significant influence wielded by women in an era where their participation in the public domains was limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite contributing to host country economies, there is limited examination of self-employed female immigrants in the literature. While human, social, and financial capital are important for entrepreneurship in general, given immigrant women's intersectional identities, the potential exists for these factors to affect them differently. This study uses US data obtained from Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) to empirically test the relationship of human, social, and financial capital on female immigrants' self-employment and compares these relationships with US-born women and male immigrants. While the results are mixed, overall, the findings suggest that female immigrants' odds of being self-employed, in relation to their levels of human, social, and financial capital, are influenced to a greater extent by their immigrant identity than their gender identity. Implications for future research and public policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though tourism and hospitality employ large numbers of women and female micro-entrepreneurship plays a significant role in sustainable tourism development, the proportion of female micro-entrepreneurs is low. Particularly in developing countries, barriers to female micro- entrepreneurship remain significant. This article explores how social media platforms like Facebook can empower female tourism and hospitality micro-entrepreneurs in developing and highly tourism-dependent economies. Employing a netnographic approach, data were collected in two stages: (1) A total of 3214 posts by female micro-entrepreneurs were gathered from two Facebook groups to identify dimensions of platform empowerment; (2) semi-structured interviews with twelve members of the two groups were conducted to further explore these dimensions. The findings show four ways in which Facebook supports empowerment processes and outcomes at individual and collective levels, namely as a (1) learning resource; (2) informal entrepreneurial ecosystem; (3) self-development tool; and (4) business development exchange. By identifying the role social media platforms play in bridging social policy gaps, this study contributes knowledge that is critical for a more inclusive development of sustainable tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the qualitative research of Jewish ultraorthodox female fashion entrepreneurs (JUFFE) in Israel, we examine how women's body regulations are collectively negotiated, challenged, and resisted. Our paper shows that, through the disruption of religious clothing and hairstyling, JUFFEs have challenged the patriarchal expectations of women's ideal type in their authoritative society and triggered various changes that allowed for the construction of alternative forms of femininity. Our contributions are twofold: First, we advance the understanding of the body as a site of resistance by exposing the analytical constituents of embodied resistance, namely, the forms of femininity constructed through embodied resistance, which demands are challenged, which types of modesty are resisted, which bodily means are used in women's resistance acts, and the implications of the resistance. By deepening our understanding of the constitutive resources of embodied resistance, we offer a more nuanced and detailed analysis of the various embodied ways and means through which women of religious communities may prompt changes regarding women's visibility and economic status. Second, we broaden the conceptualization of resistance's outcomes in authoritarian regimes by demonstrating how alternative religious femininities are constructed through the collective power of fashion. We present two manifestations of femininity: femininity as a marker of diversity (individualized femininity) and femininity as a marker of economic status (affluent femininity)—both deviate from the one prescribed by their leadership and community. We demonstrate how entrepreneurs' subversive messages are diffused through their clientele's bodies as the carriers of their subversive messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal objective of this research is to study the different leadership styles being practiced by Saudi women entrepreneurs, as well as to study the effectiveness of these leadership styles. The leadership style of Saudi women is investigated in this study because Saudi women's role is distinctively separated from men in the male-dominated culture of Saudi Arabia and they are considered less competent and assertive than men. Primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire which consists of questions designed to collect data about the leadership style being practiced by the Saudi women entrepreneurs. The participants for the survey were identified through several organizations such as Monsha'at, MISK Foundation and Wa'ed (Aramco's entrepreneurship centre). For the survey, we focused only on female-owned small businesses that are operating for minimum two years in their respective business area as our target respondents. The sampling technique in this study was a judgemental sampling. Data was collected from 210 women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. The survey data was analyzed using SPSS 21.0. The result shows that authoritarian leadership style is highly practiced by women entrepreneurs followed by democratic leadership style in Hail and Riyadh region. The unique contribution of this study is that it gives an insight on how the leadership style in Saudi firms is impacted by gender disparities in work values. The findings of this study can help educators and government to identify the weaknesses and develop training programs to develop the necessary leadership skills in Saudi women. Based on the findings, the government can develop programs for women small business owners which can develop their identity and characteristic adaptations in addition to skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how rural female entrepreneurs in Lebanon navigate challenges and opportunities amidst economic crises. It aims to understand how they leverage resources to overcome barriers and enhance their entrepreneurial potential, offering insights for fostering sustainable entrepreneurship in crisis-affected regions. This study employs Integrative Qualitative Methods, combining participatory