INTRODUCTION
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INTRODUCTION
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
It Is Estimated that women entrepreneurs presently comprise about
10% of the total number of entrepreneurs in India, with the percentage
growing every year. If the prevailing trends continue, it is likely that in
another five years, women will comprise 20% of the entrepreneurial
force. With corporates eager to associate and work with women-owned
businesses, and a host of banks and non-governmental organisations
keen to help them get going, there has rarely been a better time for
women with zeal and creativity to start their own business.
Endowed with the famous female intuition that helps them make the
right choices even in situations where experience and logic fail, women
have innate flair for entrepreneurship. Although men and women may
be motivated by different goals and expectations (In her book, When
Money Isn't Enough, Connie Glaser reports that male entrepreneurs are
motivated by the potential to earn lots of money, while women start
their own companies because they seek greater control over their
personal and professional lives.) women entrepreneurs are just as
competent, if not better, than their male counterparts.
Women are more likely than men to admit when they do not know
something and ask for help. They are natural networkers and
relationship builders, forging powerful bonds and nurturing
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relationships with clients and employees alike. They are also more
inclined to seek out mentors and develop supportive teams. In
business this translates into establishing rapport with clients and
providing great customer service. This perhaps is the reason why many
women tend to launch businesses that are client based or service-
oriented.
Sometimes, however, a lack of training and prior experience can
render women entrepreneurs susceptible to a number of pitfalls. The
following guidelines are aimed at helping women entrepreneurs cross
some of the typical pitfalls that may crop up on their path to success:
Don't undervalue your abilities. Women typically tend to give away too
much and charge too little. This is a common phenomenon in service-
based industries where they may charge by the hour instead of
charging a fee on the merit of knowledge or service rendered.
Adopting value-based charges and charging per project (not on weekly
or monthly basis), will help women entrepreneurs gain the actual worth
of the services rendered.
Learn to juggle family with business. Unlike men, it is difficult for
women to completely ignore family obligations when pursuing
business, and they can quickly lose sight of their desire to have a
balanced life in the face of a demanding new business. It is important
to sustain a personal life and balance family obligations with
professional ones, if they are to be successful and happy.
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Women also need to be twice as persistent and assertive to make their
presence felt in a predominantly male business world. Network, but in
a way you feel comfortable with. Establish limits and do make sure that
you are well within your comfort zone when networking with others.
Do not forget you are running a business. Piling on work/life benefits
will not do anyone any good if doing so cuts too deeply into the
company's bottom line. You have to learn to be attentive to people's
needs and still run a profitable business. Women typically fight shy of
self-endorsement. Do not be afraid to promote yourself.
Remember, if you want a thriving business you must market yourself
and take credit for your achievements. If your marketing is shoddy no
one will know what you have to offer Though sidelined as the `weaker
sex' for long, with encouragement, support and a conducive
environment, woman entrepreneurs are fast becoming a force to
reckon with in the business world.
ECONOMIC REFORM TODAY NUMBER TWO 1997 15 16 NUMBER TWO
1997 ECONOMIC REFORM TODAY
There was a reason for the separation. We felt that since we were a
part of a larger organization, we were unable to work independently on
certain issues which are very important to women. After so many years
in existence, FIWE did not even have its own offices or permanent
staff. But we still work together with FISME. Now that FIWE is a
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separate organization, its principal goal is to foster the economic
empowerment of women by helping
them to become successful entrepreneurs. Another objective is to
bring women business persons together to voice their needs and
demands in such a way that government enacts policies beneficial to
their interests. ERT: What types of members does FIWE have now?
MRS. AGGARWAL: Our membership is varied. FIWE as a whole has
approximately 10,000 members coming from the 17 local associations
that are affiliated with it. (Their membership in turn varies anywhere
from 350 to 2,000 members.) Small-scale entrepreneurs account for
approximately 60% of our combined membership, large ones represent
15%, and cottage and micro entrepreneurs comprise the remainder.
They work in a wide gamut of sectors, from tailoring shops, beauty
parlors, printing facilities to steel manufacture. ERT: How important is
it for women’s business associations to play an advocacy role before
government bodies, both legislative and executive?
MRS. AGGARWAL: This point was recognized sometime in 1993.
Everyone felt we are working successfully on a local basis, but that we
had no say at the national government policy level. Now the main
objective for FIWE is to interact with national government policymakers
so that they understand the needs of women entrepreneurs, and these
needs are at the grassroots level. I wouldn’t claim that we have
achieved major changes on this front thus far. But I feel that as we
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continue to work we’ll be able to bring about some of them, possibly
by 1998. Given that we have more membership applications and more
of our programs have been useful to individuals and local groups, the
government will have to realize that women entrepreneurs must be
involved at the policy level. There has been some progress. At a recent
OECD meeting, I was pleased to report that, with the help of the
Finance Ministry, FIWE was able to get women entrepreneurs on the
boards of all of
The main objective for FIWE is to interact with national government
policymakers so that they understand the needs of women
Entrepreneurs.
India’s major financial institutions, government agencies, purchasing
organizations, and corporations. As a result, in the future the needs
and requirements of women-owned businesses are more likely to be
taken into consideration. Of course, due to the fast political changes
India has witnessed in the last two years we’ve experienced some loss
of continuity. However, I feel that if we follow up persistently we will
achieve other objectives by next year. ERT: How do you see FIWE’s
mission developing in the future? What role would you like to see the
organization play over the next five to ten years? MRS. AGGARWAL: I
would like FIWE to become a stronger organization which can work on
all important issues related to women entrepreneurs. Interaction with
policymakers should occur on a regular basis, so that at any point in
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time they are aware of our organization and the interests it represents.
They should really consider the viewpoints of our association when
making any kind of policy affecting women entrepreneurs. I think the
approach we are taking will support this kind of advocacy. Our
leadership is very keen to strengthen FIWE. The 20 members of the
Executive Committee, our principal governing body, are in constant
touch with each other and regularly contact and write to national
ministers about key issues of concern to our members. We also have a
steering committee which basically functions as the New Delhi chapter,
and it focuses on helping to solve the problems that our members face
in that city.
ERT: How big an issue is financing for women entrepreneurs? How do
you effectively channel women entrepreneurs into mainstream
financing channels? MRS. AGGARWAL: The government has granted
several concessions that benefit women entrepreneurs. For example,
the Small Industries Development Bank of India and state-level
government banks
now require that women entrepreneurs raise a smaller percentage of
the capital they need. If a man is starting a business, he has to have a
funding ratio of 1 to 3; that is, he must put up one rupee for every
three he obtains from the banks. But in the case of women, they must
put up just 10% and can obtain financing for the remaining 90%. The
only limitation is that this kind of credit can be given only to very small
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businesses. Still, this is a very positive change. There are two major
problems that need to be resolved. First, the commercial banks have
failed to provide concessionary interest rates to women-owned
businesses. The government defines such businesses as those in which
women hold at least 51% of the equity and 51% of all the jobs. The
second issue is that the Bank of India and the government have
defined small-scale enterprises as those having a capital of up to 10
million rupees. Because 10 million rupees is much more than the
capital of most small enterprises, most of the commercial bank credit
continues to go to the larger companies in this range. We have tried to
bring this point to their attention. However, since changes only occur
gradu-
There are other ways in which FIWE can help women entrepreneurs.
Every
bank in India has failed to promote entrepreneurship among women.
Through our organization, we can help bridge the gap. For women
entrepreneurs who cannot approach the banks directly, we try to work
like a bridge for them. ERT: Are you able to determine which women
have good business plans and are the best candidates to apply to the
banks for loans?
MRS. AGGARWAL: I find that out of fifty women who approach us, only
fifteen are genuinely interested in starting a business. The rest of them
are simply forced by their husbands to go forward in order to get some
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benefits from the government. But if we see a woman entrepreneur
who really knows what she is talking about—and that it’s not just that
her husband wants her to go into business—we’ll do what we can to
help her request a loan.
Initially we were making mistakes by forwarding every application to
the banks, and the banks would say many of the applicants were not
genuine Entrepreneurship.
CIPE has launched an interactive forum to promote discussion of
economic
reform, business development and democratic institutions.Visit the
Forum on Economic Freedom—CIPE’s online information service—to
participate in our discussion of the role of public policy institutes and
other timely issues.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN SCIENTISTS AND TECHNOLOGISTS
Science and technology have been an integral part of Indian civilization
and culture. Women and men have been active in science from the
inception of human civilization. One of the defining marks of humanity
is the ability to affect and predict our environment. Science is the
creation of structure. For our world and technology, the use of
structure has been stepping stone to our progress. Women and men
have researched and solved each emerging need. At a glance, women
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in general might look like one of the many housewives – simple, docile,
unassuming and humble. But make no mistake, for behind this simple
straight face is a razor sharp brain, and an uncanny ability to execute,
to convert thought into action without much ado.
Since Independence, Indians have been promoting science and
technology as one of the most important elements of national
development. The Scientific Policy of 1958 and the Technology Policy
Statement of 1983 enunciated the principles on which growth of
science and technology in India has been based over the past several
decades and inspires us till date. The major scientific revolutions of
the last century have opened the doors to many remarkable
technologies in the fields of health, agriculture, communication and
energy, among many others. Science and Technology are powerful
instruments in the tasks of national reconstruction, economic
resurgence and maintenance of national security.
The very first technical name was male – Imhotep – the architect of the
first pyramid and the second was female – En Hedu’Anna (c. 2354BCE).
