Status of Indian Women Entrepreneurship in Context to Liberalization,

Privatization and Globalization

l
2
Mrs Mahadevi Banad , Mr. M.N.Talawar

i
Selection Gr Lecturer, Dept. of Electrical & Electronics Engg., B.v.V.S.Polytechnic(Autonomous),
Bagalkot,Karnataka,State,India
2

(E-Mail:banad msb06@rediffmail.com, Contact: 09480079522, Fax: 08354-225923)

_

Selection Gr Lecturer, Dept. of Electrical & Electronics Engg., B.v.V.S.Polytechnic(Autonomous),

Bagalkot,Karnataka, State,India
(E-Mail: talawarmn@rediffmail .com, Contact: 09448236702, Fax: 08354-225923)

Abstract

This is entrepreneurs era, as government

Jawahar Lal Nehru has remarked "when a women moves

sectors are turning in to private sectors, it is the right time to

forward, the family moves, the village moves and the

enter into market as entrepreneurs. Currently, India has the

nation moves[2]."

best global talent, which is now required technical and

knowledge skills to take on the entrepreneurial challenges 111.
Today, India is witnessing the emergence of a large number
of entrepreneurs, but there is definitely potential for many
more. The contribution of Indian women to the economy is

Women entrepreneurship as defmed by Government

of India, the women entrepreneur is an entrepreneur, who
runs an enterprise owned and controlled by her and having
minimum financial interest up to 5 1 percent of capital and

no longer in doubt, but their contribution to the National

giving at least 5 1 percent of the employment to women."

Economy is under reported. In recent years, women have

There is a rapid growth of women entrepreneurs all over

been taking interest in income generating activities, self

the world in these days .In India, in the year I 98 I, only

employment and entrepreneurship.

To encourage the entrepreneurships with climate in
India we require more support from the government and
society. Today huge number of young people is hungry to
learn more about entrepreneurship-the key is to combine
that passion with the knowledge that skills that will help
them be more successful.

5.2 percent of women to total were self employed, but as

per Census 2001, this figure has risen to 1 1.2 percent and
in this decade it reached almost 30%. During the last three
decades,

Indian

women

have

entered

the

field

of

entrepreneurship in greatly increasing numbers. With the

emergence and growth of their businesses, they have
contributed

to

increasing their needs and demands of family members also

surrounding

communities.

enhanced depending on world scenario. Everybody wants to

followed to take leadership roles in business are varied.

Cost of living for an average middle class family is

lead comfortable life. To balance the socio-economic status to

cope with day today demands of the family more number of
women is pushing in to the market as entrepreneurs. More
and

more

innovative

enterprises

are

open

to

fresh

entrepreneurs. Our aim is to study impacts of education on

women

entrepreneur

and

how

polytechnics

(technical

institutions) and job oriented courses curriculum can aid

their strengths .This paper is the result of survey of women
entrepreneurs

from

surrounding

area

of

Bagalkot

the

global

economy
The

routes

and

to

their

women

have

Yet, most women business owners have overcome or

worked to avoid obstacles and challenges in creating their
businesses. The presence of women in the workplace
driving small and entrepreneurial organizations creates a
tremendous

impact

on

employment

and

business

environments.
Indian women business owners are changing the face
of businesses of today, both literally and figuratively. The

(Karnataka, India) .we have prepared questionnaire and

dynamic

analysed the results got from the women entrepreneurs .This

businesses is one of the defining trends of the past decade,

paper

enlights

on

women

entrepreneurship

status,

development, challenges, opportunities etc.

Keywords - Indian Women, Business, Self Help Groups,

and

expansion

of

women-owned

and all indications are that it will continue unabated. For

more

Papad, Roti

growth

than

decade,

the

number

of

women-owned

businesses has grown at one-and-a-half to two times the

rate of all businesses. Even more important, the expansion
in revenues and employment has far exceeded the growth
in numbers.
The result of these trends is that women-owned

I. INTRODUCTION
Entrepreneurship

is

an

innovative

businesses span the entire range of business life cycle and

and

dynamic

process, whereby, a new enterprise is created. It is an

important segment of economic growth. Entrepreneur is a
catalytic agent of change, which generates employment
opportunities

for

others.

Entrepreneurship

amongst

women is a recent phenomenon. When an enterprise is

established and controlled by women, it not only boosts
economic growth, but also has many desirable outcomes.
978-1-4244-3672-9/09/$25.00 2009 IEEE

594

business success, whether the measuring sticks is revenue,

employment or longevity. This strengthens the view that
all governmental programs and policies should target at
strengthening women's entrepreneurship in their native
lands. Most of the obstacles have been removed but still
few remain if we can introduce gross root level business
oriented curses for women ,we can prepares women
entrepreneur more efficiently as our study says[3] .

II. LITE RATURE REVIEW

characteristics

The studies conducted by Kale ( 1990); Kirve and

Kanitkar ( 1993), revealed that training approach is an

IV. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

important one for helping women in non-traditional high

skill,

male

dominated

activities

and

also

to

build

confidence among women to meet the specific needs.