action research (PAR) and narrative inquiry, to explore the motivations, experiences and aspirations of rural female entrepreneurs in Lebanon. Amidst severe economic crises, 28 female entrepreneurs participated in a three-year program supporting their businesses. The findings indicate that rural female entrepreneurs in Lebanon are primarily motivated by family sustainability, social effect and personal fulfillment. They demonstrate significant adaptability to market changes and are able to leverage support networks to manage resources effectively. Strategic resource allocation, communication and collaboration are key to their success. Overall, these findings highlight the resilience and strategic acumen of rural female entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of ongoing support for economic growth and community development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female entrepreneurs perform significantly better when guided by a female—as opposed to a male—mentor. Among the millions of entrepreneurs in developing economies, few are able to earn a decent livelihood. To help these entrepreneurs succeed, governmental and nongovernmental organizations invest billions of dollars every year in providing training programs. Many of these programs involve providing entrepreneurs with mentors. Unfortunately, the effects of these programs are often muted, or even null, for woman-owned firms. Against this backdrop, we tested whether gender matching, where female entrepreneurs are randomly paired with a female mentor, could help address the gender gap. Findings from a randomized controlled field experiment with 930 Ugandan entrepreneurs show that mentor gender has a powerful impact on female entrepreneurs. Firm sales and profits of female entrepreneurs guided by a female mentor increased by, on average, 32% and 31% compared with the control group, and these estimates are even larger for female entrepreneurs with high aspirations. In contrast, female entrepreneurs guided by a male mentor did not significantly improve performance compared with the control group. We provide suggestive mechanism evidence that female mentor-mentee arrangements were characterized by more positive engagements. History: Catherine Tucker served as the senior editor for this article. This paper has been accepted for the Marketing Science Special Section on DEI and through the Marketing Science: Frontiers review process. Conflict of Interest Statement: All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or nonfinancial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript. Funding: This research was supported by grants from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) joint Growth Research Program, the Deloitte Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (DIIE), and the universities the authors were affiliated with when the research was conducted. Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2023.0108. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that the pandemic has made entrepreneurs out of people, especially females who venture into diverse small-scale enterprises to cope with the residue of the pandemic, the majority of the enterprises seem to be dwindling and stagnant. The knowledge of accounting will provide a platform for the effective administration and management of these enterprises. This study specifically probes the methods used in the management of finances, inquires about the continuity plan and explores the contribution of entity theory to the success of females in small-scale enterprises in the post-COVID-19 era. The study adopts an exploratory research design. A mixed-method sampling technique was adopted (multi-stage and judgemental). In-depth interviews were used to collect data from 36 participants who commence their business during and after the ease of the lockdown in southwestern, Nigeria. Findings revealed that females in small-scale enterprises lack accounting knowledge. This, coupled with the motivation of the establishment of their businesses has predominantly affected its administration and management which has led to their lack of strategic plan for the continuity of their businesses. Despite their lack of knowledge of entity theory, some of them have been applying it in the administration of their businesses. It is therefore recommended that irrespective of the motivation behind the establishment of their businesses, a proper book-keeping record should be maintained. This will enable them to track their profit and growth over time, enlighten them to be conservative with their finances and assist them to develop a strategic plan for their business continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: the number of women-owned SMEs in the Maldives has increased as a result of the recent popularity of e-commerce and the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe the entrepreneurial experiences of female entrepreneurs in the Maldives in order to gain an understanding of the various stages of entrepreneurial process. Theoretical approach: the conceptual framework of this research was based theoretically on values derived from entrepreneurial theories and the components and features derived from the existing entrepreneurial process models. Method: this study employed a qualitative methodology, with semi-structured interviews conducted with five established female entrepreneurs. Purposive sampling technique was used to select participants. The data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis method. Results: the study’s findings revealed that the conception of the entrepreneurial idea, the first stage of the entrepreneurial process, was primarily inspired by the entrepreneur’s passion and hobby. In the second stage, it was discovered that no proper business planning had been completed, and the business was initially self-financed. In the third stage, it was discovered that the majority of entrepreneurs launched their businesses through social media and managed day-to-day operations as a small team. When it came to fourth stage, most of female entrepreneurs preferred both image and financial growth, with the majority of them relying on government funds for further business growth. Conclusion: this research will assist policymakers to gain insight into female entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial experiences and, as a result, in developing effective policies and programs to help them expand their business.