Certainly women were questioners and thinkers long before that, but
unfortunately it was an untapped resource Most myths and religions
place the beginnings of agriculture, laws, civilization, mathematics,
calendars, time keeping and medicine into the hands of women.
Women contributed in all the spheres of technical advancement of
humanity. They held the same burdens of scholarship as the men did,
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and accomplished just as much. Women were and are resourceful,
passionate and creative about their work as any other male scientist.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries most women did not have access
to institutions of higher learning and laboratories, which prevented
them from participation in the scientific revolution. The singular
exceptions in the 19th century being Mary Somerville and Agnes
Pockels. The Academie des Sciences of Paris, The Royal Society of
London did not allow women into their meetings and were strictly male
bastions. The Academie des Sciences of Paris was founded in 1666
and elected its first female member in 1962, The Royal Society of
London was founded in 1662 and elected its first female member in
1945. These societies were important meeting places for the
observation of new experimental results and the discussions of new
ideas.
The Third World Organisation for women in Science (TWOWS) officially
launched in 1993, is the first international forum to unite eminent
women scientists and scientific institutions in the South, with the
objective of strengthening their role in the development process and
promoting their representation in scientific and technological
leaderships.
Although we are a traditional country where women are respected as “
MatriShakti” over the years women have overcome the traditional
mind sets and have excelled in professions like teaching, medicine and
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pure sciences. Women have made important contributions in all walks
of life and made inroads into new fields like engineering and
information technology. Of the women science graduated 88 % of the
science degree holders are in pure science , 8% in medicine and 3% in
engineering and technology.
However, there has been a recent spurt of women joining the
engineering and information technology fields. The field of
biotechnology has revolutionized the industrial growth of the world. In
India, our own Kiran Mazumdar is an example for women
entrepreneurs to follow and emulate. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, biotech
entrepreneur and CEO of Biocon India group, is one of the many
scientists India should be proud of. She started Biocon in 1978
collaborating with an Irish firm, started two joint ventures,
Biochemizyme and Biocon-Quest India Ltd. She has held positions in
industry councils, including Vice-President, Association of Women
Entrepreneurs of Karnataka. She was awarded Rotary Award for Best
Model Employer, National Award for Best Small Industry and most
noteworthy is the Padmashri in 1989 from the Government of India.
She was accorded a very prestigious assignment as a Chairperson of
the Vision Group on Biotechnology to draw up the State’s Biotech
Policy.
In 1978, the world’s first test tube baby, Louise Joy Brown was
conceived. In India, Dr Indira Hinduja produced first scientifically
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documented test tube baby. In 1986, India’s first test tube baby
Harsha was born. Female ovum is fertilized with male sperm in a test
tube, with suitable environmental conditions, and observed under
microscope for more than three days. The fertilized egg is then put
back into mother’s womb and hence called test tube baby. Producing
test tube babies is not an easy task even in advanced countries, Dr
Indira Hinduja has rejected opportunities to settle abroad so that she
can serve our country/India.
The world’s first programmer was Lady Augusta Ada Lovelace of
England in 1852. She is credited with telling a machine what to do by
using punch cards to programme algebraic patterns. Indian women
have excelled in almost all fields which hitherto were fortified by men.
Women are storming Information and Technology field and in the late
nineties the number of women in computing and internet industries
has registered a sharp rise. The IT landscape is full of women who are
busy writing programmes, running network systems and delivering
applications to clients on time. Recently a Japanese magazine
concluded that Indian women are number one amongst women from
various countries in acquiring and applying IT knowledge.
Deb Agarwal, a top scientist at a national laboratory and Radha
Ramaswami Basu, a high-tech entrepreneur, are the two Indian women
among the top 25 women on Web award winners for this year.
Agarwal, a computer scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National
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Laboratory, serves the comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
Organisation as an expert in the area of reliable multicast
communication. Basu is CEO, www.support.com. She was general
manager for international software at Hewlett Packard. She is also the
co-founder of Maitri, an empowering organization for South Asian
Women in the Bay Area.
In June 1963, Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman astronaut, made
48 orbits in Vostok 6. Sally Ride and Kathryn Sullivan alongwith five
men were aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1984 for the first
time. It was the first time a US woman Kathryn Sullivan walked in
space. Kalpana Chawla from Haryana was qualified from over 2962
applicants to earn herself a place in space shuttle Columbia for a 16
day out of the world experience. The NASA chief called her a “Terrific
Astronaut”.
Women have also accepted the challenges of the oceans and have
participated in expeditions dealing with ocean research. Dr Aditi Pant
is the first Indian woman to participate in the cruise to the icy
continent, Antarctica. The expedition was for a period of 4 months and
the participants had to explore this continent under rough weather
conditions.
Shahnaz Husain is the mother of all herbal cosmetics in world. Her
creams and lotions have found their way into salons in different parts
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of the globe. She has 650 salons at 104 countries. It is all due to her
sheer innovation, determination and hard work.
Madhuri Mathur, an intelligent lady made the life of ladies in kitchen
easier by bringing out the idea of, a kitchen machine that would blend,
chop, mince and grind that culminated into sumeet mixer.
Although there is no disparity existing in the emoluments of male and
female scientists and technologists an imbalance does exist in the
decision making policies and in the exercise of authority which is solely
dominated by men. Women do not get scientific recognition and are
rarely recommended and nominated for awards, expertships. But the
pattern occupying positions of authority has changed progressively
during the past years and the trend appears to be encouraging. Many
women with high qualifications and experience have reached the top.
From these observations, it can be concluded that given the requisite
qualifications and opportunities the women in science and technology
in India can be achievers and thereby boost the growth of science and
technology of our country.
From the days when entrepreneurship was seen as a proposition
meant either for those who were already well off and so could afford to
get into 'business' or for those who could not find jobs or were not so
well educated, we have come a long way. Over the last decade, thanks
to the success stories of Infosys, Satyam, Spectramind, Indiaworld and
several others, there has been a major transformation in the profile of
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'entrepreneurs', the approach to 'entrepreneurship' and the resultant
mindset towards entrepreneurship. Yet, when compared with the
proportion of men, women entrepreneurs in the IT industry are a
miniscule number. If we were to analyze the proportion of women
employees in IT organizations, there has been a healthy growth which
on an average stands at 20-25%-which was less than 10% a decade
ago. The expanding business, exposure to opportunities, access to the
right education and 'the right fit' IT industry offers to women, have
made this possible. However, these factors have not helped in women
taking on the mantle of entrepreneurship in the IT Industry as a
noticeable trend. Despite the fact that freelancing as an independent
consultant has been in vogue more due to the convenience of the
individuals and companies concerned, the ecosystem required to
succeed as a woman entrepreneur is absent in the country.
How about the entrepreneurial women we find in some other sectors,
why do they take the entrepreneurial route? Most of these ventures fall
into one of these categories-traditional and 'safe' zones familiar to
women like catering or assisting husbands in their shops/business;
professional expertise based which is self-run like running a dispensary
as a doctor
remain an insignificant number. What then are the key challenges
which inhibit women from becoming IT entrepreneurs?
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The first challenge lies in the definition of entrepreneurship itself.
Entrepreneurship involves the ability to identify the right opportunities,
risk taking and access to capital/market. Largely women like to 'play it
safe' and do not 'network' amongst business circles as much as men
do
Setting up the business, raising capital, going and seeking customers,
doing 'deals' as the opportunities come along and creating conviction
among the male dominated stakeholders regarding their seriousness
about their venture- when it comes to financing, are not easy matters.
Further, if a woman is married and has a family to take care of, it
brings additional limitations especially into the entrepreneurial
venture. An entrepreneur has to breathe and live his/her dream 24x7,
physically and mentally, and is required to be available to attend to the
call of the business whether from the customer, the employees or the
market forces. This calls for the ability to put up with tremendous
amount of pressure and stress which do not come easy to most women
when they also do not have an effective support system from the
family or society to become 'the daredevil entrepreneurs'
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER
Isn’t the most seductive thing to be your own boss? Be answerable to
no one but yourself. Set your own goals. Work at your pace. Be
responsible for your own success. Seductive and Scary. More and more
women are starting their own businesses right out of home and forging
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ahead. Working from home is not a limiting factor. There are choices
for everyone. Have a look.
SKILL BASED BUSINESS
You can harness your God given or hard earned skills. For instance, if
you are a good artist, you can start anything from art classes to display
and selling your creations to an art showroom in your garage. If you
are a qualified C.A. find smaller clients who will give you the flexibility
to write their accounts from your home. An interior designer can tie up
with a larger firm to do the designing aspect out of home and leave the
onsite work to the contractors.
A great example amongst us is Tarla Dalal. She started cookery classes
out of home and has revolutionarised the whole industry. Says Sanjay
Dalal, her son who manages her kitchen empire, “She started small
teaching five students at a time and her empire was built over 15
years. She has a passion for her work and that is what has made a
business such a success”
Franchises are coming of age in India. You can start your own franchise
with a business model already in place. From playschools to flower
shops. Dance classes to medical diagnostic centres. There are
franchises available for everything. But remember franchising will
require a deeper commitment in terms of time and money. You may
also need to have a separate work place and employees according to
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the requirements of the franchisor. If you have the time and money,
franchisees are great business models to go with.
Amway, Avon, Modicare, Tupperware, Times Books, what do these
names invoke in your mind? A business opportunity for women to work
flexitime. You can affiliate with any of these organisations to sell an
established product and have full marketing support. A word of caution
here - Make sure you have enough selling power by way for selling
skills and contacts because this line of work can be profitable only if
your sales are at a higher level. There will also be an initial investment
by way of buying a starter kit and some promotional material. Do
ensure you are not lured into repeatedly buying promotional material.
