Women Entrepreneurs Kavita Sangolagi 1, Mallikarjun Alagawadi 2

Transcription

1 Women Entrepreneurs Kavita Sangolagi 1, Mallikarjun Alagawadi 2 1 Department of Management,Central University of Karnataka,Kadaganchi, India 2 Mallikarjun Alagawadi, Department of Management,Central University of Karnataka,Kadaganchi, India Abstract-Women Entrepreneurship and Women empowerment are considered as an important tool in eradicating poverty and unemployment.now a day s Women empowerment has become a buzzword. Empowerment of women may not be feasible just by creating employment opportunities for them. The need of the hour is to inspire them to set up their own enterprises. Traditionally, women have been on stage, by playing a crucial role in the management of the family as well as in the society. But their job has not been duly recognized. She is active in family, farm, shop, and factory and even in politics. Women entrepreneurs are gaining momentum all over the world, but at the same time they are facing a number of challenges. These challenges can be faced with making them and their family aware of the opportunities available to them. Hence the support of family members is essential for leveraging their creative talent. The paper focuses on opportunities for growth and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs of today. The paper is based on women Roti makers working in Gulbarga city of Karnataka state in India. Key words: Entrepreneur, Women Entrepreneurs, Challenges, Opportunities, Economic Development I. INTRODUCTION The Government of India has been declared year 2001 as women empowerment year. As there exist a need to strengthen and streamline the role of women in the development of various sectors.so that women dare to take risks and become successful entrepreneurs. Women across India are showing a concern to be economically independent. Women entrepreneurship and economic development go hand in hand. Though the entrepreneurial process is the one and the same for men and women, however in practice, many challenges are faced by women, which are of different dimensions and magnitudes, which prevent them from realizing their full potential as entrepreneurs Nowadays with the growth of MSME, many women have embarked into entrepreneurship and running their enterprises successfully. With the relevant education, work experience, improved economic condition and financial opportunities more women are venturing into business. II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE In India, the major portion of the women s community though equal to men in the population is subject to lots of deprivation in business activity. The largest numbers of women are involved in domestic works as a result their entrepreneurial skills and abilities are not properly utilized for the development of the nation [1],Researcher identifies the reasons and influencing factors behind entry of women in entrepreneurship. He explained the characteristics of their businesses in Indian context and also obstacles & challenges. He mentioned the obstacles in the growth of women entrepreneurship are mainly lack of interaction with successful entrepreneurs, social un-acceptance as women entrepreneurs, family responsibility, gender discrimination, missing network, low priority given by bankers to provide loan to women entrepreneurs. He suggested the remedial measures like promoting micro enterprises, unlocking institutional frame work, projecting & pulling to grow & support the winners etc. The study advocates for ensuring synergy among women related ministry, economic ministry & social & welfare development ministry of the Government of India [2],Commenting on the challenges facing women entrepreneurs, [3] classified women into better-off and low-income women. According to them, better-off women face the following challenges: lack of socialization to entrepreneurship in the home, school and society; exclusion from traditional business networks; lack of access to capital; discriminatory attitude of leaders; gender stereotypes and expectation: such as the attitude that women entrepreneurs are dabblers or hobbyists; socialized ambivalence about competition and profit; lack of selfconfidence; inability to globalize the business: men are leading in the global market. On the other hand, low income women face challenges such as: poor savings, longer hours to work, health care and other assistance, illiteracy, regulation that do not distinguish between personal business assets make it extremely difficult to start NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 216

