NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 216

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 self-

confidence; 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 217

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

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],

3 Ks - 1. Kitchen 2. Kids 3. Knitting

3 Ps - 1. Powder 2. Pappad 3. Pickles

3 Es - 1.Electronics 2. Energy 3.Engineering

NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 218

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

2. Contribute something to the society

3. Get economic independence

4. To be the boss

5. To gain social prestige

6. Success stories of friends and relatives

7. High profit margin in this business

8. Use government subsidies, incentives and concession

9. Availability of raw material

10. Heavy demand for product/service

11. To materialize idea into a capital

12. To prove herself among family members

13. Liberty to take decisions

14. Generation of employment

15. Self-identity

16. For a bright future

1. Job dissatisfaction

2. Necessity

3. Flexible work environment

4. Had skill set to commence the business

5. Increasing standard of living

6. Continue her family business

7. Encouragement from family members

8. Encouragement from support agencies

9. Aspiration about my children

10. Share family economic burden

11. Death or sickness of bread earner of the family member

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 (1974-

78). They implemented shiftin the approach from women welfare to women development and empowerment.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship by Choice

Entrepreneurship by Necessity

Welfare

Approach

Development

Approach

Multi-disciplinary

approach

NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 219

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 Organizations

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

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

Fig. 4 Challenges faced by women entrepreneurs

TABLE IV

MAJOR CHALLENGE FACED BY WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Personal

Challenges

Social

Challenge

Financial

Challenge

Marketing

Challenges

Technological

Challenges

Personal

Social

Educational

Family

Responsibility

Lack of Mobility

Work

lifebalance

Marketing

Managerial

Travelling

Accounting

Competition

Fear of failure

Technological

Financial

Motherhood

NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 220

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

2. Bio Technology

3. It Enabled Enterprises

4. Event Management

5. Telecommunication

6. Herbal and Health Care

1. Tourism Industry

2. Plastic Materials

3. Mineral Water

4. Sericulture

5. Floriculture

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 221

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.

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.

women

Confidence

Courage

Creativity

Conviction

Clarity

Contribution

Connections

Commitment

Control

NCADOMS-2016 Special Issue 1 Page 222

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.

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