If you have the eye for it, you may also be able to market product from
another place which are not available in your city. Hemangini Bali, a
mother of two has found a wholesaler of Gujarati textiles and
handicrafts in her hometown Valsad and sells them in the uptown
Versova in Mumbai.
Internet Sales is a great way to go too. You can set up your website to
market your products or services. Another emerging opportunity is
buying and selling on the internet on websites like Ebay. After
assessing the demand market on the internet, you can procure your
product and sell it for a mark up on the internet. For establishing
yourself as a successful seller you need to sell consistently good
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quality product at competitive rates. Says DeepaThomas,
Spokesperson, Ebay India, “The unique business model implemented
on eBay India provides a platform for Indian women sellers to sell local
products/ hand made items (using existing talents) across the country
& to buyers across the world. Women sellers can also use the eBay
opportunity to extend an offline business to online with zero upfront
investment.”
You can also take up an agency. The most common one of course is in
insurance. Says Seema Nair, who took voluntary retirement from ONGC
to become an agent of TataAIG Life Insurance, “It took a lot of hard
work but today I am one of their top selling agents. I did not want to
just become an agent for namesake. The time is flexible but often I am
working on Sundays to meet my clients when they are available.”
You can also be an agent for selling mutual fund units, open a share
shop from home etc. You can also start an agency, which supplies
people with specialised skills (don’t get naughty, I do not mean
massage parlours) like nurses, odd jobs man like plumber carpenter
etc
PROUD WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS BECOME BOAT OWNERS
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Women in the Dashmath fishing community along the coastal belt of
Orissa are able to enjoy the benefits of their hard work after they
became owners of boats with the help of World Vision.
Following the Orissa Super Cyclone, World Vision’s response saw the
emergence of ADP Nirman to bring sustainable development to the
communities devastated by the tidal waves.
Rebuilding the livelihood security of the people was a key aspect of the
programme and various activities had been undertaken to increase the
income base of families dependant on agriculture, fishing and casual
labour.
In the fishing village of Dashmath both men and women depend on the
fish that they get from the backwaters for their livelihood. 'Though the
people got more fish, they couldn’t enjoy the profit because they had
to pay a rent for the boats they hire', says Darmendra Nayak,
Programme Manager of Nirman ADP.
Getting a boat on rent also meant that the people also had to handle
issues of availability of boats, fixed timings apart from the money they
will have to pay for the day.
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Women Self Group were determined to come out of this situation and
with the help of ADP Nirman provided 15 women with 6 ‘dangs’ (a boat
that can accommodate 2 – 3persons).
'Now women own these boats, they are able to take the boats any time
they want, sometimes as early as 3 a.m. and get lot of fish. The profit
of the sale is shared among them and sometime they market this for
export through other agencies', says Darmendra.
Women entrepreneurs in India symbolise a set of women who have
broken away from the beaten path and are discovering new views.
They had to face many challenges, family oppositions, pessimistic
remarks from their fellow workers in the process of establishing
themselves as independent entrepreneurs. “Wanting to do something
positive” in their lives urged and compelled them to be an
entrepreneur.
Smt JayaLakshmi Devaraj after her husband Mr Devaraj passed away
took over Sri Vigneshwara Group of Industries. She took up the
challenging job of running the business instead of closing it down. She
had provided employment to around 200 people. In the year 1989 she
won the Codissia Award for the best women entrepreneur. Roma
Malkani left India in 1967. In 1979 she and her father founded an
Information System and Network Corporation in the US. In a years time
she took charge of the company turned the company into the largest
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woman-owned US government contractor. She was listed by the
esteemed Washington Magazine as one of the 100 most powerful
women living in the US capital.
Most importantly the fundamental difficulty faced by a woman is that
“she is a woman”. She has responsibility towards her family and the
society. In spite of the legal equalities and the other equalities
provided by the constitution the attitude of the men is tradition-bound.
Finally not every business is started off from a single idea. Franchises
offer better opportunities. Many women have been successful by
taking over the family businesses.
The most important hurdle faced by woman in addition to
discrimination is choice. Some intelligent woman chooses having
children as being their first priority. Some cases, women are able to
balance both the choices. Most times, it is difficult to balance time,
leading to a situation where an upwardly mobile, all time consuming
and well paying careers are sacrificed.
Culturally such a perception is changing worldwide. Especially in the
west, noticeable changes are apparent. But, nature of the job is such
that, both developing and developed world should have cultural or
social shift to accomplish substantial amount of women entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneur Woman
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If you check this blog you will see a very common problem around the
internet business (much more than we would like to believe) -
SCAMMERS.
They are smart, and normally attach small entrepreneurs because they
know we normally DO NOTHING when we get scammed. I have decided
to do differently and start to speak out what happen to me. Do you
know what is the beauty of all of that? Feel I am helping others.I had
no one to help me do not get scammed and I am ashamed myself to
speak that out and loud, however if I do not publish my experiences
and warn others, the scammers will make more and more victms.
There is no better feeling than to know I am being at service and
helping people.
ENTREPRENEURS’ LIFE IS NOT EASY
Suppliers - every entrepreneur need one - no matter if you
manufucature yourself or if you act as agent, you need suppliers,
unless you produce all your raw-materials too.
When you are building something from scratch and don’t have
anybody to tell you or advice you on how to do something is even
harder to be an entrepreneur. Find suppliers in something you have
never done before can be very, very hard.
To find my suppliers, I had to do a lot of research on the net, take
contact with people and ask where to find this or that. For me things
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were even harder because to find local artisans in Brazil i definetely
cannot use the net or even telephone. It is crucial be there - now come
the question, how did I do as I am living in Finland? Simple answer, I
have grown there, have friends and family there and I had to envolve
everybody I know to get to those people. It is impossible to have a
local center where you can just go and buy whatever you want. I need
to make my family and friends go to the places, talk to the people and
keep a relationship with them on my behalf, otherwise I cannot buy
from these people.
Fortunately I do have my contacts and this have help me, however I
have to constantly be looking for other things and rely on my family to
do a job that I should be doing. Do you believe that sometimes I want
talk with one of my suppliers and I have to call my family to get in
contact with them? In the most simple and poor places, local artisans
dont even have telephone what make our straight relationship even
harder.
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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To study the concept of Women entrepreneurship development programme or
process..
To study the various types of Small Scale Industries.
To study the impact of Globalization on Small Scale Enterprises.
To study the policies governed by Government for overcome this problem.
To study the various dominating factor which the global companies have.
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SCOPE & IMPORTANCE
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SCOPE & IMPORTANCE
Women entrepreneurs encounters only one third of all entrepreneurs. And as half the
population on this planet is women there is an unnatural gap between genders. There is
thus potential to enhance the level of women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs have
a massive potential which are yet to be unleashed. Not only due to the gender gap, but
also because women bring in diversity to the innovation process. More women will
provide per se entrepreneurs with a more diverse perspective. Solutions to market
inequalities are not solved just by male entrepreneurs with male thinking innovation.
Now women also brings in solutions to market inequalities and their innovations may not
be alike those of the man. Thus women entrepreneurship is to be seen as part of the
diversity question. One good example here relates to user driven innovation. Where
consumer needs are the key driver for innovation. In order to produce user driven
innovation the agent needs to adapt the need from the consumer5. The results of that are
bound to be different whereas the agents are a man or a woman Women entrepreneur’s
can possibly lead to another kind of innovation. Women entrepreneurs are mainly
employed in the service sector that is tourism, ICT, health, social services etc. A common
factor is the great potential of these sectors. Together with creative and new ways of
thinking innovation, involving the consumer and the gender gap the potential in
promoting women entrepreneurs are obvious. Women entrepreneurship receives a great
deal of attention in The OECD and European commission6. They conclude that among
other changing mindsets, adapt policies to allow better family life and work balance by
using specific instruments like tax regulation, allowances, leave provision etc. will
promote women entrepreneurship.
30
The paper provides the reader with a view of regional and national initiatives in women
entrepreneurship in the Nordic countries and compares this to American experiences. A
brush up on the discussions and lessons learned from the seminar: Nordic Women
Entrepreneurs” held in Stockholm on the 21st of May 2007, concludes on the discussions
from the seminar in Stockholm focusing on the challenges and possibilities for Women
entrepreneurs. From sets up policy recommendations based upon the different initiatives
in the Nordic countries as well as the lessons learned from the seminar in Stockholm.
5 Nordic Innovation Center has user driven innovation as one of their key interests, see
Call for expressions of interests – Support for User driven Innovation. 6 See the LEED
(Local Economic and employment Development Program, programme launched for 2005
- 2007) from OECD, Gender and economical development (OECD, 2003), BEST-report
on promoting entrepreneurial culture among women (The European Commission, 2004),
The role of women entrepreneurs in local development (OECD, seminar Ljubiana 2003).
Women Entrepreneurship – A Nordic Perspective The paper is presented as in following
order: To draw a baseline on women entrepreneurship the paper outlines the lessons
learned from the seminar being the obstacles and initiatives towards women
entrepreneurship, which are presented in the lessons learned are combined with the small
amount of present data regarding Nordic women entrepreneurship to form the challenges
for enhancing women entrepreneurship. The challenges are presented in chapter 4 and in
succession different Nordic initiatives are presented. Combining the Nordic initiatives
with the challenges the paper presents several recommendations towards initiatives and
programs towards enhancing women entrepreneurship.
