A weigh up of competency level and Skills of

women entrepreneur in Gujarat

Author:1 DR. JIGNESH R. TRIVEDI, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, NCSC,

Author:2 DR. KRISHNA KAPADIYA, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,
NARMADA COLLEG OF SCIENCE AND COMMERCE, BHARUCH,
VNSGU, SURAT (INDIA)

Abstract

The late Grace Hopper, management connoisseur and the first female admiral in the
U. S. Navy said “you manage things; you lead people”. She provided five ideologies
for visionary leader ship as women; first one is challenge the process; be a pioneer,
encourage innovation and support people who have ideas. The second one is, inspire
the others through personal enthusiasm to share in a common vision, third one is, be
a team player and support the efforts and talents of others, fourth is, be a role model
for others in doing things, the final one is celebrate achievements at work place and
rally “hearts” as well as “minds”.

Most of the successful leaders in India is advised that apart from the above five,
networking skills are required to meet the work place challenges. In this research
paper researcher is trying to discover the various skills to be required as a successful
women entrepreneurs.

Key words: Women leader, Innovation, team player, personal enthusiasm,

networking skills,

Author for Correspondence

DR. JIGNESH TRIVEDI, EMAIL: Trivedi.jigs@gmail.com, M: 9687659446
DR. KRISHNA KAPADIA EMAIL: 22krishnakapadia@gmail.com, M 9979278488
INTRODUCTION

Women are the new paradigms of today’s culture beginning from home to working sector.
Women are taking active participation in management, local governance and political fields.
Women trend in working sector has changed with globalization. Women have shifted
traditional assumptions about their roles and capabilities. Women have basic rights about
decision making. In this era women have made comprehensive steps in educational attainment
and workforce participation. Women participation in work is one of the proxy indicators of
women in overall status in society and gender empowerment. Women are managing complex
interfaces between domestic and work culture.

Women Entrepreneurs are assertive, persuasive and willing to take risks. They managed to
survive and succeed in this cut throat competition with their hard work, diligence and
perseverance. Ability to learn quickly from her abilities, her persuasiveness, open style of
problem solving, willingness to take risks and chances, ability to motivate people, knowing
how to win and lose gracefully are the strengths of the Women Entrepreneur to running the
venture.

The present research paper describes the research route to be followed, statement of the
problem, objectives of the study, scope of the study, hypotheses, sources of data collection,
sample design, tools and techniques used for data analysis and limitations of the study.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

1. Rationale of the study:

The rationale behind the study is to examine how women entrepreneurs at senior
positions participate in administration process in Gujarat. Which are the strong points
of female heads that they should continue for success and which are the weak points of
female heads that should be improved to become an successful entrepreneur and
participate in administration etc. The research will serve as a guide, platform and source
of information to other scholars researching on a related topic.
2. Statement of the problem:
“A weigh up of competency level and Skills of women entrepreneur in Gujarat”
3. Objectives of the study:

To evaluate the strengths and/or weaknesses responsible for women

entrepreneurs to running the venture.
To recommend the suggestions related to remedial measures in helping and
accelerating Women Entrepreneur to participate more effectively in
administration.
4. Hypotheses of the study:
There is no significant relationship among the Women Entrepreneur that they
possess different skills and abilities to running the venture.
There is no significant relationship among the Women Entrepreneur with
respect to their strengths leads to success that affect to run the venture.
There is no significant relationship among the Women Entrepreneur with
respect to their weaknesses creates obstacles to success that affect to run the
venture.
5. Sampling design:
Population: The population of the research study was the women entrepreneurs at
senior positions participating in administration of five different zones viz., Ahemdabad,
Anand, Jamnagar, Surat and Vadodara of Gujarat State.
Sample Size: The respondents were selected among the women who are running their
business by her own at different levels.
The questionnaire was administered to total number of 300 respondents randomly
throughout the five zones of Gujarat State.
 HYPOTHESIS TESTING
On Different Attributes Whether Possessing Different Kind of Abilities is
Important to be women Entrepreneurs
No. Particulars f-value p-value Significance
of Test
1. Self-development 6.12208 0.009326 NS
2. Inspirational vision 6.210974 0.008888 NS
3. Intellectual development 6.145289 0.009209 NS
4. Competitive efficiency 6.046252 0.009719 NS
5. Equal employment opportunities 6.032811 0.009791 NS
6. Delegating responsibilities to others 5.991288 0.010017 NS
7. Acquiring and management of 6.115409 0.009359 NS
budget and resources
8. Encouraging and promoting staff 5.983519 0.01006 NS
Development
9. Evaluating and appraising staff 6.001175 0.009962 NS
performance
10. Establishing working networks 6.001236 0.009962 NS
11 Planner 6.136452 0.009253 NS
12. Motivator 6.039757 0.009754 NS
13. Decision-Maker 6.039757 0.009754 NS
14. Delegator 5.989946 0.010024 NS
15. Leader 5.969552 0.010138 NS
16. Innovator 6.010732 0.00991 NS
17. Communicator 6.107606 0.009399 NS
18. Coordinator 6.012764 0.009899 NS
19. Resource Allocator 5.880231 0.010652 NS
20. Mentor 6.024225 0.009837 NS
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test is used to test the statistical difference in
average values of more than two group variables simultaneously.