2 a business or to invest the time it takes to make it profitable, lack of managerial skill, cultural bias both within cultural group and in the larger society, high level of poverty. III. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The main objectives of this study are: 1. To understand the concept and emergence of women entrepreneurship in India 2. To know the development of women entrepreneurship in India 3. To list out the reasons, for women involving themselves in entrepreneurial activities in India. 4. To list out the challenges, faced by the womenentrepreneurs in India. 5. To identify the opportunities, availablefor women entrepreneurs. 6. To study the Roti making women entrepreneurs in Kalburagi City. 7. To give suggestion for changing existing challenges into potential opportunities IV. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY For any study there must be data for analysis purpose. To meet the research objectives the Researcher employed desktop research by reviewing relevant texts, websites, journals, magazines and newspapers. In depth literature review helped the researcher V. ENTREPRENEUR Entrepreneurship has been globally felt as a developmental and progressive idea for business world.[4],entrepreneurship refers to the act of setting up a new business or reviving an existing business so as to take advantages from new opportunities. Entrepreneur is a visionary and an integrated person with outstanding leadership qualities; with a desire to excel. An entrepreneur is a catalytic agent of change and works for the good of people. One who takes initiative, have innovative skills for innovation and who looks for high achievements. VI. WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR Women Entrepreneurship means an act of business ownership, creation and controlling which empowers women economically increases their economic strength as well as position in society. Entrepreneurship is not just confined to any one gender now rather due to multi-faceted economic pressures women have turned up and realized that the survival of their families and their own potential lies only in working side by side with men.[5] A. Emergence of Women Entrepreneurs in India In earlier days, Women got involved with 3 Ks viz Kitchen, Kids, Knitting, then It can be traced out as an extension of their kitchen activities mainly to 3Ps viz Pickles,Powder & Pappad. And now at present with increasing awareness about business and spread of education among women over the period, they have started shifting from 3Ps to engross to 4 modern E s viz Engineering, Electronics, and Energy they have excelled in these activities 3 Ks - 1. Kitchen 2. Kids 3. Knitting 3 Ps - 1. Powder 2. Pappad 3. Pickles 3 Es - 1.Electronics 2. Energy 3.Engineering Fig. 1 Emergence of women into business B. Types of Entrepreneurs Motivational factors influencing woman to join the leading group of entrepreneurs are of two types. One is entrepreneurship by choice, and the other is entrepreneurship by necessity. [6], NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 217

3 Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship by Choice Entrepreneurship by Necessity Fig.2. Types of Entrepreneurs TABLE I REASONS FOR WOMEN TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR Women become entrepreneurs by choice Due to the following reason Women become entrepreneurs by necessity due to the following reasons 1. Start own business 1. Job dissatisfaction 2. Contribute something to the society 2. Necessity 3. Get economic independence 3. Flexible work environment 4. To be the boss 4. Had skill set to commence the business 5. To gain social prestige 5. Increasing standard of living 6. Success stories of friends and relatives 6. Continue her family business 7. High profit margin in this business 7. Encouragement from family members 8. Use government subsidies, incentives and concession 8. Encouragement from support agencies 9. Availability of raw material 9. Aspiration about my children 10. Heavy demand for product/service 11. To materialize idea into a capital 10. Share family economic burden 11. Death or sickness of bread earner of the family member 12. To prove herself among family members 13. Liberty to take decisions 14. Generation of employment 15. Self-identity 16. For a bright future Women by nature preferably choose to work in service sector like education, social services and household services such as domestic work. But at the same time the startup motivations vary from industry to industry.[7], women in low income countries have strong incentives to create their own work environments that are compatible with their child rearing and household responsibilities at the same time.[8], Women entrepreneur of 21st century is potentially motivated for change in order to improve the living conditions of her family, provide a sharing hand to her husband in income generation, provide quality education to her children, contribute positively by creating job opportunities, empowering other women and bringing out the society out of economic disparity and unemployment.[9], VII. DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN INDIA Women work participation is low in India in comparison to selected counties of the world. Women work participation in India is 31.6 % whereas in USA it is 45 %, UK 43 %, Canada 42 %, France 32 %, Indonesia 40 %, Sri Lanka and Brazil both 35 %.In India, men generally take the lead in the entrepreneurial world. With the changing cultural norms more and more women are accepting entrepreneurship as their career.[10], The development of women entrepreneurship should become an important aspect. Several policies and programs are being implemented for the development of women entrepreneurship in India, though women have played a fundamental role in the society, their entrepreneurial ability has not been properly tapped due to the lower status of women in the society. Women role has been explicitly recognized only from the Fifth Five Year Plan ( ). They implemented shiftin the approach from women welfare to women development and empowerment. Welfare Approach Multi-disciplinary approach Development Approach NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 218