31
TOPIC DETAIL
32
TOPIC DETAIL
Countries enjoy an advantage over those in developing countries in that they have access
to greater support from women mentors and role models and easier access to formal
training in the principles of business planning and organisation. Furthermore, access to
capital and the acceptance of women as business owners and women in the workplace has
dramatically improved (Sherman, 2003). Where women in developed countries do face
obstacles, these are societal and based on old norms. Women entrepreneurs are a driving
force in today’s modern economy. They shape and redefine the workplace, business
networks, financial institutions and culture. There are a number of initiatives designed to
motivate women entrepreneurs. Studies show that the experience of women in business is
different from those of men. There are profound gender differences in both women’s
experiences of business ownership, and the performance of women-owned firms (Carter,
2000). Most of the research on women entrepreneurs, limited largely to women in
developed countries, has tended to concentrate on unique aspects of the entrepreneurship
of women. The studies investigate the demographic characteristics of women (Hisrich
and Brush, 1983; Watkins and Watkins, 1983), their motivations/reasons for startup
(Watkins and Watkins, 1983; Cromie, 1987; Sundin and Holmquist, 1991) and the
constraints/ barriers that women face in starting up. There are few studies that look at
differences in individual characteristics across groups of women (Brush, 1992; Carter and
Cannon, 1992; Pelligrino and Reece, 1982). The research that has been done indicates
that women face different issues, depending on the stage of their personal life cycle
(Kaplan, 1988) region or industry of location (Holmquist and Sundin, 1988), and role
33
perceptions in business ownership (Goffee and Scase, 1985). Understanding the different
goals that women have for entrepreneurship in the global context, and the relationship
between these goals and the structural factors that influence women‘s entrepreneurship,
will be of great help to researchers, planners, as well as practitioners working to promote
women entrepreneurs in developing countries, especially on the African continent. This
understanding can lead to the development of an “African paradigm”, more finely tuned
policies and programmes of support for women entrepreneurs.
A BRIEF HISTORY - WOMEN ENTREPRENCURS
In most countries, regions and sectors, the majority of business owner/managers are male
(from 65% to 75%). However, there is increasing evidence that more and more women
are becoming interested in small business ownership and/or actually starting up in
business. In addition, rates of self employment among women are increasing in several
EU countries. Although there are no official statistics relating businesses to the gender of
their owner/manager, there is a good deal of evidence to suggest a significant increase in
female entrepreneurship. One consequence of this is that women are a relatively new
group of entrepreneurs compared with men, which means that they are more likely to run
younger businesses. This in turn has some implications for the problems they face and
their ability to deal with them.
A key issue, therefore, is whether women entrepreneurs face specific problems in setting
up in business that are different from those faced by male-owned businesses. Like young
entrepreneurs, women may have particular problems with raising finance and may have
had less chance than most men to accumulate the confidence, skills and contacts
necessary to start and run a successful business. In addition, gender discrimination by
34
finance and support providers, customers or employees may be an issue. Some previous
research has suggested that it is more difficult for women to raise start-up and recurrent
business finance than men and that women are more likely to encounter credibility
problems when dealing with bankers (Carter and Cannon,
1992).
In this context, Carter (2000) has identified four areas of financing that previous research
has noted can pose particular problems for women. Firstly, women may be disadvantaged
in their ability to raise start-up finance. Second, guarantees required for external finance
may be beyond the scope of most women’s personal assets and credit track record. Third,
once a business is established, finance may be more difficult for female entrepreneurs to
raise than for their male counterparts, because of the greater difficulties that women face
in penetrating informal financial networks. Finally, the relationship between female
entrepreneurs and bankers may suffer from sexual stereotyping and discrimination.
Certainly, recent evidence suggests that female entrepreneurs use substantially less
capital at start-up than male owners, although intra-sectoral similarities demonstrate that
gender was only one of a number of variables affecting the business financing process
(Carter and Rosa, 1998).
This chapter utilises the information collected through the survey of support and
membership organisations, and through case studies of 11 female-run businesses, to
investigate these issues.
35
Support and membership organisations for women entrepreneurs
Organisations that stated that their primary purpose was to support and/or represent
women entrepreneurs. Fifty six such organisations responded to the survey, 52 from the
EU countries and 4 from the 6 CEE countries covered by the survey.
General support or membership organisations stated that they provided some services
catering for women entrepreneurs. Just under two-fifths of the 586 general organisations
stated that they provided such services: 41% of general business support or membership
organisations in EU countries but only 29% in the CEE).
General support or membership organisations that have a policy specifically
concerning women entrepreneurs. This was the case for 119 organisations (24%). Again,
EU organisations are more likely than those in CEE to have specific policies.
General support or membership organisations that have a specific department, group
or individual dealing with women entrepreneurs. Just under one quarter of organisations,
but only 17% in CEE, had such institutional arrangements.
LIFE AND BUSINESS COACHING FOR WOMEN TREPRENEURS
Are you wondering if women's business coaching is the right move for you, or if this is
the right time? Only you can answer that, and to make an informed decision you
should know more about what business coaching can provide for you.
Business coaching for women makes an enormous difference in creating the success you
want, right now, not someday/maybe. There is no need to "get ready" for coaching,
because part of the power of coaching is that it starts with exactly where you are right
now.
36
There are only a few reasons why most people don't have the success they dream of. If
you have your own business, or want to start one, small business coaching is the simplest,
most effective and inexpensive way to make the changes and create the strategies you
need to succeed. Life and business coaching for women entrepreneurs provides a regular
time out, a focused time for you to look at your life and business and see where you are
going, and to get crystal clear about your goals and make a powerful plan for achieving
them.
And here's the best part -- you can explore further if coaching is the right move for you
right now, by scheduling a FREE, no strings attached, exploratory Coaching
Consultation. The Complimentary Coaching Consultation is an excellent way to find out
how coaching can benefit you and what kind of powerful results you will get from
working with a professional coach. Call today at 401 338-5551 and we'll schedule your
free
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: A GROWING AND PROMISING HENOMENON
Women entrepreneurs have become increasingly common in the business world. This
IVCJ article examines women's relative advantages as well as some of the obstacles that
persist in today’s business environment.
The topic of women entrepreneurs is of increasing interest to educators, businesspeople
and government officials. Research findings have shown a high positive correlation
between the level of national women’s entrepreneurial activity and growth in gdp,
suggesting that countries that are successful in promoting entrepreneurship among
women could experience a positive impact on economic growth rates. In israel, as in
many other countries, entrepreneurship by women is expanding steadily. There was been
37
a rise of 52 percent in the total entrepreneurial activity (tea) index among israeli women
in 2004, compared to 2002, and in contrast to a tea decline of 22 percent among israeli
men during the same period. Israeli women entrepreneurs tend to be married with grown-
up children, educated and achievement motivated, and they generally have high self-
esteem. Women entrepreneurs: the advantages a refreshing new approach to
entrepreneurship by women emphasizes relative advantages of women and how they can
be leveraged into entrepreneurship. There is solid scientific evidence that women, on
average, take a broader perspective than men do, and think contextually and holistically.
They also display more mental flexibility, make more intuitive and imaginative
judgments, and have a greater tendency to plan long term. These female traits are
important tools for entrepreneurs.
As technology changes and globalization and competition accelerate, the business world
is becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. More business leaders and consultants
are drawing away from rewarding the linear, component-by-component atomistic and
focused approach to business that is adequate to masculine thinking, and are now
emphasizing the importance of system thinking that provides a framework for seeing the
whole picture and interrelationships. The feminine propensity to look at business
problems contextually and to concentrate on the whole of the issue rather than its parts, is
more in tune to the preferable system thinking of today. Since businesswomen weigh
more variables, consider more alternatives and outcomes, recall more points of view and
see more ways to proceed, they can bring valuable innovation and creativity to
entrepreneurship.
Women have a penchant for long term planning and the ability to tolerate ambiguity and
38
changes better than men do. As competition increases, today’s entrepreneur must be able
to alter plans quickly and frequently. A woman’s innate mental flexibility should be a
valuable planning asset for every venture. A women's talent with words and negotiations
is useful in marketing the vision and product of a new venture to prospective investors,
suppliers and customers. A preference for networking and cooperation with other women
are also helpful in entrepreneurial activity. Women in israel, on average, have more
formal and academic education than israeli men have. This can help in reducing the gap
caused by a long history of subordination of women in the business and military worlds.
Rapidly changing technology should enable even more women to go into business for
themselves – at home. Consequently, the work-family conflict can be minimized.
Women's enterprises are more likely to stay in business. Us businesses owned by women
have a two-year success rate of 80 percent, well over the national average of about 50
percent. Obstacles facing women entrepreneurs despite the empowering approach
presented above, one cannot ignore the fact that women in israel, similar to other
countries, are almost half as likely to be entrepreneurs as men. Why? In pursuing
entrepreneurship, women are impacted by barriers in a similar way that they are affected
by barriers in the labor market. There are internal barriers such as low self-esteem, low
need for achievement and a fear of failure. External barriers include lack of role models,
insufficient institutional and family support, and absence of sufficient management
experience in senior positions. As a result, women have less business skills, fewer
connections and reduced access to formal and informal networks. Women also face
barriers associated with access to capital. Gaining access to appropriate levels of finance
is a challenge to many business owners. However, evidence indicates that women have
39
additional disadvantages associated with gender. Some of the reasons stem from
stereotypes created by the masculine mentality in the banking industry. Women are
entering an environment constructed by men, therefore they may be perceived as less
legitimate in the eyes of prospective financial backers.
