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CHALLENGES
OF WOMEN STARTING A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
This study
is aimed at examining the challenges of women in starting a business enterprise
in Nigeria with reference to textile seller in Lagos Island. The specific
objectives include: (i) to examine the factors that motivate women enterprise
with the sector; (ii) to determine the relationship between the factors that
motivate women entrepreneurs and the challenges they face in business (iii) to
examine the relationship between the factors that motivate women entrepreneurs
and their type of business ownership; (iv) to determine if there is significant
relationship between environmental factors and women entrepreneurial
motivation. The data required for this
study was gathered through the instruments of questionnaire, in-depth interview
and participant observation. Five
hundred and seventy (570) copies of questionnaires were administered out of
which four hundred and twenty two (422) copies of the questionnaires were
collated for the analysis. To achieve
the objectives of this study, four hypotheses were formulated from the
structure of research questions.
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), chi-square, and descriptive analysis and
other statistical tools were used in testing these hypotheses. The results show significant relationship
between motivational patterns of women entrepreneurs and their performance; the
challenges they face in business; their type of business ownership and
environmental factors. Based on these findings and for policy implications, the
study suggests that more women should be encouraged to start business and be
equipped with managerial skills for effective performance.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
For over two
decades, the experience of Nigeria in the process of economic development has
not been encouraging. This has resulted in low rate of most economic
indicators. More importantly, Nigeria’s
over dependence on oil has contributed much to her economic recession. The situation did not improve significantly
until late 1980 when macro-economic variables began to rejuvenate as more
development variables were injected into the process of her development. The new value systems introduced include
inter-industry relationship, restructuring of production and distribution
processes, recognition of micro and macro enterprises, a new role assigned to
development of entrepreneurship, enhanced international competitive power,
economic restructuring, industrial development and employment generation
strategies. These were targeted to
improve the citizenry’s’ standard of living.
The role
assigned to entrepreneurship for economic growth and development especially in
the developed economies such as USA, Britain, Japan, Canada and others made
most developing economies to adjust their developmental concept and plan and
see new enterprise development as very vital to their economic problems. Entrepreneurship as the engine of economic
growth and wheel that pedal the vehicle of economic development has been
recognized for its importance in the area of job creation, revenue generation,
poverty alleviation and wealth creation.
This concept is now identified as the central element in the theory of
economic development (Schumpeter, 1934 and Josiane, 1998) and it makes up the
largest business sector in economies. It
has been recognized as the driver of employment and economic growth (Culkin and
Smith 2000, Peacock, 2004; Wang, Walker and Redmond, 2006).
Entrepreneurship
is important for the support of small and medium enterprises (United Nations,
2006). With an active Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sub- sector in the
production process, developed and less developed countries are expected to
depend less on large industries to drive their economy towards posterity. This is because economic renewal and growth
is expected to be increasingly driven within the vehicle of enterprise creation
and the industry clusters.
Entrepreneurship is therefore a process that involves a willingness to
rejuvenate market offerings, innovate, risks taking, trying out of new and
uncertain products, services, markets and being more proactive than competitors
towards exploring new business opportunities (Covin and Slevin, 1991 and
Wiklund and Shepherd, 2005). It
attracts both men and women who are interested in profitable inter-industry
relationship. To ensure adequate development and competitiveness in
enterprises, considerable research has examined the participation of both male
and female in venturing in business activities, particularly those reported to
have personal dreams of entrepreneurship.
This category has rapidly joined hands together to achieve success in
business and enterprise development (Gelin, 2005).
Women are
therefore becoming increasingly important in the socio-economic development of
both developed and developing economies as they account for significant percent
of the operators of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) (Josiane, 1998;
Kjeldsen and Nielson, 2000). Women enterprises make a substantial contribution
to national economies through their participation in start-ups and their growth
in small and medium businesses (United Nations, 2006). Their interests and activities in the
economic growth and development especially in the area of SMEs have received
outstanding interest of researchers. Global
Enterprises Monitor (GEM) (2005) confirmed that women participate in a wide
range of entrepreneurial activities across the 37 GEM and their activities in
different countries have paid off in form of many newly-established enterprises
for job and wealth creation. This notwithstanding, entrepreneurship is usually
seen from the perspective of men driven economy (Gelin 2005, Josiane, 1998) due
to its complexity, particularly its gender issues, the role of women
entrepreneurs has not been properly documented.
While
women's enterprises are a central aspect of economic development and public
policy concern in most countries, scholarly research about their
entrepreneurial activities is comparatively scarce. The role of enterprises as agents in the
labour market for creation of employment, wealth creation, poverty alleviation
and provision of resources has helped tremendously to increase the number of
women–owned entrepreneurial ventures in the world. The emergence of the private sector as the
major participant/player in the industrial development of many countries has
also improved women’s access in employment opportunities as against when they
experienced denial in employment opportunities as wage workers because of their
family responsibilities, lack of skills, social and cultural barriers (Josiane,
1998).
To cope with
these challenges, the development of self- employment, especially in the area
of SMEs became the last resort for them (Thomson, 2002). SMEs contribute more than 50% to Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of most nations both developed and less developed
(Oyekanmi, 2004; Uchwukwu, 2004; Ojo, 2006). Its contributions to economic
development have been predominantly in the area of job creation, poverty
alleviation, environmental vitality, wealth creation and human capital. Women enterprise therefore account for more
than half of the operators of SMEs sub-sector and they operate more often in
the agricultural, manufacturing, trade and service sectors (Kjeldsen and
Nielson, 2000; Community, Women and Development (COWAD), 2004; Gelin, 2005).