4 Fig. 3Shift in the approach for women development TABLE II SOME OF THE ASSOCIATIONS OR INSTITUTIONS WHICH WORK FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN INDIA Banks MAHILA UDYAM NIDHI, MAHILA VIKASH NIDHI, Micro Credit Scheme by SIDBI ( Small Industries Development Bank of India), Dena Shakti scheme of Dena Bank, Udyogini Scheme of Punjab and Sind Bank are some of the important schemes introduced by various Banks Organizations SIDO (Small Industries Development Organization), CWEI (consortium of women entrepreneurs of India), WIT (Women India Trust), SEWA (Self Employed Women Association), FIWE (Federation of India Women Entrepreneurs), Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB), National alliance of young entrepreneurs (NAYE) are some of the organizations which are engaged in providing technical, financial and marketing assistance to women entrepreneurs. TABLE III SOME OF THE SCHEMES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR IN INDIA Ministry of MSME Ministry of Women and Child Development Kerala Government s Delhi Government s Orissa Government s MSME 1. Trade related entrepreneurship assistance and development (TREAD) scheme for women 2.Mahila Coir Yojana 1.Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women (STEP) 2. Swayam Siddha 1.Women Industries Programme 1.Stree Shakti Project 1.MahilaVikashSamabaya Nigam (MVSN) to give training, loans to WSHG and to market their products 2. Misson Shakti scheme by to support bank,ngos,and WSHGs Who work for women entrepreneurs. Promotional package for micro & small enterprises women entrepreneurs to encourage Small & Micro manufacturing units owned by women in their efforts to enter overseas markets VIII. CHALLENGES FACED BY WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR Women entrepreneur's performance is not as much progressive as desired due to various challenges faced by them. Such as being women it is the biggest challenge faced by women entrepreneur Personal Social Financial Fear of failure Managerial Educational Motherhood Marketing Travelling Family Responsibility Lack of Mobility Work lifebalance Technological Competition Accounting Personal Challenges Fig. 4 Challenges faced by women entrepreneurs TABLE IV MAJOR CHALLENGE FACED BY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS Social Financial Marketing Challenge Challenge Challenges Technological Challenges NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 219

5 1.Lack of confidence 2.Lack of Education 3.Lack of communication skills 4.Male dominated Society 4.Family ties 5.Overcoming family Resistance 6.Motherhood, 7.Provision of Amenities 8.Inadequate training 9.Work-family interface 10.Safety 11.Developing Business networks 12.Knowledge in business Administration 1.Change in Attitude 2.Self-Recognition 3.Male dominated society 4.Tradition 5. Customs 6.Socio cultural values 7.Ethics 8.Gender based violence 9.Lack of societal support 1.Lack of working capital 2.Awareness about the financial assistance 3.Not being taken Seriously by bankers 4.Income derived is inadequate 5.Lack of tangible security to access funds 1.Market-Oriented Risks 2.Stiff Competition 3.Exploitation by middle men 4.Growth of Mall Culture 5.Uneven demand for the product/service 6.Harassment from co-sellers 7.Market coverage 1.Lack of Technical knowle 2.Lack of Knowledge of latest operational related Technology 3. Lack of Knowledge of latest informational related Technology IX. OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP Women Entrepreneurship is definitely a solution to manage the economic disparity and rising impact of technological and informational forces. To overcome this impediment women entrepreneurs have the power of diverting the forces towards development and progression by putting in theirown potentials and skills to improve economic conditions of any country. [11], The additional business opportunities that are recently approaching for women entrepreneurs are TABLE V DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS Educated women entrepreneurs (Literates) Un-Educated women entrepreneurs (Illiterates) 1. Eco Friendly Technology 1. Tourism Industry 2. Bio Technology 2. Plastic Materials 3. It Enabled Enterprises 3. Mineral Water 4. Event Management 4. Sericulture 5. Telecommunication 5. Floriculture 6. Herbal and Health Care 6. varmiculture 7. Food, Fruits and vegetable Processing 8. Cold-storage factories 9. Soap factories 10. Poultry farming 11. Textile industries 12. Silk enterprise 13. Leather factories 14. Packaging and packing 15. Pulses mills 16. Rice mills 17. Cattle rearing etc. X. ROTI MAKING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN KALBURAGI CITY. Kalaburagi city is located in a region which is economically and socially backward. The traditional social structure and value system is less favorable to progress and change and is one of the major obstacles to growth. Education has an important role to play here not only in promoting human development but also in bringing about desired social change in values, attitudes and institutions of the society.[12],traditional stereotyping of sex roles relegates women tobeing home oriented.[13],women are generally low risk-takers due to their primary responsibility of respondents.[14], Over the past ten yearsin an environment of high unemployment, Illiterate women s in Gulbarga city are struggling to improve theirstandard of living. So, more and more women have entered into roti making business as they don t possess any special skill other than roti making. These women entrepreneurs success is dependent on a combination of social and culturalfactors, as well as individual entrepreneurial competences. Based on this general conceptual frameworkresearcher tried to study prerequisite forroti making women entrepreneurship inkalburagi cityis the study that can support both potential and existing women entrepreneursagainst the prevailing factors like illiteracy rate and lack of awareness of opportunities for women. NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 220