There is also a growing body of evidence showing how the history of gender
disadvantage in the salaried sector and military spills over into entrepreneurship. It is
argued that continuing subordination in the workplace has constrained the accrual of
social, cultural, human, and financial capital and places limitations upon a woman's
ability to amass personal savings, invest, generate sufficiently attractive credit histories
for lenders, or engage the interest of venture capitalists. Obviously, chronic under-
capitalization and financial constraints will impede the full realization of a woman's
business potential. Those barriers, particularly the financial limitations, contribute to a
propensity to establish firms in poorly performing segments of the service sector, which
struggle to survive and/or grow and reinforces the negative image of women in self-
employment. Summary and onclusions women entrepreneurship is beneficial for women
as well as for the economy. The increasing number of women entrepreneurs can facilitate
economic mobility and self-fulfillment for individuals, promote economic and social
equity, create employment, encourage trade, improve the use of valuable human capital
and bolster national economic prosperity. A new perspective emphasizes the claim that
women don’t have to replicate men’s entrepreneurial experience and the masculine
mentality of “doing business.” Women and investors can see feminine traits and talents as
sources of power with valuable advantages for entrepreneurship. Still, in pursuing
40
entrepreneurship, women face many barriers and are exposed to new subordination
phenomena, particularly in financing their ventures.
It seems that free market forces will continue to put women at a disadvantage in the labor
market. Therefore, intervention programs aimed at eliminating the obstacles and
simultaneously leveraging distinct female advantages in entrepreneurship are necessary.
This article appeared in the israel venture capital & private equity journal (ivcj). Ivc
research center publishes the israel venture capital & private equity journal, a quarterly
review of trends and developments in the israeli-related venture capital industry. Ivcj,
distributed worldwide, is dedicated to provide wide-range coverage of israel's venture
capital industry. For more information please visit
FINANCING ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING FOR WOMEN
ENTREPRENEURS
In their Submission to the Prime Minister's Task Force on Women Entrepreneurs (1993),
Women Entrepreneurs of Canada identifies access to capital for women led and women
owned business for development and growth as the number one issue challenging women
entrepreneurs. While women owned and women led businesses provide 1.7 million
jobs in Canada, compared to 1.5 million jobs provided by Canada's top 100 companies,
and women generate approximately 40% of new start up businesses in Canada, and
women owned businesses are still having trouble raising the money they need to start and
grow their businesses.
And because women entrepreneurs are more likely than men to depend on their business
earnings and personal debt for financing, women business owners are being held back
41
In the same document, Women Entrepreneurs of Canada points out that 58 percent of
SMEs (Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises) that are majority-owned by women
entrepreneurs are in a slow-growth stage of development - mainly because of a lack of
access to financing. There IS a higher turn down rate for loans to women business
owners, perhaps because women entrepreneurs tend to own and operate smaller firms,
and because women tend to own and operate businesses in slower growth and higher risk
sectors such as retail and service.
The upshot is that women owned SMEs don't have the same access to capital and services
that male owned businesses do. In their Submission to the Prime Minister's Task Force on
Women Entrepreneurs, Women Entrepreneurs of Canada recommends that financial
institutions set and monitor targets to ensure that women entrepreneurs are receiving a
proportionate share of loans. They also recommend that the federal government develop
and implement an economic assistance program to support the financing of SMEs,
particularly for women owned businesses.
FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS TAKE CARE OVER LOCATION
Recent research suggests that women setting up in business for themselves
tend to do so close to home because of family commitments
Where are you going to locate your new business? For many entrepreneurs, the first
office – at least while starting out – is the kitchen table or back room. This is, of
course, fair enough given how difficult it can be to find affordable premises while
your business is still finding its feet.
But where you decide to base your new business can have significant effects on its
growth; studies show that entrepreneurs benefit from setting up near to each other
42
and interacting. However, new research by academics at Rotman School of
Management suggests that women in Canada tend to set up their businesses in
areas where there are up to 20 per cent fewer other entrepreneurs operating nearby.
They also tend to choose areas where there is less economic activity overall.
Sometimes this is because women choose to keep their work close to home (the
women studied had commutes an average of 20 per cent shorter than male
entrepreneurs) because of family or caring responsibilities. In other cases it’s
because they feel excluded from business networks dominated by “old boys’
clubs”, leading to a type of gender segregation of enterprise that in turn leads to lost
economic opportunities for the country as a whole, the researchers say.
Tanya Hine, president of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs
(BAWE), says that the situation is quite different in the UK. Here, women locate
their businesses where there is most demand for their products or services, despite
feeling left out of male business networks. “The majority of our women
entrepreneurs are based in big cities such as London, Birmingham and Sheffield,”
she says. “But we do feel excluded from the old boys’ club. Obviously they have
been at it much longer than we have. They go off together, go to football together
and it’s quite difficult for women to break into that.” However, BAWE represents
women who run good-sized enterprises with employees, rather than sole traders or
those who operate “lifestyle businesses”, where work-life balance is more
important than big profits. Incorporate these second two groups and the picture – at
least as far as a desire to work close to home – is much more similar to the
Canadian model.
43
RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Jackie Brierton, the policy director at Prowess, a network of organisations that
supports women entrepreneurs, says that in recent years there has been a significant
growth in the number of self-employed and entrepreneurial women in rural areas:
“The reasons are quite complex but the obvious ones are women choosing to work
nearer home because they have caring responsibilities.”
Rather than missing out on networking opportunities as a result of their gender or
location, they’re setting up their own contact groups to keep in touch. “I think that
women are pretty good at forming their own networks, even though they might
look quite different from old boys’ clubs,” Brierton says.
There’s also the question of finance, says Sally Goodsell, the cheif executive of
Finance South East, a regional funding organisation. While a lifestyle business
brings many benefits and may be exactly what a woman leaving the corporate rat-
race is looking for, women who want to build high-growth businesses will need
monetary backing. “And that is where the lack of financial networks can hold them
back,” Goodsell says. Women entrepreneurs are often very uncomfortable about
borrowing money. They don’t want to ask, and when they do they don’t ask for
enough, she says. “They tend to be very risk-aware and don’t want it to get out of
control.” What’s needed from their finance networks isn’t access to venture
capitalists and business angels so much as support to develop their business plans –
and confidence in asking for money.
44
INDIA WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
over the last few years undertaken a range f initiatives to promote and support the
economic empowerment of women. These include the holding of a number of
conferences, the establishment of the Indian Women’s Empowerment Network, and
commissioning of studies looking at the internal operations and
external impact of both the dti and its associated institutions from a gender perspective.
The women’s empowerment thrust has the backing of the top decision-makers in the
department and ministry. As we move forward, working hard towards fasttracking and
advancing women’s economic empowerment, we have realised the importance of having
reliable current information on the status as well as the profile of our women
entrepreneurs. Such information is critical to us and will play a vital role in assisting us to
make a fair assessment of the representation and participation of women in business in
our economy. Many conclusions have been drawn in the past on the status and profile of
Indian women in business, particularly those owning and managing small- to medium-
sized enterprises. Unfortunately, such conclusions are based on
opinions and perceptions of individuals, largely supported and perpetuated by the media.
As a leading economic government department, we believe it is our responsibility to
initiate a process of generating factual, comprehensive and proven data about women
entrepreneurs. This is the main key towards ensuring our programmes encourage the
economic empowerment of women in a more valuable way. We are committed to finding
ways of promoting the economic empowerment of women entrepreneurs, whether they be
small, survivalist operators or businesswomen engaging in larger enterprises. This could
45
be achieved, on the one hand, by ensuring that existing programmes take account of
women’s situation. On the other hand,
it might also involve some women-targeted programmes to fast-track empowerment.
Reliable data lies at the center of this. It is the basis for planning successful interventions.
This research report details the outcome of our first literature survey to assess the need
for a much broader indepth study.I trust it provides some light to many of us who want
to make a diffrence out there and grow women entrepreneurship for a prosperous
Indiaeconomy. Lindiwe Hendricks: MP The Former Deputy Minister of Trade and
Industry
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS ARE ILL-EQUIPPED
educationally and financially. Training requires preparation of targets, budgets and
knowledge of business performance. Communication technologies, in some instances,
still contribute towards the negative or degrading portrayal of women (Brohman, 1996;
Cabinet Memorandum, 1996, unpublished; Maistry, 1999; Ndu, 1997). Access to finance
Black women entrepreneurs are denied access to affordable financial services (Brohman,
1996; the dti, 2004; World Bank, 1990). The nature of the many challenges and obstacles
facing women entrepreneurs suggest that their full economic potential is not actualised
and women do not feature on the mainstream of the economic agenda. In summary, the
major constraints on women entrepreneurs in South Africa include: . Social and cultural
barriers; Infrastructural barriers; . Educational and occupational barriers; . Role barriers;
and . Behavioral barriers. (Bolas and Valle, 2003)
46
SUPPORT FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Support provisioning for women entrepreneurs includes: . Education from dependency
and entitlement to self-sufficiency and economic growth; . Development/facilitation of
information and communication technologies that bridge the gap between new enterprises
and established businesses; . Establishment of networking links, international
partnerships, community participation and access to national and global markets; .
Development of partnerships between stakeholders (government, private sector, NGOs,
trading partners); . Provision of business skills training, facilitation of business
incubation, mentoring and support services; . Establishment of appropriate changes to
trade, investment and tax policies that promote sustainability and does not stifle the
economic dream of women entrepreneurs; and . Review/changing of regulatory
frameworks that stifle women entrepreneurs and accelerate economic growth (Nasser, du
Preez and Hermann, 2003).
