Women Entrepreneurs in Africa: Individual, Family, Institutional, and Socio-Cultural Resources and Barriers

Women entrepreneurs operating in developing economies are often considered as an untapped resource and a way out of poverty at an individual and national level. However, little is researched about women operating in this... [ view full abstract ]

Women entrepreneurs operating in developing economies are often considered as an untapped resource and a way out of poverty at an individual and national level. However, little is researched about women operating in this context. In the growing field of women entrepreneurship, studies report the paucity of researches that are conducted in a non-western context, specifically in sub Saharan Africa, despite the increased interest by government and development agencies to encourage more women and youth participation in women entrepreneurship through various development programs. Therefore, this symposium is organized with the aim of contributing to enhance our understanding of women entrepreneurs in this particular context, investigating the individual, familial, institutional and socio-cultural challenges and resources that may affect their business and life success and/or performance. The symposium includes papers on women entrepreneurs in Ethiopia, Tanzania and cross-cultural research comparing women in these economies with two European countries—The Netherlands and Sweden.