The study is limited to the north part of Karnataka

state.

Intensified effort has to be taken to asses the social

attitude, mentality, needs and abilities of the women and
to impart

training.

Flexible

training

programme

and

V. SAMPLES

interest based skill training can push the women towards

entrepreneurial
managerial

activities.

skills

is

Training

useful

and

to

develop

essential

to

good

The samples considered for the study are self help

women

groups, working in papad, roti, oil industry etc in Bagalkot

(Padmavati, 2002 and Sathyasundaram, 2004).

city and around the villages.

I I I. OBJECT IVES OF THE STUDY

V I. P ILOT STUDY

The stusy has been conducted with the following

objectives:

The pilot test is administered to in Bagalkot city small

scale industries

1.

To portray a profile of women entrepreneurs

2.

To

study

the

impacts

of

education

on

entrepreneurships

V I I.DEVELO PMENT OF QUEST IONNA IRE

3.

To study the reasons for being in business i.e

4.

To study the attitude of family and society

towards women entrepreneurs, and

questionnaire are considered for the study and are shown

5.

To explore gender difference in entrepreneurial

in Table-l ,2.

motional factors

The author developed questionnaire as a tool to study

the status of women entrepreneur. Few questions of the

TABLE I
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR

stn.o
1
2
:3

Pal"ticulars
At what as: you stm1I:d your fi.rm(bUsinellS) ?
illt what are the mctOCl!l influenced you for
becoming an women entrepreneur
What is your edncational background? (p1ease tick)
Primary education
Secondary education
Thgree

4
5

7
8

Postgraduate (MBA, ... )

FormationJtmiJ-rinll" OOUI'lIeJl (plell!le "'l'",,,.;it])
Do you have a child I children?
If Yes Dlllllher of children' s:

0
0
0
0
0

o Yes
No
0
illt hOlW you accesi the I.atcBt technologies
No
D 0 you get I:im;: to t:akc the care
o Yes
0
of your fimIily 1
Is it you tim enterprise ?
DYes ONo
Ifno for Q.no 6. what happened to the company(s) you have owne d previonllly1
Went out of bwineSl!i
D
0
Are still l!iUCCessful
0
Have been lIold
0
aber (p1ease lIpecify):
When you started your business. what were the main obsmc1eslprob1emli yon faced?
(you can tick more than one answer)
No obstacles
A queJitiOll of Belf confidence
Start up finance

D
D
D

595

10
11
12

lack of infOI'lDlltion 1 advice on how to start an enterprise

Finding the right oontacts for y our bWlmess venture
AWareneBiIAccess to business 8Up]XII1
Management lIkills
Entrepreneurial skilI.s
lack of intcrcultmal skills for language
Combining family and work lire
Being a w01IUlIlfGend:r discrimination
(p1ease specify if you tick this)
Other (p1ease lIpecify):
How lDIIDy b.ours per week do you dedicate to your bu5inetis?
Mention the preparation time to lItart the businessJfirm
Pmb1eHlli you faced particnIarly as women

D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D

TABLE-2: QuesdOJUJab'e fOJ' I:ndustry lCompany

S1no
1

Pari1culars
What is the size of your company'?
Micro (1- 9 employees)
D
Small (10 49 employees)
D
D
Medium (249 employees)
D
Urge (250+ employees)
Have you regularly organising training progmmme s to upgrade
market and product know 1edge
your huBiness is to m:et the loc:aJ. d:1llIiIUds or survival.
list how you tackle the financial positions
Whether yo ur products are sai1ed in India or abroad
What type of products you are producing in your fIrm
multiple product
o Single product 0
Which of the following best describes your company situation '1
I have created my present company mYBelf
h is a family b1lfiincu I have "iDh:ritcd".
h is a bwiIl:ss I have bought up
Did you benefit from external support to Bet up your business?
Vm.ancial support
-

2
3

4
5

0
0
0

Legal

10

Thcbnological 8Up]XII1
Networking (suppl.iern, promotion, ... )
Other (p1ease specify):
What are the main obstaclesJprob1eHlli you are facing now in the
IUlIDi.ng of your bWlineBll1 (you can tick more than one answer)
No obstacles
Combining fmnjly and work life
Liquidity and other financial problems
No time for training 1 upgrading skills
Gamin!! the aca:ptanc:eirespect of people
Being a womanfGender discrimiml.tion (Please lIpecify if you tick thi!;)
Low hudFt for marketing activities
Other (p1ease specify):

0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0

D
D
D

Do you actively participate in d:cision - making bodies of other

ocganisationsl entities?
DYes 0 No
If yes, wmoh ODflll1 (p1ease describe briefly):
Survey results are regarded from a qualitative point of
VIII. DISCUSSION

A.