IDENTIFYING POLICY/PROGRAMME MEASURES TO SUPPORT WED
The main objective of the field visits to Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania was toobtain
information that would enable an assessment of the strength of the support environment
for the development of women’s enterprises, particularly topromote future growth. The
application of the integrated framework (Figure 1) was guided in its application by a list
of questions for each of the framework’s component: namely, policy coordination and
leadership; promotion; financing; training and mentoring; business support and
information; associations and networks; premises; regulatory and legal environment; and
research (see Annex 3). The lists of questions that were developed served to highlight
47
where gaps existed and where further actions would be required. It should be noted that it
was not expected that any one individual government would be able to answer “yes” to
all of the questions in the list, and several might have to qualify the extent to which
actions were being implemented in particular areas.
Nevertheless, the list provides a useful template for assessing the degree to which women
are taken seriously as a target group for MSE support, and the extent to which integrated
actions are already underway and in place. The outcome of this assessment is a series of
recommendations and good practices specific to each of the three countries, and these
have been itemized in detail in the respective country reports. What follows is a
discussion of the overall observations of the activities found in all of the three countries
as they relate to each of the framework components, along with a summary of the
recommendedactions. It is important to remember that the framework’s components are
interconnected, and that actions may be necessary in each area to affect the desired
changes in the environment for women entrepreneurs generally, and for growthoriented
enterprises specifically.
48
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
49
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
“Research Methodology is a way to systematically solve the research problem”. It
may be understood as a science of studying how research is done scientifically. In
research methodology, we not only talk about the research methods but also consider the
logic behind hem methods.
A RESEARCH DESIGN
“Research Design is the plan, structure & survey of investigation conceived so as to
obtain answer to research questions & to control variance.
There are several ways of studying & taking a problem. There is no single perfect
design. Different types of research design have emerged an account of different
perspective from which a research study can be viewed.
DATA COLLECTION
The task of data collection begins after a research for problem is defined & research
design/plan chalked out. While deciding about researcher should keep in mind two types
or data viz: primary & secondary.
The Secondary data can be collected by sources:-
Websites
Magazines
Newspapers
Journals
The main accentuated method is secondary data information from websites magazines,
newspapers and journals.
50
FINDING
51
FINDING
The educated women do not want to limit their lives in the four walls of the house. They
demand equal respect from their partners. However, Indian women have to go a long way
to achieve equal rights and position because traditions are deep rooted in Indian society.
Despite all the social hurdles, many women have become successful in their works.
These successful women have made name & wealth for themselves with their hard work,
diligence, competence and will power. Following is the list of few top Women
Entrepreneurs in India:
Indra Nooyi
Indian born American businesswoman, Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi born October 28,
1955 is the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PepsiCo, one of the
world's leading food and beverage companies. On August 14, 2006, Nooyi was named
the successor to Steven Reinemund as chief executive officer of the company effective
October 1, 2006. On February 5, 2007, she was named Chairperson, effective May 2,
52
2007. Nooyi joined PepsiCo in 1994 and was named president and CFO in 2001. Nooyi
has directed the company's global strategy for more than decade and led PepsiCo's
restructuring, including the 1997 divestiture of its restaurants into Tricon, now known as
Yum! Brands. Nooyi also took the lead in the acquisition of Tropicana in 1998, and
merger with Quaker Oats Company, which also brought Gatorade to PepsiCo. In 2007
she became the fifth CEO in PepsiCo's 44]year history.
Nooyi's key contributions include promoting and supporting socially responsible business
practices, including taking on one of the planet's most pressing problems, climate change.
Her commitment to global citizenship is evidenced by her multi]year growth
strategy, .Performance with Purpose.. Nooyi was named on Wall Street Journal's list of
50 women to watch in 2007 and 2008, and was listed among Time's 100 Most Influential
People in The World in 2007 and 2008. Nooyi has been named 2009 CEO of the Year by
the Global Supply Chain Leaders Group (GSCLG).
Dr. Kiran Mazumdar]Shaw
53
Entrepreneur Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairman & Managing Director of Bioon Ltd.
She was educated at the Bishop Cotton Girls School and Mount Carmel College in
Bangalore. She founded Biocon India with a capital of Rs.10,000 in her garage in 1978
the initial operation was to extract an enzyme from papaya. Her application for loans
were turned down by banks then on three counts biotechnology was then a new word,
thecompany lacked assets, and (most importantly) women entrepreneurs were still a
rarity. Today, her company is the biggest biopharmaceutical firm in the country. to take
charge of the company.
Entrepreneur Dr. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairman & Managing Director of Bioon Ltd.
She was educated at the Bishop Cotton Girls School and Mount Carmel College in
Bangalore.
She founded Biocon India with a capital of Rs.10,000 in her garage in 1978 the initial
operation was to extract an enzyme from papaya. Her application for loans were turned
down by banks then on three counts biotechnology was then a new word, thecompany
lacked assets, and (most importantly) women entrepreneurs were still a rarity. Today, her
company is the biggest biopharmaceutical firm in the country.
In 2004, Biocon went for an IPO and the issue was over]subscribed by over 30 times.
$ 480 million).
Anu Aga
54
This woman became the Chairperson of Thermax Engineering after the death of her
husband Rohinton Aga. The company’s condition was critical at that time. Its share price
dipped to Rs. 36 from Rs. 400. Anu Aga, the then Director of Human Resource,
Thermax, was compelled to take charge of the company.
In order to make the company profitable, she brought a consultant from abroad and
restructured the company. The strategy worked and the company saw profit again. She
stepped down from the post of chairperson in 2004. Now, she spends most of her time in
social activities. Bombay Management Association awarded her Management Woman
Achiever of the Year Award 2002]2003. After retiring from Thermax, she took to social
work, and 2010 was awarded the Padma Shri (Social Work) by Govt. of India.
Sulajja Firodia Motwani
55
Sulajja Firodia Motwani is Joint Managing Director of Kinetic Engineering Ltd, she is
the in charge of the Company’s overall business developmental activities. She is also
very well performing the role of the Director of Kinetic Motor Company Limited and
Kinetic Marketing Services Limited. She as made an incredible contribution in making
the firm reach heights of success.
Prior to joining Kinetic Company, Sulajja worked for a period of four years with a well
known investment analytics company, BARRA International, based in California. She
has been an active participant in setting the operations of the company in India.
Throughout her studies, she has been a rank holder. She has always cleared exams with
merit. Her name appeared in the toppers list in the SSC examinations and HSC
examinations. She graduated from the Pune University. Thereafter, she went to the
United States for pursuing further studies. She is an MBA degree holder from the reputed
Carnegie Mellon University at Pittsburgh.
She is an epitome of boldness and courage. With her strong determination and courage,
she has been able to establish a niche for the firm in the business world. The Company
has witnessed tremendous expansion during her tenure. From being a mere moped
manufacturer, today, it has set its foothold in the industry as a manufacturer offering a
complete range of two wheelers right from mopeds, scooters to motorcycles.
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Ekta Kapoor
Ekta Kapoor, creative head of Balajji Telefilms, is the daughter of actor Jeetendra, and
sister of actor Tushar Kapoor. She has been synonymous with the rage of soap operas on
Indian TV, after her most famous venture 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', which
started airing on STAR Plus in 2000. Ekta dominates Indian television, producing more
than eight television soaps. At the 6th Indian Telly Awards 2006, she bagged the Hall of
Fame award for her contributions. Most of her creations begin with the letter'K' due to
her superstition that it brings her good luck.
She is `a smart woman with a definite agenda` and has also been appropriately termed as
Asia`s most powerful communicator and the lady no.1 in Hindi serials and movies
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Simone Tata
With her visions, she changed a small unknown cosmetics company, one of the
subsidiaries of Tata Oil Mills, into one of the leading cosmetic companies of India.
Lakme changed the face of Indian fashion and cosmetics forever. For her success,
Simone N. Tata is also known as Cosmetic Czarina of India. Simone joined Lakme in
1961 and became Chairperson in 1982.
Eyeing growth in the retails sector, in 1996 Tata sold off Lakmé to Hindustan Lever
Limited (HLL), and created Trent from the money it made through the sale. All
shareholders of Lakmé were given, quivalent share in Trent. The Westside brand and
stores belongs to Trent.Simone Tata was the wife of late Naval H. Tata and is stepmother
to current Tata group chairman Sri Ratan Naval Tata.
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Vidya Manohar Chhabria
The wife of late Manohar Rajaram Chhabria, is now leading Jumbo Group, a Dubai based
$1.5 billion business conglomerate. She became chairperson of the company after the
death of her husband in 2002. She runs the business with the help of her three daughters.
She was ranked 38th most powerful women by the Fortune magazine in 2003.
The interests of the Jumbo Group include consumer electronics and durables, tyres and
tubes, brewing and distilling products, chemicals, machinery and equipment. The group's
Indian companies have interests in brewing and supply]chain management.
She manages to also attend to household chores and spend time with her daughters. A
great lover of Indian cuisine and music, at present, her dream is to develop Jumbo as a
focused global entity.
