Women Entrepreneurship: issues and Policies in India

Abstract

The prevalence of a dominant ideology that confines girls and women to definite roles and obligations, leads to their devaluation and discrimination in a range of areas. Empirical evidence shows that women contribute significantly to the running of family businesses mostly in the form of unpaid effort and skills. The value of this effort is underestimated both by the families that take it for granted and in academic studies. On the other hand, many of the enterprises defined as being run by women (that is, enterprises in which women hold the controlling share) are in fact run in their names by men who control operations and decision making. Programmes meant to reach women entrepreneurs can succeed only if they take note of this paradox as well as of the familial and social conditioning that reduces the confidence, independence and mobility of women. In Indian society for years, women have been kept out of decision-making process ~(Women are prevented from achieving and holding positions of authority: (they are usually not encouraged by the family or society, to do work which requires skill, mobility and decision making. A number of women found a socially acceptable solution in teaching, nursing, typing, office work and social work areas, where generally accepted traits of women could be realized. Despite contributing even greater number to the work force, women continue to occupy lower status positions. Key Words: Feminine Identity, Women entrepreneur

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