6 Fig. 5 Women entrepreneurs involved in Roti making business In this urbanization era.womenwho is illiterate, don t have any special skills to do some big business. They are very much bothered and worried about their family survival. They are having aspiration about their childrens.they need economic independence. So they wanted to do something or the other whatever the little house hold chores they know they are trying to utilize that and making themselves to involve in entrepreneurial activity. With this backdrop illiterate women trying to capture the local,national and even international market through their roti making business in Kalburagi. Hence trying to contribute for the development of their family in particular and country in general.it is essential to develop and promote programs that target women, who show potential for entrepreneurial pursuits. Over all, weather the women is literate or illiterate if she want to be a successful in her business she has to adopt these 9 C s or traits in her all entrepreneurial activities then only she can convert all the challenge into an opportunity and create a space for herself in entrepreneurial arena. Control Confidence Courage Commitment Connections women Contribution Clarity Creativity Conviction Fig. 5 Traits of women entrepreneurs XI SUGGESTION FOR CHANGING CHALLENGES INTO POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES 1. Women should understand and implement the new way to balance work and life 2. Women entrepreneurs should spend some time to study and observe the nature of challengeswomen face in business 3. Women should make adequate preparation to face the challenges before starting the business. NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 221

7 4. Women should attend training programs, seminars,workshop and conferences. This may help to reducethe challenges they face in business. 5. Women should start their business from micro or small leveland allow it to grow gradually 6. Women should take assistance of other women entrepreneur who are already successful in business 7. Take the help or guidance of Capital and fund raising platforms 8. Women should develop or keep contact with the Entrepreneur Business Networks 9. Women should keep someone as a Role Model to start her own business venture 10. Keep in touch with the Small Medium Size Enterprise Development Platforms X CONCLUSION In India the business scenario is changing day by day due to the development of technology, modernization, industrialization, urbanization, spread of education and development programs initiated by the government. In such conditions, employment opportunity increased drastically for women. In India the past image of restricted and home bound women is slowly going under change. The Indian women even after facing many Challenges she is now trying to become economically independent. Government has come forward with many facilities, concessions and incentives exclusively for women entrepreneur. General measures can be adopted to encourage and develop women entrepreneurship. As even illiterate Women have the potential and the determination to set up, uphold and supervise her own enterprises in a very systematic manner.the right kind of assistance from family, society and Government can make these Roti making women entrepreneurs a part of the mainstream of national economy and they can contribute to the economic progress of the country. REFERENCES [1] Sahoo, C.K., & Das, S. (2012).Women entrepreneurship and connective leadership: Achieving success. European Journal of Business andmanagement, Vol. 4(3), pp.-115 [2] Singh G, Belwal R (2008). Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Ethiopia.Gender Manage. 23(2): [3]Gould, S., Parzen, J., Enterprising Women. Paris: Organization (Ed.), [4]Scott, c. E. (1986). why women are becoming entrepreneurs, journal of small business management 24 (4), [5] Marlow, s. (2002). women and self-employment; a part of or a part from theoretical construct? International entrepreneurship and management journal, 3 (2), [6]Schumpeter, j.a (1934). entrepreneurship as innovation. In r. Swedberg (ed.) Entrepreneurship: the social science view. Oxford, england: oxford university press. [7] Birley, s. (1989). female entrepreneurs: are they really any different? Journal of small business management 27 (1), p [8] Global entrepreneurship monitor (gem), 2004, report on women entrepreneurship, [9]Starcher, d.c. (1996). women entrepreneurs: catalysts for transformation. Available at: [10] PriyadarsiniPadhi1and Anshuman Padhy2, women entrepreneurship in india: present status, problems and prospect,international Journal of Scientific Research and Management Studies,Volume 1 Issue 3, pg: [11]Powell g. N and eddleston, k.a the paradox of contented female business owner. Journal of vocational behavior, 73, [12]Kalburgi district human development report2014 [13]Parasuraman, S. (2001) 'Type of employment, work-family conflict and well-being: a comparative study', Journal of Organizational Behaviour 22(5) [14]Goffee, R. and R. Scase (1985) Women in Change: The Experiences of Female Entrepreneurs, London: Allen &Unwin NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 222