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Priya Paul
Priya Paul (born 1967), is a prominent woman entrepreneur of India, and currently the
Chairperson of Appeejay The Park Hotels chain of boutique hotels. She joined the
company, after finishing her studies in Economics at the Wellesley College (US) working
under her father, as Marketing Manager at the Park Hotel, Delhi, at the age of 22. After
the death of Surrendra Paul, she succeeded him in 1990 as the Chairperson of the
Hospitality Division of the Apeejay Surendra Group.Her contributions to industry and
commerce, particularly in the field of Hospitality Industry have been repeatedly
recognized and she has received several awards and citations, including the following:
• The Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association of India conferred on her Young
Entrepreneur of the Year award (1999]2000),
• She was nominated for The Economic Times Awards as the Businessperson of the year
(2002]2003), and
• UK’s Tatler magazine rated The Park (Bangalore, India), a part of her Group, as one of
the 101 Best Hotel Worldwide in 2003.
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Women Entrepreneurs may be defined as the women or a group of women who initiate,
organize and operate a business enterprise. Government of India has defined women
entrepreneurs as an enterprise owned and controlled by a women having a minimum
financial interest of 51% of the capital and giving at least 51% of employment generated
in the enterprise to women. Like a male entrepreneurs a women entrepreneur has many
functions. They should explore the prospects of starting new enterprise; undertake risks,
introduction of new innovations, coordination administration and control of business and
providing effective leadership in all aspects of business. Push-Pull factors and Women in
business
Women in business are a recent phenomenon in India. By and large they had confide
themselves to petty business and tiny cottage industries. Women entrepreneurs engaged
in business due to push and pull factors. Which encourage women to have an independent
occupation and stands on their on legs. A sense towards independent decision-making on
their life and career is the motivational factor behind this urge. Saddled with household
chores and domestic responsibilities women want to get independence Under the
influence of these factors the women entrepreneurs choose a profession as a challenge
and as an urge to do some thing new. Such situation is described as pull factors. While in
push factors women engaged in business activities due to family compulsion and the
responsibility is thrust upon them. Problems of Women Entrepreneurs in India Women in
India are faced many problems to get ahead their life in business. A few problems cane
be detailed as; 1. The greatest deterrent to women entrepreneurs is that they are women.
A kind of patriarchal – male dominant social order is the building block to them in their
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way towards business success. Male members think it a big risk financing the ventures
run by women.
2. The financial institutions are skeptical about the entrepreneurial abilities of women.
The bankers consider women loonies as higher risk than men loonies. The bankers put
unrealistic and unreasonable securities to get loan to women entrepreneurs. According to
a report by the HRD India), "despite evidence that women's loan repayment rates are
higher than men's, women still face more difficulties in obtaining credit," often due to
discriminatory attitudes of banks and informal lending groups.
3. Entrepreneurs usually require financial assistance of some kind to launch their ventures
- be it a formal bank loan or money from a savings account. Women in developing
nations have little access to funds, due to the fact that they are concentrated in poor rural
communities with few opportunities to borrow money (Starcher, 1996; UNIDO, 1995a).
The women entrepreneurs are suffering from inadequate financial resources and working
capital. The women entrepreneurs lack access to external funds due to their inability to
provide tangible security. Very few women have the tangible property in hand.
4. Women's family obligations also bar them from becoming successful entrepreneurs in
both developed and developing nations. "Having primary responsibility for children,
home and older dependent family members, few women can devote all their time and
energies to their business" (Starcher, 1996, p.The financial institutions discourage women
entrepreneurs on the belief that they can at any time leave their business and become
housewives again.
5. Indian women give more emphasis to family ties and relationships. Married women
have to make a fine balance between business and home. More over the business success
62
is depends on the support the family members extended to women in the business process
and management. The interest of the family members is a determinant factor in the
realization of women folk business aspirations.
6. Another argument is that women entrepreneurs have low-level management skills.
They have to depend on office staffs and intermediaries, to get things done, especially,
the marketing and sales side of business. Here there is more probability for business
fallacies like the intermediaries take major part of the surplus or profit. Marketing means
mobility and confidence in dealing with the external world, both of which women have
been discouraged from developing by social conditioning. Even when they are otherwise
in control of an enterprise, they often depend on males of the family in this area.
7. The male - female competition is another factor, which develop hurdles to women
entrepreneurs in the business management process. Despite the fact that women
entrepreneurs are good in keeping their service prompt and delivery in time, due to lack
of organisational skills compared to male entrepreneurs women have to face constraints
from competition. The confidence to travel across day and night and even different
regions and states are less found in women compared to male entrepreneurs. This shows
the low level freedom of expression and freedom of mobility of the women
entrepreneurs.
8. Knowledge of alternative source of raw materials availability and high negotiation
skills are the basic requirement to run a business. Getting the raw materials from different
souse with discount prices is the factor that determines the profit margin. Lack of
knowledge of availability of the raw materials and low-level negotiation and bargaining
skills are the factors, which affect women entrepreneur's business adventures.
63
9. Knowledge of latest technological changes, know how, and education level of the
person are significant factor that affect business. The literacy rate of women in India is
found at low level compared to male population. Many women in developing nations lack
the education needed to spur successful entrepreneurship. They are ignorant of new
technologies or unskilled in their use, and often unable to do research and gain the
necessary training (UNIDO, 1995b, p.1). Although great advances are being made in
technology, many women's illiteracy, strucutural difficulties, and lack of access to
technical training prevent the technology from being beneficial or even available to
females ("Women Entrepreneurs in Poorest Countries," 2001). According to The
Economist, this lack of knowledge and the continuing treatment of women as second-
class citizens keeps them in a pervasive cycle of poverty ("The Female Poverty Trap,"
2001). The studies indicates that uneducated women donot have the knowledge of
measurement and basic accounting.
10. Low-level risk taking attitude is another factor affecting women folk decision to get
into business. Low-level education provides low-level self-confidence and self-reliance to
the women folk to engage in business, which is continuous risk taking and strategic
cession making profession. Investing money, maintaining the operations and ploughing
back money for surplus generation requires high risk taking attitude, courage and
confidence. Though the risk tolerance ability of the women folk in day-to-day life is high
compared to male members, while in business it is found opposite to that.
11. Achievement motivation of the women folk found less compared to male members.
The low level of education and confidence leads to low level achievement and
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advancement motivation among women folk to engage in business operations and
running a business concern.
12. Finally high production cost of some business operations adversely affects the
development of women entrepreneurs. The installation of new machineries during
expansion of the productive capacity and like similar factors dissuades the women
entrepreneurs from venturing into new areas.
HOW TO DEVELOP WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS?
Right efforts on from all areas are required in the development of women entrepreneurs
and their greater participation in the entrepreneurial activities. Following efforts can be
taken into account for effective development of women entrepreneurs.
1. Consider women as specific target group for all developmental programmes.
2. Better educational facilities and schemes should be extended to women folk from
government part.
3. Adequate training programme on management skills to be provided to women
community.
4. Encourage women's participation in decision-making.
5. Vocational training to be extended to women community that enables them to
understand the production process and production management.
6. Skill development to be done in women's polytechnics and industrial training
institutes. Skills are put to work in training-cum-production workshops.
7. Training on professional competence and leadership skill to be extended to women
entrepreneurs.
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8. Training and counselling on a large scale of existing women entrepreneurs to remove
psychological causes like lack of self-confidence and fear of success.
9. Counselling through the aid of committed NGOs, psychologists, managerial experts
and technical personnel should be provided to existing and emerging women
entrepreneurs.
10. Continuous monitoring and improvement of training programmes.
Activities in which women are trained should focus on their marketability and
profitability.
11. Making provision of marketing and sales assistance from government part.
12. To encourage more passive women entrepreneurs the Women training programme
should be organised that taught to recognize her own psychological needs and
express them.
13. State finance corporations and financing institutions should permit by statute to
extend purely trade related finance to women entrepreneurs.
14. Women's development corporations have to gain access to open-ended financing.
15. The financial institutions should provide more working capital assistance both for
small scale venture and large scale ventures.
16. Making provision of micro credit system and enterprise credit system to the women
entrepreneurs at local level.
17. Repeated gender sensitisation programmes should be held to train financiers to treat
women with dignity and respect as persons in their own right.
18. Infrastructure, in the form of industrial plots and sheds, to set up industries is to be
provided by state run agencies.
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19. Industrial estates could also provide marketing outlets for the display and sale of
products made by women.
20. A Women Entrepreneur's Guidance Cell set up to handle the various problems of
women entrepreneurs all over the state.
Independence brought promise of equality of opportunity in all sphere to the Indian
women and laws guaranteeing for their equal rights of participation in political process
and equal opportunities and rights in education and employment were enacted. But
unfortunately, the government sponsored development activities have benefited only a
small section of women. The large majority of them are still unaffected by change and
development activities have benefited only a small section of women i.e. the urban
middle class women. The large majority of them are still unaffected by change and
development. The reasons are well sighted in the discussion part of this article. It is
hoped that the suggestions forwarded in the article will help the entrepreneurs in
particular and policy-planners in general to look into this problem and develop better
schemes, developmental programmes and opportunities to the women folk to enter into
more entrepreneurial ventures. This article here tries to recollect some of the successful
women entrepreneurs like Ekta Kapoor, Creative Director, Balaji Telefilms, Kiran
Mazumdar Shaw, CEO, Biocon, Shahnaz Husain and Vimalben M Pawale, Ex President,
Sri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad (SMGULP).
