women entrpreneurship
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP Women have entered entrepreneurship with significant force; between 1987 and 1999 women owned businesses in the US have more than doubled (Kuratko, D. ... The increased emergence and growth of women owned businesses has benefited both the global and surrounding communities financially through employment and socially through charitable services. Women owned businesses tend to be sole proprietorships and smaller than the average firm (Gundry, L. ... The growth of women owned businesses could be attributed to the “glass ceiling” phenomenon, which prevents women from rising above a certain organisational level (Gundry, L. ... The way that women generally run or set up their business is different to the way males do, can contribute to the higher failure rate of women owned businesses. However, women possess characteristics that are unique and differ them from their male counterparts that can prove to be very important to the success of their business. The growth, failure and success of women owned businesses are all due to numerous factors relating to female characteristics, general running of the business and industry and financial environments. THE GROWTH OF WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES The increase in the number of women entrepreneurs are attributed to the “glass ceiling” effect and “push” and “pull” elements (Gundry, L. ... Other reasons that are contributing to the growth of women entrepreneurs are increased financial assistance and training and technical assistance opportunities. Women enter into entrepreneurship with similar reasons to men, they have greater independence and they are their own bosses with the desire of a challenge (Gundry, L.