However, the
operation of SMEs involves considerable risks, hard work, enormous sacrifice
and sincerity of purpose which cut across various obstacles. The risks, challenges and obstacles (Ojo,
2004) perhaps affect women entrepreneurs more than their men counterparts,
making their chances of success to be considerably lower than men (Hisrich and
Brush, 1986). Considering the various
challenges and obstacles facing SMEs particularly in Nigeria which include;
capital inadequacy, unavailability of the required infrastructures, shortage of
manpower to mention but few, someone may quickly conclude that women are
usually discouraged from venturing into enterprise development. But today the story is a different one; women
are starting and growing businesses at an unprecedented rate.
For
instance, in USA, the analysis of gender creative businesses shows that the
rate of growth of women –owned businesses is twice that of men and this
comprises more than 35% share of all entrepreneurial ventures. They generate over $2.3 trillion in annual
revenue, and employ 18 million individuals (Bartol and Martin, 1998). In Nigeria also, women enterprises are
considered as an integral part of economic growth. Their businesses contribute jobs, productive
and distributive activities required for wealth creation both for family and
nation’s economies (Soetan, 1997; Okunade, 2007). Women activates in enterprises and SMEs
enable them to effectively combine their productive and reproductive roles
because the flexibility in hours of work which permit them to care for their
children and also contribute substantially to economic growth (Soetan, 1997).
This has made women to be regarded as the central focus of the economic
development and public policy concern (Bagby, 2005).
1.2 Statement of Research Problem
In Nigeria,
women who constitute more that 50% of the total population, represent a
substantial labour force (Afonja and Aina, 1993; Soetan, 1997; Okunade,
2007). In spite of their involvement in
the commercial and service sectors, women continue to perform vital productive
roles which have helped in the economic development of the nation especially in
the periods of economic recession. A number of studies suggest a positive
relationship between women’s participation in enterprise and economic development
(Hisrich and Brush, 1985; Simpson, 1993; Buttner and Moore, 1997; Hurley, 1999;
Kutanis and Bayraktaroglu, 2003).
Despite their participation in economic development through
entrepreneurship, women lack access to and control over financial and other
forms of resources. They have borne the
greatest burden of structural adjustment measures that are being implemented in
Nigeria (Afonja and Aina, 1993; Barrett, 1995; Soetan, 2004; Usman, 2008). In spite of this, researchers Yves et al
(2001); Kutanis (2003); Aina (2003) have recognized the increasing influx of
women into the field of entrepreneurship.
Buttner and Moore (1997); Minniti and Arenius (2003) have also reported
the recent women’s organizational exodus to entrepreneurship in developing countries
.
1.3 Research Questions
Based on the
statement of problem, the following research questions were addressed;
(i) What are the factors that motivate
women enterprise across different industrial sectors in Lagos Island, Nigeria?
(ii) What are the challenges of women
starting a new business in textile seller in Lagos Island?
(iii) Is there significant relationship between
the factors that motivate women enterprise and the challenges they face in
their businesses?
(iv) Do motivational factors determine women
enterprise’s type of business ownership?
(v) Is there significant relationship
between environmental factors and women enterprises motivation?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The main
objective of this study is to determine the challenges of women starting a new
business with reference to textile seller in Lagos Island. The specific
objectives include the following;
(i) To examine the factors that motivates
women enterprises across different industrial sectors in the Lagos Island,
Nigeria.
(ii) To analyze the relationship between
motivation and the performance of women in SMEs sub-sector.
(iii) To determine the relationship between the
factors that motivate women enterprise and the challenges they face in start up
business.
(iv) To examine the relationship between the
factors that motivates women enterprises and their type of business ownership.
(v) To determine if there is significant
relationship between environmental factors and women entrepreneurial
motivation.
1.5 Significance of the Study
The findings
of this research work are significant for several reasons. Most importantly, this research work will
throw more light on the challenges of women enterprises in the Nigerian
economy. The result of this study will help consultants/researchers and policy
operators on women entrepreneurship to understand the nature of motivational
patterns better so as to help women to make informed business decisions. This study will help in understanding the
extent to which the rate of enterprise growth is influenced by women
entrepreneurs’ performances. The result
of this study can help women enterprises who are seeking information on how to
handle their business and environmental challenges. It can also help government in policy
formulation on women entrepreneurship development and contribute positively to
the body of knowledge. It will create an opportunity for further research on
motivation and women entrepreneurship. This study will result in the
formulation of special policy decision on women enterprise, particularly for
ministry of women development, special business related groups, operators of
inter-industry relationship and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on women
affairs. These groups are expected to
utilize the outcome of this research for operative and implementation of polices
at both micro and macro levels. Also in
Nigeria, where entrepreneurship development is still lacking solid bearing, the
outcome will be capable of restructuring policies, curricula and institutional
based programmes, particularly, as relating to re-design of skills and
strategies for women in business.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study
is targeted to assess the challenges of women enterprises in the Nigerian
economy using the textile seller in Lagos Island as case study government area
of the metropolitan Lagos in Nigeria. Lagos Island is the principal and central
local in the state has been selected as the scope of this study.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
In the
course of carrying out this study, the researcher encountered some
challenges. These include unavailability
of sufficient finance, inability to access the required materials for the
completion of the work, the time lag in meeting up with the dead line for
submission of the work and others. Nonetheless, such challenges were not
allowed to diminish the enthusiasm level in accomplishing stated objectives and
hypothesis.
1.8 The Structure of the Work
The work is
divided into five chapters. Chapter one
is focused on introduction while Chapter
two is the review of some related literatures/conceptual framework on enterprises,
women enterprises and others, theoretical and empirical framework. Chapter
three centers on the research methods, Chapter four examines data presentation
and analysis while Chapter five looks at discussion, summary of the findings,
conclusion, recommendations, limitation and suggestions for further studies.
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