Throughout the discussion, the researcher had fixed the level of significance at 0.05
(i.e. 5%). Thus the conclusion of accepting or rejecting null hypothesis is taken on
the basis of p-values. If p-value is less than 0.05, researcher has rejected null
hypothesis and the conclusion drawn was shown that there was significant
difference. If p-value is more than 0.05, researcher has accepted null hypothesis and
the conclusion will be no significant difference.

Ten attributes regarding respondents’ opinion towards participation in

administration, all the 10 (ten) attributes have significant difference. Thus it is
revealed that respondents are highly satisfied with performing different roles is
important to Women Entrepreneur. Observing other attributes with respect to
respondents’ opinion that possessing different kind of abilities is important to
Women Entrepreneur viz., inspirational vision, intellectual development,
competitive efficiency, equal employment opportunities, delegating responsibilities
to others, acquiring and management of budget and resources, encouraging and
promoting staff development, evaluating and appraising staff performance and
establishing working networks, the p-value for all above stated attributes is less than
0.05 significance level. Hence, H0 is rejected and it is concluded that there is
significant difference regarding all the stated attributes regarding respondents’
opinion that possessing different kind of abilities is important to be Women
Entrepreneur.
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Respondents’ Opinion Whether They Possess Skills to Run The Business As Women
Entrepreneur

1. Verbal and Written Communication: Out of total 300 respondents, maximum number
of respondents 284 (94.67%) agreed,
2. Empowering others: Taking together 300 respondents, maximum number of respondents
275 (91.67%) strongly agreed, From zone-wise it is revealed that maximum number of
respondents 59 (19.67%) from Surat strongly agreed.
3. Problem solving and conflict resolution: From total 300 respondents, maximum number of
respondents 277 (92.33%) strongly agreed, It is observed zone-wise that maximum number of
respondents 58 (19.33%) from Ahmedabad and Surat strongly agreed.
4. Stress Management: Observing total 300 respondents, maximum number of respondents
268 (89.33%) strongly agreed,
5. Effective team building: Out of total 300 respondents, maximum number of respondents
274 (91.33%) strongly agreed, It is observed zone-wise that maximum number of
respondents 59 (19.67%) from Ahmedabad strongly agreed.
6. Negotiating and decisiveness: Taking together 300 respondents, maximum number of
respondents 269 (89.67%) strongly agreed,
7. Personnel management: When total 300 respondents taken together, maximum number
of respondents 280 (93.33%) strongly agreed,

Possessing Different Abilities Is Important to Run the Business As Women

Entrepreneur

1. Self-development: Considering total 300 respondents, maximum number of respondents

270 (90.00%) strongly agreed,
2. Inspirational vision: Looking to total 300 respondents, maximum number of
respondents 277 (92.33%) strongly agreed,
3. Intellectual development: Among total 300 respondents, maximum number of
respondents 272 (90.67%) strongly agreed,
4. Competitive efficiency: Observing total 300 respondents, maximum number of
respondents 265 (88.33%) strongly agreed,
5. Delegating responsibilities to others: Out of total 300 respondents, maximum number
of respondents 261 (87.00%) strongly agreed,
6. Acquiring and management of budget and resources: Among total 300 respondents,
maximum number of respondents 270 (90.00%) strongly agreed.
7. Encouraging and promoting staff development: When total 300 respondents taken
together, maximum number of respondents 260 (86.67%) strongly agreed.
8. Establishing working networks: Taking together 300 respondents, maximum number
of respondents 136 (87.00%) strongly agreed.
RECOMMENDATION

The following measures are suggested to empower and to help for facing challenges by the
women entrepreneurs for running their venture:

1. Even today, men are seen as the bread winner and women as the house-keepers and child
bearers. This typecast role model continues to put obstacles before the working women to
efficiently participate in administration. So fundamental change is required in the attitudes
of the employers, policy makers, family members and other relatives and the public at large.