Emotional intelligence such as self-awareness, motivation, empathy, and social skills are used to understand individual abilities in a social environment. Women in this case are considered to have a high level of emotionality compared to men, so that the success of a business and the decisions taken use more feelings. The research aims to measure the relationship between self-awareness, self-control, self-motivation, social awareness, and social skills on business performance. female entrepreneurs. The total population in this study was 248 businesses. The sampling technique in this research is Systematic Random Sampling. The sample in the study was 71 people with an interval of 3. The analysis used in this research used several PLS methods which included several analyzes including: Factor Analysis, Designing a Structural Measurement Model (Inner Model), Designing a Measurement Model (Outer Model), and Hypothesis Testing. The influence of self-awareness on the performance of MSMEs shows a coefficient value of 0.435. The effect of self-control on the performance of MSMEs shows a coefficient value of 0.054. The influence of self-motivation on the performance of MSMEs shows a coefficient value of 0.273. The influence of social awareness on the performance of MSMEs shows a coefficient value of 0.048. The influence of social skills on the performance of MSMEs shows a coefficient value of 0.246. This research shows that self-awareness has a positive and significant effect on MSME performance, and self-control has a positive and significant effect on MSME performance. Self-motivation has a positive and significant effect on MSME performance, social awareness has a positive and significant effect on MSME performance and social skills have a positive and significant effect on MSME performance.

The objective of this study was to determine challenging factors in accessing finance by female microentrepreneurs in Anambra state, Nigeria. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods in data collection. Multi-stage sampling technique was adopted in selecting the sample, and the data analyzed using logit regression model based on the binary choice that describes the probability of women micro entrepreneur's choice between two mutually exclusive alternatives (accessing or not accessing microcredit). The study identifies fear of default, lack of collaterals, inability to get guarantors and information asymmetry as main factors challenging women's access to finance. The study recommends, among others, the need for financial education for female micro entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Gender (in)equality in entrepreneurship has been getting more attention in recent decades. The number of female entrepreneurs repeatedly reported less than males due to cultural issues, education, and lack of support. Moreover, launching start-up apiaries is more challenging for Asian women in tourism, and the likelihood of unsuccessful experiences is higher among them. Accordingly, the lack of empirical material on female entrepreneurs in tourism and gender equality issues, especially in middle east countries, are the two main gaps. Therefore, this paper tries to reveal the Iranian female entrepreneurship experience to fulfil these gaps. This research applied a qualitative research design leading with social constructivism and critical theory. 12 Iranian female tourism entrepreneurs participated in semi-structured online interviews. The snowball sampling technique was applied to collect data that was analysed thematically. The findings of this study highlighted that family responsibility, legal disparities, credit constraints, and the social construction of gender roles and norms are among the hurdles restricting females from engaging in social and economic opportunities. Moreover, the participants mentioned that the lack of social, government, and sponsors' support and a platform for training and sharing peers' experiences impact their businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patriarchal, religious, and cultural values have consistently limited women's participation in the public sphere. Nowhere is this more evident than in entrepreneurial activities conducted in the public space. Therefore, the social media revolution is conceptualised as a mode of overcoming the restrictions and limitations on women's participation in the public sphere. More importantly, social media platforms are utilised as media for women's entrepreneurial activities. A cursory look at these platforms reveals that women, who would otherwise have no avenue for carrying out entrepreneurial activities by their limitation to the private sphere, utilise these platforms to actualise their entrepreneurial aspirations. As such, social media platforms present a means of ensuring women's inclusivity and empowerment in the economic sector, contrary to patriarchal, religious, and cultural challenges to women's public participation. However, utilising these platforms also presents its challenges. This paper, therefore, attempts a critical evaluation of the role of