Women Entrepreneurship Development - with Special Reference to Rural India

Author:Deepti Kanojia, Ashwani Kumar

Abstract:
For development of any economy women entrepreneurs? plays an important role. In developing countries, a large percentage of micro-enterprises are undertaken by women. In addition to domestic responsibilities and childcare, rural women frequently have primary responsibility for agricultural production. In developing country like India where economic status of women is very pathetic especially in rural areas and opportunities of earnings are very less, the Self Help Groups (SHGs) have cleared the way for economic independence of rural women. This paper reviews concisely the literature in this field and addresses in particular opportunities and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. It examined the impact on women empowerment through micro entrepreneurship development and SHGs. In 2008, the world had undergone a global economic crisis. Since women always face greater difficulties in obtaining capital than men, the economic crisis had a greater effect on them. The purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of the global crisis for women?s entrepreneurship, from the perspective of equality, diversity and inclusion. The paper reviews studies on gender differences in entrepreneurship, focusing on 2007 and 2008 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) studies that examined the rates of entrepreneurship in 43 countries. The data show that in all 43 countries, the rates of women?s entrepreneurship are lower than men?s. Furthermore, the percent of women entrepreneurs is higher in countries where the general income per capita is small and where women have no other option for making a living.

Keywords:SHG, MSME, GEM, entrepreneur

DOI:

International Journal of Trade & Commerce (Vol: 2 Issue:2)