2. Family and Government support is essential to promote women in performing different

roles to participate in Entrepreneurial activities.

3. The government as well as private organizations should be more sensitive to women

situations and need as women generally have to look after family and work.

4. The Various organizations should provide good support system like work in flexi-timings,
work from home and transport facilities at family and workplace which that would enable
women to fulfill both without being pressurized to prioritize one above the other.

5. Working women should try to upgrade themselves in the changing times by adapting the
latest technology benefits. This can facilitate women to excel in decision-making process.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

All research inquiries are subjected to few limitations, although these may differ with respect
to the magnitude of limitations. The present study is subject to the following limitations:

1. The responses for the study have been solicited from the State of Gujarat only, which
may vary from those of the rest of India.
2. The study area was confined to the beneficiaries of only five zones of Gujarat, viz.,
Ahmedabad, Anand, Jamnagar, Surat and Vadodara.
3. Because of limitation of time and budget constraints involved in research, the study
was restricted to a limited number of samples.
4. The basic limitation of possibility of difference between what is recorded and what is
truth, no matter how carefully the interview has been conducted. The present study may
also suffer from this limitation.
 APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Your honest response will help research work.
2. The response will be kept strictly confidential.
3. Kindly give your immediate response as it is not a judgemental effort.
4. Put tick mark (✔) against the relevant information.
5. Items are graded on a 5 point scale (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree
and strongly disagree) where SA, A, N, D, SD represent the degree respectively.

SECTION - I
PERSONAL PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS

1. Name of the Respondent:

_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Name of the Organisation: ________________________________________________________

3. Place of the Organisation: _________________________________________________________

4. Designation of the Respondent in the Organisation: ____________________________

5. Length of Service in the Organisation (In completed years): __________________

6. Age Group: : 25-30 years

31-35 years
36-40 years
41-45 years
46-50 years
50 years & above
7. Educational Qualification: Graduate
Post Graduate
8. Marital Status : Married Unmarried
Divorced Widower
9. Total Experience: 0-5 years 5-10 years 10 years & above
10. Type of family: Joint Family
Nuclear Family
 RESPONDENT’S PERSONAL OPINION TO PARTICIPATE IN
ADMINSITRATION WHERE THEY WORK

No. Particulars SA A N D SD
DO YOU POSSESS THE FOLLOWING SKILLS AND ABILITIES?
11. Verbal and Written Communication
12. Empowering Others
13. Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution
14. Stress Management
15. Effective Team Building
16. Negotiating and Decisiveness
17. Delegation
18. Maintaining detailed records
19. Personnel management
20. Office administration
DO YOU AGREE THAT POSSESSING THE FOLLOWING ABILITIES IS
VERY IMPORTANT FOR PARTICIPATING IN ADMINISTRATION?
No. Particulars SA A N D SD
21. Self-development
22. Inspirational vision
23. Intellectual development
24. Competitive efficiency
25. Equal employment opportunities
26. Delegating responsibilities to others
Acquiring and management of
budget and resources
Encouraging and promoting staff
development
27. Evaluating and appraising staff performance
28. Establishing working networks
 DO YOU AGREE THAT THE FOLLOWING ONE’S STRENGTHS AND
WEAKNESSES VERY MUCH AFFECTS FOR PARTICIPATING IN
ADMINISTRATION?
STRENGTHS LEADING TOWARDS SUCCESS
No. Particulars SA A N D SD
29. Self-esteem and ambition for career growth
30. Firm attitude towards work
31. Good communication command
a. Good knowledge, competent skills and
abilities
32. Loyal and committed
33. Attracting top level support
34. Good inter-personal relationship
WEAKNESSES CREATING OBSTACLES IN SUCCESS
No. Particulars SA A N D SD
35. Lack of taking family care and family backing
36. Physical strain necessitating longer hours to
stay in the office
37. Difficulty of better judgment and quick
decision-making
38. Fear of transfer which disturbs family life
and domestic peace
39. Fear of challenges to be faced
40. Burden of shouldering responsibility
41. Not able to utilize full potential because of
family responsibility
42. Difference in language barriers and mingling
with strangers
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