A comparative study between white and black women entrepreneurs in selected areas in South Africa
Year: 2011
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Worldwide, entrepreneurship is seen as one of the most important solutions to unemployment, poverty and low economic growth.The creation of new ventures and the growth of existing businesses are vital contributing factors to any economy.Women outnumber male entrepreneurs, which have led to a renewed focus on gender entrepreneurship and the development of appropriate interventions for gender-specific groups across the globe.In South Africa, women make up just less than 50% of the entrepreneurial population.There is therefore, considerable scope to improve the number of women entrepreneurs in the economy and the level at which they operate.Literature review in this study highlighted that female business ownership is concentrated primarily in the service industries where businesses are relatively smaller in terms of employment and revenue, as opposed to the technology, construction and manufacturing sectors.Women entrepreneurs want to expand their businesses as much as male entrepreneurs but women have a hard time in obtaining external financing and credibility as business owners.The objective of the study was to explore white and black women entrepreneurs in the Carletonville and Soweto areas and to provide practical recommendations to ensure successful women entrepreneurship in the country.This study had a total of 58 black and white women entrepreneurs that were motivated by factors like the need for independence, confidence in the product/service offered, self-fulfillment and the need for a challenge into owning a business.A typical woman entrepreneur in this study is between the ages 40 to 59 years, is married with an average of one to two children.The woman entrepreneur is fairly educated with an education level of matric and a diploma.But her business is micro or very small with an annual turnover of R50 000 to R500 000.Participating women entrepreneurs are faced with obstacles such as inequality of access to credit, awareness and access to business support, risk averse, lack of This study offered recommendations such as exposing women in entrepreneurship at a tender age, increasing access to finance and the establishment and enhancement of women entrepreneurs' organisations like SAWEN, BWASA, and SAWIMA amongst iii others.The women entrepreneurs' organisations should embark on campaigns and intensify their marketing strategies amongst others.
Author: Carol Mantwa Rasego
Language: English
Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W13055000