Microcredit helps women entrepreneurs in India With Loans, Poor South Asian Women
Turn Entrepreneurial By CRIS PRYSTAY Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET
JOURNALPage B1May 25, 2005 CHERVUANNARAM, India -- Every morning,
Sarjoni Nandyala puts a few bars of Unilever PLC's Lifebuoy soap and sachets of Clinic
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shampoo in a canvas bag and sets off to sell them to her neighbors in this dusty farming
village in southeastern India. For Mrs. Nandyala, who took out a $200 loan from a state-
run microcredit agency to start her business, the work is challenging and the returns
modest -- $16 a month is her average profit. But Hindustan Lever Ltd., Unilever's Indian
subsidiary, is counting on thousands of women like 40-year-old Ms. Nandyala to sell
more goods to tens of millions of low-income rural consumers it couldn't reach before.
Today, about 13,000 poor women are selling Unilever's products in 50,000 villages in
India's 12 states and account for about 15% of the company's rural sales in those states.
Overall, rural markets account for about 30% of Hindustan Lever's revenue. "There's
incredible potential in rural markets," says Sharat Dhall, Hindustan Lever's director of
new ventures and marketing services. "That's where the growth will come from." And
that is where the microcredit connection comes in. Microcredit blossomed in South Asia
in the early 1990s, when development agencies began giving loans of $100 or so to poor
women to help alleviate rural poverty. Villagers used the money to make handicrafts, buy
cattle or seeds and fertilizers to expand family farms. In India and Bangladesh, state
governments eager to boost local incomes got in on the act, as did private banks, which
found that repayment rates were high enough to make microlending profitable.
Development agency CARE International, for example, has hooked up Canadian shoe
maker Bata Ltd. with its microcredit clients in Bangladesh, who now sell inexpensive
flip-flops and sandals in villages that Bata can't otherwise reach. And Max New York
Life Insurance Co. Ltd., a joint venture of New York Life Insurance Co. and Max India
Ltd., has created co-branded insurance products with CARE India that are sold through
the nongovernmental organization's microcredit clients. Hindustan Lever, meanwhile, has
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expanded its own program into Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and its African units plan to
adopt it by next year. About 70% of India's population lives in villages, but many
companies still focus on urban areas, where competition is intensifying as the economy
expands and profit margins are thin. "For many fast-moving consumer good companies,
the bottom of the pyramid is not marginal anymore -- that's where the market is," says
C.K. Prahalad, a professor at the University of Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of
Business, Ann Arbor, Mich., and an author of several books on rural marketing. "It's not
about making cheap stuff, or being nice to poor people. Western markets are saturated."
When executives at Hindustan Lever were plotting how best to reach untouched markets
in rural India in 1999, they noticed that dozens of agencies were lending microcredit
funds to poor women all over the country. These would-be microentrepreneurs, the
company thought, needed businesses to run. So Hindustan Lever approached the Andhra
Pradesh state government in 2000 and asked for access to clients of a state-run
microlending program. The government agreed to a small pilot project that quickly grew.
The initiative, dubbed Project Shakti (which means strength in Hindi), has expanded to
12 states. Agencies such as CARE India, which oversees one of the subcontinent's
biggest microcredit programs, also have teamed up with the company. "For the women, it
provides a livelihood," says Hindustan Lever's Mr. Dhall. "For us, it is a great one-to-one
medium for brand communication and consumer education." When one of Mrs.
Nandyala's neighbors, who used a knock-off soap called Likebuoy that comes in the same
red packaging as Unilever's Lifebuoy brand, balked at paying an extra rupee (about two
U.S. cents) for the real thing, Mrs. Nandyala gave her a free bar to try. A skin rash caused
by the fake soap cleared up after a few days, and the neighbor converted to Lifebuoy.
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When another neighbor asked why she should pay more for Unilever's Wheel detergent
than a locally made bar of laundry soap, Mrs. Nandyala asked her to bring a bucket and
water and some dirty clothes. "I washed the clothes right in front of her to show how it
worked," she says.
Project Shakti women aren't Hindustan Lever employees. But the company helps train
them and provides local marketing support. In Chervuannaram, a Hindustan Lever
employee, who visits every few months, demonstrates before a gathering of 100 people
how soap cleans hands better than water alone. Dressed in a hospital-style smock, she
rubs two volunteers' hands with white powder, then asks one to wash it off with water
alone and the other to use soap. She shines a purple ultraviolet light on their hands,
highlighting the specks of white that remain on the woman who skipped the soap. As the
crowd chatters, the Hindustan Lever worker pulls Mrs. Nandyala to the front of the hall,
and tells the crowd she has got plenty of soap to sell. Mrs. Nandyala wasn't always
comfortable with her new, public role. She first applied for a microloan from a
government-run agency to buy fertilizer and new tools for her family's small lentil farm
four years ago. In 2003, the agency introduced her to a Hindustan Lever sales director
from a nearby town. She took out another $200 loan to buy sachets of soap, toothpaste
and shampoo -- but was too shy to peddle them door to door. So a regional Hindustan
Lever sales director accompanied Mrs. Nandyala and demonstrated how to pitch the
products. Mrs. Nandyala has repaid her start-up microloan and hasn't needed to take
another one. Today, she sells regularly to about 50 homes, and even serves as a
miniwholesaler, stocking tiny shops in outlying villages a short bus ride from her own.
She sells about $230 of goods each month, earning about $16 in profit. The rest is used to
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restock products. Hindustan Lever says it isn't making much profit from Project Shakti
yet, because of support, marketing and other start-up costs. Still, the distribution gambit
pays for itself and it is growing. The company aims to expand Project Shakti to 40,000
rural women by 2006. Project Shakti could account for as much as 25% of the company's
total rural sales within the next three to five years, Mr. Dhall says. For NGOs, such
commercial link-ups have meant shedding distrust of big business. "At first we were
unsure about it," says Vipin Sharma, director of CARE India. "But in the long run, we
think the poor will benefit from learning about retailing, distribution and marketing."
CARE, meanwhile, hopes to use Hindustan Lever's marketing expertise to promote other
small, rural businesses. In one state, Hindustan Lever agreed to help create packaging and
branding for pickles and spices made by a local group of CARE's microentrepreneurs.
Those women now sell their own brand of spice, called Jyoti, alongside Hindustan
Lever's products.
ERT: What are the most important services a women’s business association should
provide its members ?MRS. AGGARWAL: The most important service we provide is
counseling because most of the time women don’t know where to start or what kind of
enterprise they should take up. So our main thrust is to guide them towards making a
decision based on their situation; in other words, assessing the kind of environment they
are in or the kind of family support they have. Based on this information we try to help
them identify options and make a decision. Second, we try to see that most of the women
get help with the formalities required by the government and with acquiring financing.
Government purchases are important to many businesses and learning how to tender
offers to the government is important to their success. For example, someone may have a
71
tailoring shop but doesn’t know how to sell its services to the military. We try to help
them out in filling out the tenders, getting their organization registered, etc. It’s a form of
marketing support. Training programs are another service we provide. There are women
running very small enterprises who don’t even have the most basic level of business
know-how. In India, the Ministry of Industry has established the Small Industries’
Institute that has facilities in all themajor cities where women (and men) can get training
on manufacturing agricultural products, jewelry, and other products.We assist women
entrepreneurs to obtain training at these government-owned facilities, as well as at others
established by some private companies. Fourth, women often are not able to get the
information they need to run their businesses.We provide it to them because often their
involvement in family affairs is so great that they do not have time or they are not able to
gain access to information they need for their businesses.We also encourage them to
come least two or three times to one of our local chapters and interact with other
members. Newsletters are also an important means of providing essential information to
our membership. We find it useful to ask members for different topics and ideas for our
newsletter. ERT: How is the Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE)
structured and what are its goals?
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CONCLUSION
73
CONCLUSION
India is brimming with the success stories of women. They stand tall
from the rest of the crowd and are applauded for their achievements in
their respective field. These women leaders are assertive, persuasive
and willing to take risks. They managed to survive and succeed in this
cut throat competition with their hard work, diligence and
perseverance.
Ability to learn quickly from her abilities, her persuasiveness, open
style of problem solving, willingness to take risks and chances, ability
to motivate people, knowing how to win and lose gracefully are the of
the Indian women entrepreneurs.
In a recent survey it is revealed that the female entrepreneurs from
India are generating more wealth than the women in any part of the
world. The basic qualities required for entrepreneurs and the basic
characters of Indian women, reveal that, much potential is available
among the Indian women on their entrepreneurial ability. This potential
is to be recognized, brought out and exposed for utilization in
productive and service sectors for the development of the nation.
Support needs of women entrepreneurs
Specialist organisations representing and/or providing support to women entrepreneurs
were asked to suggest what types of policy assistance might be of greatest benefit to their
clients or members. In addition, they were asked to state whether they thought that the
74
need for support in different areas was greater than the needs of small businesses in
general. Respondents were given a number of options to choose from, and also had the
opportunity to suggest policies or initiatives that were not listed on the questionnaire.
Finally, respondents were asked to put forward what they felt to be the main success
factors in the provision of support for women entrepreneurs.
Case study interviews with women entrepreneurs also explored their perceptions of the
types of support that might be most helpful for them in addressing the issues and
problems that they are facing.
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LIMITATIONS
76
LIMITATIONS
During the winter training research the researcher came across the following limitations-:
The time period was very short.
The data collected for the report is secondary which can be modified as per the
requirements.
The verification and purity of report data cannot be promised.
The required stuff can be drawn from various journals that are not updated so
may be current records cannot be fetched from them.
77
BIBLIOGRAPHY
78
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Entrepreneurship: Self-Reported Motivations and Correlates with Success.
Journal of Small Business Management. (pp. 34-46).
3. Gundry. L. K., Ben-Yoseph. M., & Posig. M. (2002). Contemporary Perspectives
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