Women S Entrepreneurship Policy

Bringing together scholars from around the world, this book provides extensive coverage of the academic literature and research on women’s entrepreneurship policy.

This publication examines how to strengthen the scope and effectiveness of entrepreneurship policies for women. It examines both dedicated measures for women and ensuring that mainstream policies for all entrepreneurs are appropriate for women. Evidence is offered on the gender gap in entrepreneurship and its causes.

Over the past century, an extensive literature has developed, exploring the impact of entrepreneurship on economic performance. The active participation of entrepreneurs in virtually all aspects of business and economic activity has obliged policy makers within the global economy to consider entrepreneurship as a determining variable in any political force, not only for bodies and groups created specifically to this end, but also for any decision-making body. To this end, specific actions promoting entrepreneurship have already been established around the world. However, the particular dynamics of entrepreneurship by women present unique opportunities and challenges. The women’s perspective has often been overlooked in research, practice, and policymaking, and yet yields rich insights and implications. This volume features research from an international array of authors, global data, and in-depth analysis of women’s entrepreneurial activity in Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Canada, to shed light on the positive impact of women’s entrepreneurship on economic growth and development. The first part covers a broad range of concepts relating to the history and context of the female economic perspective. The second part focuses on performance and success factors, with respect to such issues as innovation, social needs, and entrepreneurial orientation. The third part addresses issues of financing, including discussion of access to capital, microcredit, and entrepreneurial behavior. The fourth part considers additional topics, such as work-family balance and access to education. Together, the chapters offer new perspectives on the unique characteristics of women entrepreneurs and their contributions to economic development in theory, practice, and policymaking.

This informative book is a comprehensive, research-based text on for educators, trainers and policy makers. It provides an insightful analysis into the range of issues facing female entrepreneurs around the world, along with recommendations as to how support agencies, educators and trainers can best respond to the challenge of encouraging more women to get involved in the new business creation. Based on a collection of research papers from international scholars based in the UK, mainland Europe, the USA and Australia, it provides a superbly comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities faced by female entrepreneurs worldwide. With contributors from Sara Carter, Candida Brush, John Watson and Elisabet Ljunggren, the book helps advance the general understanding of female entrepreneurship and helps set a research agenda on how best to promote female owned/led businesses nationally and internationally.

Bringing together scholars from around the world, this book provides extensive coverage of the academic literature and research on women's entrepreneurship policy. Featuring contributions from members of the Global Women's Entrepreneurship Policy Research Network, the book explores and critiques contemporary policy instruments while also pointing toward potential policy solutions. Chapters aim to deepen understanding of women's entrepreneurship policy and raise awareness among policy makers, programme managers and academics of the dangers associated with gender-blind entrepreneurship policies. The book concludes that 'one size fits all' policies that ignore the gender dimension do not support women entrepreneurs effectively. Research-based and international in approach, Women's Entrepreneurship Policy will be a useful guide for academics and advanced students in the areas of entrepreneurship, gender and management, diversity and management, and international business. It will also be beneficial for policy makers and those involved in designing and delivering women's entrepreneurship programmes.

The Indian Constitution is the largest written constitution that guarantees equality to women and empowers the State to take affirmative actions in favour of women. India has adopted International conventions for protection of rights of women and granting them equality and ratified the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in the year 1993. The National Policy for Women Empowerment was presented in 2001, the goal of that policy to bring about the advancement, development and empowerment of women and enable women to become financially independent. Currently, India is the only country where the economic gender gap is larger than the political gender gap. Women are required to understand their own potential and overcome social barriers. With constant support of the government, change in stereotype mindset and skill development in women, India will continue witnessing gradual increase in women entrepreneurship in future. The aim of this book is to show the latest state of knowledge on the topic of women entrepreneurship, the role of women in business and women empowerment in India. Many aspects relating to role of women in business, sustainable business development and aspects going beyond economic empowerment of women are discussed in addition to presenting legal and regulatory frameworks. This book will be of interest to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students in the fields of entrepreneurship, empowerment, gender studies, and law.

SMEs and entrepreneurs make an important contribution to the Canadian economy. SMEs account for 60% of total employment, and Canada performs very well across many measures of small business generation, growth and innovation. However, further increases in productivity in medium-sized firms, an increase in SME exports, a greater business start-up rate and an increased number of high-growth firms could bring substantial benefits for the national economy. This report identifies several areas where new policy approaches could help achieve these objectives. Framework conditions for small business could be improved in business taxation, public procurement, access to financing and the commercialisation of research. New and extended programmes could be introduced in domains including entrepreneurship education, management advice and consultancy, and workforce skills development. A major effort is recommended to prioritise women's entrepreneurship, including by supporting social enterprises, and federal support could be offered to support the exchange of information on best practice SME regulations and programmes among provinces and territories. All this could be brought together and co-ordinated through the umbrella of a national strategy and a lead agency for SME and entrepreneurship policy.

This publication provides an overview of approaches and measures in MENA-OECD Investment Programme economies to promote, support and advance women's entrepreneurship development in the Middle East and North Africa.