WOMEN AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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I find this article interesting and feel like sharing. Lets have your thoughts about women and entrepreneurial activities;

In the article “WOMEN IN ACTION; CHALLENGES FACING ENTREPRENEURS IN GAUTENG PROVINCE IN SOUTH AFRICA” Chinomona and Maziriri, 2015, investigates the challenges women entrepreneurs face in their petty business and how they contribute to economic growth.

“In today’s post-modern era, the role of women entrepreneurs in economic development is inevitable and women are willing to take action in business and contribute to the nation’s growth. Women are stepping up to own and run businesses in numbers that would have been hard to imagine a mere few decades ago. However, women entrepreneurs face a wide variety of challenges both in starting and in growing their business ventures.” (Chinomona, E and Maziriri, E, 2015 p1).

            According to projections of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), women entrepreneurs makes up the majority of the populace in the formal economy globally (Nxopo, 2014). Van der Merwe, (2008) posits that, South Africa is one of the countries that has high recognition for entrepreneurship since it plays a pivotal role in the creation of jobs for citizens and is seen as a promising driver of the growth of the economy. The authors maintained that, ‘entrepreneurship has been a male dominated phenomenon’ since time memorial, but the clock has turned now and women are seen taking over the entrepreneurial positions globally.

            Das, (2001) contented that, women are making efforts to get rid of the ‘glass ceiling’ that hinders their ability to reach higher managerial levels in institutions by switching their focus to the entrepreneurial sector and to avoid subordination at organisations. Interestingly, in South Africa economic growth is highly dependent on entrepreneurship as it creates more jobs for citizens compared to other countries and women are now filled with greater satisfaction, flexibility and are now physically and mentally active (Empowered) Akhalwaya and Havenga, (2012). Singh, 2012 added that, women in entrepreneurial positions have better skills than men and can perform more than men in terms of business management, improvement and sustainability.

            Guateng is more like South Africa’s ‘Central Business District ‘known as a place of gold, small but busiest and productive for business. The Guateng Province is also known to hosts, more than any other country on the continent, a large number of overseas companies requiring a commercial base in, and gateway to, Africa (Kalombo, 2005). Despite being the smallest province, Gauteng is the powerhouse of the South African economy contributing a third of the country’s GDP. Women especially benefited from the Guateng province as it gave them the opportunity to enter into the field of entrepreneurship. However, over the years South Africa started showing a gradual decline in the entrepreneurial activities which affected women especially (Agbenyegah 2013).

            It is imperative to understand the constraints facing women entrepreneurs in developing countries and specifically within the Gauteng province of South Africa. Parliament of the Republic of South Africa (1994) has indicated that poverty, inequality and unemployment have been identified as the three most serious constraints to economic development in South Africa and these three constraints are affecting females more than men. “The colonial system and the regime rendered women entrepreneurs irrelevant” (Chinomona, E and Maziriri, E, 2015 p6).  Challenges women face in the entrepreneurs include; limited or no access to finance; Gender Bias or Gender Discrimination of Women Entrepreneurs; Lack of Education and Training. These challenges hinders women contribution towards economic development and still makes women marginalized in societies despite their efforts to be recognized as part of the economy.

                                  

REFERENCES;

Agbenyegah, A.T. (2013). Challenges facing rural entrepreneurship in selected areas in South       Africa. PhD thesis Business Administration. North West University.

Akhalwaya, A., & Havenga, W. (2012). The Barriers that hinder the success of Women     Entrepreneurs in Gauteng; South Africa. International Journal of Sustainable             Development; 3(5) 11-22

Chinomona, E., & Maziriri, E. T. (2015). Women in action: Challenges facing women        entrepreneurs in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The International Business &     Economics       Research Journal (Online), 14(6), 835.

 Das, M. (2001). Women Entrepreneurs from India: Problems, Motivations and Success Factors.   Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. 15(4) 67-81

Kalombo, G. (2005). Understanding Political Corruption in Post-Apartheid South Africa: The      Gauteng Experience (1994-2004). PhD thesis. University of the Witwatersrand.

 Nxopo, Z. (2014). The Role of Government in Empowering Female Entrepreneurs in the Western             Cape,   South Africa. Master of Technology: Business Administration (Entrepreneurship).             Cape Peninsula University of technology. Cape Town.

Singh, R. (2012). Women entrepreneurship issues, challenges and empowerment through self-help             groups: an overview of Himachal Pradesh. International Journal of Democratic and           Development             Studies, 1(1) 45-58.