Impediments Faced By Women Entrepreneurs In a Culturally Male Dominated Society

Abstract

Importance of women entrepreneurs and their contribution to national economies is a well-known phenomenon. However, there is limited research about impediments to female entrepreneurial initiatives in male dominated societies. This necessitated a study to investigate the problems faced by women entrepreneurs in a highly conservative male dominated society. Utilising an interpretive qualitative research approach, data was collected from 12 female participants using in-depth interviews from highly conservative male dominated society of Peshawar region of Pakistan. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Number of interesting themes affecting female entrepreneurship emerges; such as family constraints, acceptance of women as entrepreneurs by society, lack of finances and business management skills, lack of government support and lack of competent human resource. The findings highlight the struggle by female entrepreneurs to establish and sustain their businesses and explain how this occurs. The research also provides an interesting insight into how context determines entrepreneurship in a region.

Keywords: Women, entrepreneurship, challenges, constraints, Pakistan