Women and home based business : a qualitative approach

Abstract

The scope of this report is to analyse what motivates women to become entrepreneurs. It focuses on why women start-up home-based businesses, how they manage such businesses and subsequently the constraints or advantages they find in operating home-based businesses. Insofar, this research study provides attainable ground upon which the government may formulate business strategies and regulations in a more gender inclusive manner. The broad aim of this report is to facilitate women's inclusion in self-employment, hence encourage participation in the labour market. The report includes an extensive literature review which incorporates the definition of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial trends in Malta, gender-specific barriers towards self-employment, gender-specific motivators towards business initiation, categories of women entrepreneurs and risks associated with commercial activity. A description of which methodology was considered appropriate for this investigation leads on to give a detailed explanation of how the research study was carried out. Outcomes of the study were subsequently analysed and presented according to the main themes identified as the research questions. Finally, the recommendations suggest strategies how to enhance business initiation and disseminate information. The main conclusions argue that whilst there exist not just one prototype of woman entrepreneur, specific gender-related constraints in self-employment should be taken into consideration whilst formulating policy in order to instigate more gender equality in the public sphere of the labour market.