W OMEN E NTREPRENEUR IN I NDIA

D EFINING W OMEN E NTREPRENEUR

An enterprise owned and controlled by a women having a minimum financial interest of 51% of capital and giving at least 51% of the employment generated by the enterprise to women.
- Government of India A women entrepreneur can be defined as a confident, innovative and creative women capable of achieving self economic independence individually or in collaboration, generates employment opportunities for others through initiating, establishing and running the enterprise by keeping pace with her personal, family and social life. - Kamal Singh

I MPORTANCE OF W OMEN E NTREPRENEUR

50% of the population

Traditionally outside the domain of economic activities They must be made part of the economic development, because it will not only ensure the economic & social development of the women along with providing more human resources to strengthen the economy of the country. The economic status of women is now accepted as an indicator of a societys stage of development.

FACTORS INFLUENCING WOMEN

ENTREPRENEURS

Economic independence
Establishing their own creativity Establishing their own identity Achievement of excellence Building confidence Developing risk-taking ability Motivation Equal status in society Greater freedom and mobility

W HY DO WOMEN TAKE UP
EMPLOYMENT

Push Factors

Death of bread winner Sudden fall in family income Permanent inadequacy in income of the family

Pull Factors

Womens desire to evaluate their talent To utilize their free time or education Need and perception of Womens Liberation, Equity etc. To gain recognition, importance and social status. To get economic independence

S TATUS OF W OMEN E NTREPRENEURS

Traditionally Women had insignificant role 1970s witnessed some of the Women entering the no-womens land of business entrepreneurship, risk taking and financial adventure. According to official stats 50% of population own & operate less then 5% of economic activity. Their participation is 60% in SSI, 15% in large and rest in cottage & micro segment. They work primarily in sectors such as trade & services to tailoring, beauty parlors, and printing. Their participation in manufacturing is minimal. However, their contribution is much greater then shown in stats because much of it is in informal sector & household.

Women contribution paradox.

Presently Women from every strata of the society from metros to the backward regions of the country are entering.

The trend has arisen mainly because of the changes in the social attitude, breakup of the traditional joint family system, rising standard of living, opportunities for higher education for W, growing awareness for economic independence, consciousness of their potential, and credit & other facilities provided by the G & NG organizations. Future knowledge economy will make it possible for woman to contribute to economic activities along with keeping pace with their multiple responsibilities & socio cultural & bio disabilities.

S TRATEGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Overcoming family resistance Shouldering dual responsibility & Time Management

Acquire education, Skills & go for confidence building trainings Financial assistance

Effective & efficient use of IT

Marketing Support Financial Management

Group entrepreneurship
Programs and policies taking in to consideration special needs and concerns of Women Mentorship support (SHGs)

W OMEN E NTREPRENEURSHIP IN I NDIA

Earlier there were 3 Ks

Kitchen
Kids Knitting

Then came 3 Ps

Powder
Pappad Pickles

At present there are 4 Es

Electricity Electronics Energy Engineering

S OME E XAMPLES ..

Shahnaz Husain, Herbal Beauty Queen

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

Ekta Kapoor, creative head of Balajji Telefilms

C ONCLUSION

Entrepreneurship among women, no doubt improves the wealth of the nation in general and of the family in particular.
Women entrepreneurship must be moulded properly with entrepreneurial traits and skills to meet the changes in trends, challenges global markets and also be competent enough to sustain and strive for excellence in the entrepreneurial arena.