Discussion{or women entrepreneur

596

view statistical aspects being less taken into account. We

have

collected

samples

from

surrounding

enterpreneurs,most of them are microlevel and medium

sized firm owners During the study For Q.NO. I author

producing multiple products (papad, jeely jams, powder,

finds that about 70 % of women started their business

pickles etc). For Q.NO 7, due to globalization, brought up

before the age of 35 after marriage, otherwise parents are

business are developed 40-50%, inherited business is

worried about their daughters marriage and for Q.NO 2 it

about 10%, and fresh business is 40%. For Q.NO 8, it is

is

observed

analyzed

that

60%

of

the

women

are

forced

to

that,

most

of

the

women

firms

belong

to

becoming entrepreneur for survival of their family, 30%

microlevel, they will get fmancial support from the banks

women

societies and NGO's with special subsidy. For Q.NO 9,

have

to

become

entrepreneurs

for

self-achievement and 5% women for maintaining social

due

status, and remaining 5% women have threat of loosing

problems, maintenance cost, marketing problems due to

their jobs and other reasons. For Q.NO 3 , it is analyzed

increased maintenance costs and manufacturing costs,

to

globalization

women

firms

are

facing

labor

that 50 % of the women entrepreneur are secondary

competitive market of selling prices. Q.NO 10 , as our

education and it is also observed that tertiary educated

respondents

women are engaged in challenging

skill oriented jobs.

Regarding the Q.NO 4 , the majority of women are having

are

microlevel

firms

entrepreneurs,

here

decision making bodies are owner of the firm itself, hardly

have they taken part in other organization [6].

maximum two children less.

Children mean lesser family responsibility [4]. During
the study for Q.NO 5 author finds that micro and small

IX. SUMMARY

scale entrepreneur get information through government

agencies such as directorate of small scale industries and
NGO's.

Similarly,

medium

and

large

scale

With relevant education, work experience, improving

women

economic conditions and financial opportunities, more and

entrepreneur access through networking. For Q.NO 6 ,

more women around the world are creating and sustaining

Indian women entrepreneurs have dual personalities, have

successful business ventures. This will not only have an

to look after Childs and also business, they have to

impact on the economies of the countries in which women

balance

own their businesses but also will change the status of

family

and

firm

responsibility

equally.

For

analyzing Q.NO 7 and 8, it is observed that 80% of the

women in those societies .These are the day's come true

women entrepreneur

are in their first enterprise and

drempt by Indian first prime minister Chacha Neharu ,

remaining 20% entrepreneur are not responded about their

that if women moves for world definitely nation moves

first enterprise.

forward .Training in entrepreneurial attitudes should start

For Q.NO 9 , 50% of entrepreneur faced financial

at the high school level through well-designed courses

problems and 32% faced family life, and 28% faced lack

which build confidence [7]. This course would illustrate

of business information. Present study, and would need to

practical application of the academic knowledge being

be looked at in a separate analysis. During the study for

imparted regarding management (financial, legal, etc.) of

Q.NO 10 author find average women entrepreneurs spend

an enterprise. This curriculum should

their 42-45 hours per week at work. For Q.NO 11 our

project work designed to give hands on experience of

survey found that they need 6 months to

include

simple

1 year for

assessing the marketability of a commodity or a service..

establishing their business. for Q.NO 12 entrepreneurs

Skill development is being done in women's polytechnics

responded that , very few times it becomes advantages and

(technical course) and industrial training institutes. Under

most of the time they suffer from harassment and lot of

various

tension[5] .

programme to upgrade polytechnics, separate institutes

B.

schemes

like

the

World

Bank

sponsored

have been set up for women. From the inception these

Discussionfor Industry /Company

should have

100 percent quality hostel facilities with

adequate security arrangements, as this is a major cause

According to the response received, the large majority

for poor occupancy and parental disinclination to send

(70%) of women entrepreneurs has micro enterprises, with

their daughters to such institutes. The course design

1 to 9 employees. 28% have small companies ( 1049

should keep in mind the special needs of women, such as

employees),

(50-249

their preference to work from their homes, which would

employees) and there are no large companies (over 250

enable them to also fulfill their household responsibilities

employees). For Q.NO 2 quantitively analysed that most

[8].

of the

2.0%

medium

sized

companies

firms are organizing training programmes for

From the overall survey we conclude that most of the

upgrading their knowledge about their products.for few

women

organisations government schemes are there for upgrading

investment, more steady business. Such business has

knowledge .for Q.NO. 3 , 100% of the micro firms are

neither collapsing risk nor huge return [9].

running for survival and self achievement. very

entrepreneur

society's and bankers and they will get subsidy from the
government agencies. For Q.NO 5 , most of the firms are
micro level they sell their products at local. For Q.NO 6, it
analyzed

that

microlevel

firms

less

risky,

average

X.ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

they responded that will get financial assistance from

quantitatively

choosing

few

medium sized firms for social status. Regarding Q.NO 4 ,

is

is

are

express

GB.Danashetti,

my

sincere

Veeranna

gratitude

to

our

Charantimath

principal
chairman

B.v.V.Sangh, Bagalkot, M.N.Talawar sl .gr lecture in E &

597

E DEPT and GM.Antin for providing the encouragement

in preparation of this paper.

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[2]

[3]
[4
[5]
[6]

[7]

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