social media platforms in women's entrepreneurial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between female entrepreneurship and environmental implications in ASEAN economies. While economic growth and affluence benefit society, they come at the cost of environmental degradation, particularly rising carbon dioxide levels and ecosystem concerns. Women entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia can potentially support their families and contribute to societal development by starting their own businesses. Their ventures provide fresh perspectives on societal challenges and enable active participation and contribution to creative endeavors, leading to economic and social empowerment with ripple effects on families and communities. To assess the environmental consequences of women's entrepreneurial activities, the study applies the bias-corrected method of moments and tests the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis across ten ASEAN nations from 1980 to 2021. Results show cross-sectional dependence in all variables and confirm a long-term relationship within the EKC model. The fixed-effects estimator with bias correction is deemed the most suitable model. Findings indicate that GDPpc leads to decreased emissions, while the square of GDPpc contributes to increased emissions; however, the cubic term of GDPpc leads to decreased CO2 emissions, supporting the "inverted N" curve distribution of emissions across ASEAN nations proposed by the EKC theory. Additionally, the study reveals that higher percentages of female entrepreneurs are associated with increased carbon dioxide emissions, potentially due to increased efforts to support and develop female entrepreneurs. Conversely, a reduction in the gender gap in marriage, divorce, remarriage, and domestic violence leads to a shift away from entrepreneurial activities among women, positively impacting the environment.

AbstractThe spread of COVID-19 was a severe setback to the labour market in the globe, including Indonesia. The policies implemented to prevent the spread of the virus have compelled the society to shift towards digital and internet-based activities. The rapid growth of digital technology and internet utilization presents a new potential for women to participate more actively in the labour market, particularly in entrepreneurial activities. This study has two objectives. First, this study examines the effect of using the internet on the participation of female entrepreneurs during the pandemic. Second, this study examines the relationship between internet utilization and income among female entrepreneurs. The data used in this study are individual data sourced from the 2020 National Labour Force Survey (Sakernas). A probit regression model is used to answer the first objective, while the correction for Heckman selection bias has been made when estimating the income equation in the second objective. The results of the first objective show that women who use the internet have a greater chance of becoming entrepreneurs than women who do not use the internet. The impact is higher for women living in urban areas. The finding in this study also emphasizes several important aspects that can encourage the growth of female entrepreneurs, such as training, experience, age, and marital status. Second, this study shows that female entrepreneurs who use the internet tend to have higher incomes. Females that have potential to have higher incomes by using internet are working in trade, food and beverages, and industry sectors.

AbstractThis study examines a group of women entrepreneurs of small and micro businesses in Hail, Riyadh and Eastern regions of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study aims to identify the particular style of leadership displayed by these women entrepreneurs; and whether all their competencies have the same or different influence on their task-oriented or people-oriented leadership styles. The respondents were initially identified through various organizations such as Wa’ed (Aramco’s entrepreneurship centre), MISK Foundation and Monsha’at. Subsequently, we finalized female-owned small businesses that are operating for minimum two years in their respective business area as our target respondents. The survey questionnaire was sent to 310 women entrepreneurs after obtaining their approval. A total of 211 filled surveys were received. The responses having repetition or missing data were deleted which resulted in 174 surveys which were analyzed using SPSS. Surprisingly, the results indicate that our respondents exhibit a higher score of task-oriented leadership style. The female entrepreneurs who possess high degrees of business and management, relationship, entrepreneurial and human relation skills are found to incline towards task-oriented leadership style. The relationship and entrepreneurial competencies show a positive influence on the people-oriented leadership style. On the other hand, business and management, as well as entrepreneurial and human interactions, show a positive influence on task-oriented style of leadership.

