Women Entrepreneurs: a Critical Review of the Literature
Abstract
Increasing numbers of women are becoming leaders of their own businesses, and many are struggling to achieve success. A growing body of theory and research is exploring how different women come to business ownership, their unique leadership challenges and strategies for success, their personal change and the processes of leadership development they experience. This paper reviews literature addressing women business owners from the general perspective of understanding their leadership. Within this frame, existing studies of women business owners are classified and examined according to four themes that appear to be most prominent. These four themes are (1) Women business owners’ characteristics and development; (2) Women’s motives for starting and leading a business; (3) Women’s leadership styles and management strategies in small business; and (4) Barriers and conflicts encountered by women business owners.
The article argues that further study and critical analysis is required, particularly examining relationships between changing economic contexts and cultural meanings of work, and women’s unique ways of crafting entrepreneurial leadership. Questions are suggested for future research continuing the inquiry into women’s leadership as small business owners.
Women Leaders in Small Business:
A Critical Review of Existing Literature and Questions for Future Inquiry
Women’s leadership in contexts of small business ownership [1] can be argued to present different models of leadership style, values, and challenges than those developed by women in organizational leadership roles. Recent studies of women in business ownership (i.e. Business Development Bank of Canada, 1999; Industry Canada, 1999) suggest that these women business owner-leaders exercise a large degree of control over the vision and purpose of the enterprise, and often deliberately craft working environments and cultures that support their personal values and preferences. They can
Increasing numbers of women are becoming leaders of their own businesses, and many are struggling to achieve success. A growing body of theory and research is exploring how different women come to business ownership, their unique leadership challenges and strategies for success, their personal change and the processes of leadership development they experience. This paper reviews literature addressing women business owners from the general perspective of understanding their leadership. Within this frame, existing studies of women business owners are classified and examined according to four themes that appear to be most prominent. These four themes are (1) Women business owners’ characteristics and development; (2) Women’s motives for starting and leading a business; (3) Women’s leadership styles and management strategies in small business; and (4) Barriers and conflicts encountered by women business owners.
The article argues that further study and critical analysis is required, particularly examining relationships between changing economic contexts and cultural meanings of work, and women’s unique ways of crafting entrepreneurial leadership. Questions are suggested for future research continuing the inquiry into women’s leadership as small business owners.
Women Leaders in Small Business:
A Critical Review of Existing Literature and Questions for Future Inquiry
Women’s leadership in contexts of small business ownership [1] can be argued to present different models of leadership style, values, and challenges than those developed by women in organizational leadership roles. Recent studies of women in business ownership (i.e. Business Development Bank of Canada, 1999; Industry Canada, 1999) suggest that these women business owner-leaders exercise a large degree of control over the vision and purpose of the enterprise, and often deliberately craft working environments and cultures that support their personal values and preferences. They can
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