Women entrepreneurs and strategic decision making

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to explore the strategic decision‐making process by women owner‐managers of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in developing countries, focusing on environmental dynamics as a strategy for the development of the MSE sector. The paper reviews existing literature and experience on women leadership and decision‐making process.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports on empirical evidence drawn from a pilot investigation in Kenya. A total of nine married women owner‐managers from different backgrounds were selected and a series of qualitative interviews conducted.

Findings

Evidence in the paper finds that women, whether pushed or pulled into starting an enterprise, desire to make independent decisions. Lack of resources made them dependent on their spouses, thus limiting their capacity to make independent decisions. Those pushed into setting up subsistence enterprises had greater discretion in terms of decision making compared with those who started enterprises to exploit an opportunity and whose basic needs were comfortably met by the spouse's income. Other factors determining levels of decision making include: culture, level of education and poverty.

Practical implications

In the paper the implications for policy include: promotional activities; creating appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks; capacity building programmes for potential entrepreneurs and their spouses, provision of child care facilities; and business support services and other intermediaries that might include dedicated financing programmes.

Originality/value

The paper shows that the respondents in this study were small in number, narrowly defined group of micro entrepreneurs who may or may not be similar to other small business owners. The data were indicative of subjects' individual circumstances, which may be entirely different from others' situations.

Citation

Ndemo, B. and Wanjiku Maina, F. (2007), "Women entrepreneurs and strategic decision making", Management Decision, Vol. 45 No. 1, pp. 118-130. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740710719006