In the rapidly evolving small business environment of Indonesia, female entrepreneurs also play a crucial role. Information sharing and knowledge exchange are inseparable factors in the rapid growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), thus the influence of knowledge management influences risk-taking attitude and is closely related to innovativeness. Only a small number of studies, however, have looked at knowledge management in connection to innovation, optimism, and whether the impact is influenced by the firm’s risk-taking attitude. This study aims to investigate the connection between the innovativeness, information management, optimism, and risk-taking tolerance of female companies. By disseminating structured surveys, we took a quantitative strategy. To analyze the data we gathered, we used the SEM-PLS method. Our findings demonstrate how creativity significantly improves risk tolerance and information management. We also conclude that optimism greatly enhances risk tolerance and information management. Additionally, knowledge management increases a person’s ability for taking calculated risk.

We examine the issue of entrepreneurial gender bias by focusing on the underlying mechanisms that impact the likelihood of receiving external venture-capital financing. We claim that gender bias negatively affects socially attributed dimensions (such as the stigma ascribed to entrepreneurs who have previously suffered a failure), while it has no effect on objective dimensions (such as the experience gained by entrepreneurs). Our results, based on 2088 US firms, show that female entrepreneurs are less likely to attract external funds if they have previously encountered failure. This negative effect becomes less impactful when novel or serial successful entrepreneurs are considered. Consequently, novel or serial successful entrepreneurs are expected to suffer less from gender bias if compared to peers who experienced a failure during their entrepreneurial career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women entrepreneurs are a promising yet under-supported group that have notable impacts on the economy. Recent societal attempts to empower female entrepreneurs and their critical role in economic development have motivated research on determinants of women's participation in entrepreneurship and what can reduce gender disparities in this field. Drawing on insights from information economics, this paper emphasizes the recent transformations through digital technologies and examines the effect of digital readiness of an economy on women's ability to close the gap on entrepreneurial activities. Using a sample of international observations over the 2010-2016 period, we show that the capability of an economy to exploit digital opportunities increases female participation in opportunitydriven entrepreneurship. The results also indicate that the positive role of digital readiness in women's entrepreneurship strengthens in populations with higher perceived opportunity and, more interestingly, higher fear of failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the paradoxical impact of political legitimacy by exploring the relationship between legitimacy due to political inclusion by the state and subsequent strategic actions by entrepreneurs in both domestic and global contexts in a transition economy. We argue that political legitimacy conferred by the state affects a firm's strategies in different ways because it is associated with both benefits and constraints. Using a unique dataset of more than six thousand privately owned enterprises in China, we demonstrate that after an institutional change that permitted the inclusion of entrepreneurs into an elite political system (the Communist Party of China) in 2001, private firms became more motivated to invest in their domestic production but less incentivized to form international cooperation strategies. We further find that the impact of the legitimacy from political inclusion on domestic production was less pronounced for firms in places where the market economy was more established and when entrepreneurs are female. For entrepreneurs with past work experiences in the government or in state-owned enterprises, the negative impact of political inclusion on global cooperation was strengthened. These findings have important implications for research on legitimacy, entrepreneurship, and business strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female entrepreneurship is gaining an increasingly significant role on the domestic and international economic scene and represents an important potential for the development of a country's economy. In developed countries, women have special incentives and support for the development of their own entrepreneurship. In addition to the applied policies that protect women against discrimination and inequality, numerous organizations and associations that deal with women's issues and provide them with various types of support operate in these countries. Female entrepreneurship represents an important potential for the development of the global economy. Female entrepreneurship affects the reduction of unemployment, the establishment of businesses in new spheres, the application of new technologies and the development of entrepreneurship. This statement draws attention to the development trends of female entrepreneurship in developed countries, but also in developing countries. For women, success is not only measured in terms of profit, although financing is the biggest problem when starting and developing a business. It is very important for women that their descendants inherit their business, and the legacy of their business is very important to them in order to feel successful, but also the social impact of their company. The above is in support of the fact that women are better social entrepreneurs and open social enterprises more often, and all this is