WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR

Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairman & Managing Director of Biocon Ltd.

Neelam Dhawan, Managing Director, Microsoft India

Naina Lal Kidwai, she is the first woman to head the operations of a foreign bank in India. ( HSBC)

Indu Jain the multi-faceted lady used to be the Chairman of the Times Group-

Priya Paul Chairperson of Park Hotels.

Simone Tata, has been instrumental in changing a small subsidary of Tata Oil Mills into the largest cosmetic brand in India LAKME

.Mallika Srinivasan, currently the Director of TAFE- Tractors and Farm Equipment

Preetha Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals, Chennai

Ranjana Kumar, currently Vigilance Commissioner in Central Vigilance Commission,

Chanda Kochhar Managing Director (MD) of ICICI Bank and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Indira Nooyi CEO of PepsiCo

Introduction
Women have always been the major contributor of human capital since inception (start) and creation of universe. Earlier they were confined to household activities as the time is changing very fast, awareness regarding entrepreneurship among women took place.

Definition
The women or group of women who initiate organize and operate a business enterprise

History
It was defined as women entrepreneurs for the 1st time in the year 1988, laid down that an enterprise owned and administered by a women entrepreneur with a minimum financial interest of 51% in the share capital and giving atleast 50% employment to women would be treated as women s enterprise

NATURE OF WOMEN ENTERPRENEUR

It deals with the section of female population who

venture out into industrial activities.

It is the enterprise owned and controlled by a women

having minimum financial interest of 51% of the capital and giving atleast 51% employment generated in the enterprise to women .

Currently women s enterprise is defined as small scale

industry managed by 1 or more women entrepreneurs.

Features of women entrepreneurs

y Imagination y Attribute to hard work y Persistence y Ability and desire to take risk

 It is a recent phenomenon. Women entrepreneurship in India  Earlier they have only one carrier that is marriage.  But in present scenario they have shifted to various professions like teaching, nursing, office work etc.  Acc. To 2nd all India census of SSI 1987-88, there were 44759 women entrepreneurs.  Out of which 22661 had min. 51% share capital and 18098 had financial interest less than 51% share capital.

y The CSO survey of manufacturing enterprises

showed that out of a total of 2.14 million proprietary units owned by women entrepreneurs,1.65 million were located in rural areas and 0.49 million in urban areas.

y The survey also pointed out that women

entrepreneurs are involved in almost every industry.

y Example: beverages, garments, tobacco ,textiles

etc.

Govt. policy support

The policy has a strategy for holistic development of

women.
 This would develop their economic and social

conditions.
This policy with this end in view has redefined

women s units in which they had the majority shareholding and management control.

 The policy has further envisaged special training

programme s to support women entrepreneurs. e.g. EDPs



SIDO is also providing technical schemes for the establishment of SSI units.

SIDBI Efforts
y The SIDBI (Small industries development bank of

India) has also been trying to promote women entrepreneurship. The bank has designed programmes with a focus on women viz.
y Mahila vikas nidhi y Mahila udyam nidhi y Micro credit scheme

Problems of women entrepreneurs

Banks and financial institutions do not have faith in

women entrepreneurial abilities . They lack ability to bear economic risk, social risk, technical and environment risk. They have peculiar problem in domestic affairs like husband and child care.

They

have low level of favorable family background in the field of family co-operation, education, occupation and entrepreneurial base.

Women have led a protected life. So, they are

handicapped by their inability to travel from one place to another place for business reasons.

They lack high achievement motivation. They have

preconceived notions about their role in life and this inhibits achievement and independence.

Suggestions to promote women entrepreneurship

y Women entrepreneurs should be treated a separate

target group for all entrepreneurial development programmes .

y Vocational training facilities are to be developed by the

government for women. It is a first stage in developing women entrepreneurs.

y Institutional support system should be designed to

suit the requirements of women entrepreneurs.

y Encouragement should be given to appropriate

technologies, equipment and practice for reducing their drugery and increasing their efficiency and productivity.

y Govt. should try to involve women entrepreneurs in

decision making process meant for entrepreneurship development.