due to the fact that money is not the most important and decisive factor for them to engage in entrepreneurial activity.The paper investigates whether women entrepreneurs have any specific characteristics and what motivates them to entrepreneurship. It also identifies the obstacles that women face in establishing new businesses and what kind of support should be provided to them in order to encourage entrepreneurship. The main goal of this paper is to draw attention to the untapped potential of women entrepreneurs. Based on the identified problems and experiences of other countries described in the paper, initiatives and good practices can be defined to support women entrepreneurs that can be applied in domestic conditions. The paper ends with a description of organizations and programs that exist and are implemented in other countries, and have shown success in creating a positive climate for the development of female entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilkie Collins's Man and Wife (1870) and Jezebel's Daughter (1880) portray female business owners who run their own enterprises independently. The concept of "female entrepreneurs" went against the social ethos of Victorian domestic ideologies. This essay argues that the novels suggested not only women's place beyond domestic spheres but also the possibility of their economic participation in Victorian society. Collins's Man and Wife and Jezebel's Daughter were published when women's property and economic participation were important Victorian political agendas. This essay argues that Collins's Man and Wife and Jezebel's Daughter supported Victorian women's entitlement to be independent economic agents as well as their contribution to the British economy through their participation in public businesses, thus foreshadowing the "New Woman" discourse on women's professional and financial independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of COVID-19 was a severe setback to the labour market in the globe, including Indonesia. The policies implemented to prevent the spread of the virus have compelled the society to shift towards digital and internet-based activities. The rapid growth of digital technology and internet utilization presents a new potential for women to participate more actively in the labour market, particularly in entrepreneurial activities. This study has two objectives. First, this study examines the effect of using the internet on the participation of female entrepreneurs during the pandemic. Second, this study examines the relationship between internet utilization and income among female entrepreneurs. The data used in this study are individual data sourced from the 2020 National Labour Force Survey (Sakernas). A probit regression model is used to answer the first objective, while the correction for Heckman selection bias has been made when estimating the income equation in the second objective. The results of the first objective show that women who use the internet have a greater chance of becoming entrepreneurs than women who do not use the internet. The impact is higher for women living in urban areas. The finding in this study also emphasizes several important aspects that can encourage the growth of female entrepreneurs, such as training, experience, age, and marital status. Second, this study shows that female entrepreneurs who use the internet tend to have higher incomes. Females that have potential to have higher incomes by using internet are working in trade, food and beverages, and industry sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decade has seen increased contribution of Saudi women in senior management roles and organizational decision- making. There is also a steady progress in the number of Saudi women entrepreneurs. Women Entrepreneurs are the leaders, idea generator and the sole owner of the available resources. Women Leaders and Entrepreneurs have similar job responsibility as they both work as per the available limited resources and manage their tasks in the presence of these constraints. The principal objective of this research is to study the different leadership styles being practiced by Saudi women entrepreneurs or managers, as well as to study the effectiveness of these leadership styles. Primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire which consists of questions designed to collect data about the leadership style being practiced by the Saudi women entrepreneurs or managers. Data was collected from 210 women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. The survey data was analyzed using various analytical softwares. The result shows that authoritarian leadership style is highly practiced by women entrepreneurs followed by democratic leadership style in Hail and Riyadh region. This study can be used to acquire knowledge about the various leadership styles being practiced by women entrepreneurs or managers in Saudi Arabia. It will also be useful to the Saudi women entrepreneurs / managers in identifying the most effective leadership style. This study aims to add to the limited research by offering fresh understanding into the leadership styles embraced by Saudi female entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to determine the significance of female entrepreneurship for economic growth in Southeast Asian countries. A panel data model was applied, with GDP per employed person serving as the dependent variable and seven key factors in female entrepreneurship serving as independent variables. Empirical panel quantile regression using the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MM-QR) approach found that both the female entrepreneurship indicator and the female workplace indicator have a positive impact on economic growth. However, the Gender Inequality Index, Gender Development Index, female pay indicator, female parenthood indicator, and female marriage indicator all have negative effects.