The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe
Background: There is an increasing interest in female entrepreneurship, not only to realise the potential for economic growth, but also in light of the opportunities for female expression, emancipation, agency and empowerment. Literature has found that many female entrepreneurs are profoundly affect...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2016-12-01
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| Series: | The Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajesbm.co.za/index.php/sajesbm/article/view/101 |
| _version_ | 1818898272214843392 |
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| author | Nomusa B. Mazonde Teresa Carmichael |
| author_facet | Nomusa B. Mazonde Teresa Carmichael |
| author_sort | Nomusa B. Mazonde |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: There is an increasing interest in female entrepreneurship, not only to realise the potential for economic growth, but also in light of the opportunities for female expression, emancipation, agency and empowerment. Literature has found that many female entrepreneurs are profoundly affected by the traditional sociocultural context in which they operate, and that they have needed to work around patriarchal barriers in order to succeed. This study explores the ways in which they do this.
Aim: The aim of this paper was to contribute to an understanding of how female entrepreneurs in a patriarchal African society can work within cultural constraints to achieve success within their own terms of reference.
Setting: The study took place in Zimbabwe among female entrepreneurs who had recently formalised their businesses
Methods: Using a qualitative interpretive research design, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 43 African female entrepreneurs running their own businesses in the Zimbabwean cities of Harare and Bulawayo.
Results: The complex interplay of macro- (national cultural characteristics), meso- (institutional and social factors), and micro- (individual identity) level factors shaped the ways in which the women dealt with the shackles of patriarchy, inequality and high power distance that had historically impeded their economic participation. Through their own agency, they mobilised their public and private identities separately, balancing the seemingly incompatible roles of home-maker vs entrepreneur.
Conclusion: Zimbabwean women successfully managed the interaction between their different social roles and identities to balance domestic obligations with income generation to better the lives of their families. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T19:29:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c00dfd4ceb2e49d99379967a3c945e1b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2522-7343 2071-3185 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T19:29:26Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-c00dfd4ceb2e49d99379967a3c945e1b2022-12-21T20:08:40ZengAOSISThe Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management2522-73432071-31852016-12-0181e1e1010.4102/sajesbm.v8i1.10141The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in ZimbabweNomusa B. Mazonde0Teresa Carmichael1Graduate School of Business Administration WBS (Wits), University of the WitwatersrandGraduate School of Business Administration WBS (Wits), University of the WitwatersrandBackground: There is an increasing interest in female entrepreneurship, not only to realise the potential for economic growth, but also in light of the opportunities for female expression, emancipation, agency and empowerment. Literature has found that many female entrepreneurs are profoundly affected by the traditional sociocultural context in which they operate, and that they have needed to work around patriarchal barriers in order to succeed. This study explores the ways in which they do this. Aim: The aim of this paper was to contribute to an understanding of how female entrepreneurs in a patriarchal African society can work within cultural constraints to achieve success within their own terms of reference. Setting: The study took place in Zimbabwe among female entrepreneurs who had recently formalised their businesses Methods: Using a qualitative interpretive research design, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 43 African female entrepreneurs running their own businesses in the Zimbabwean cities of Harare and Bulawayo. Results: The complex interplay of macro- (national cultural characteristics), meso- (institutional and social factors), and micro- (individual identity) level factors shaped the ways in which the women dealt with the shackles of patriarchy, inequality and high power distance that had historically impeded their economic participation. Through their own agency, they mobilised their public and private identities separately, balancing the seemingly incompatible roles of home-maker vs entrepreneur. Conclusion: Zimbabwean women successfully managed the interaction between their different social roles and identities to balance domestic obligations with income generation to better the lives of their families.https://sajesbm.co.za/index.php/sajesbm/article/view/101female entrepreneurshipculturedeveloping countryZimbabwegendersocial structurepatriarchy |
| spellingShingle | Nomusa B. Mazonde Teresa Carmichael The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe The Southern African Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management female entrepreneurship culture developing country Zimbabwe gender social structure patriarchy |
| title | The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe |
| title_full | The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe |
| title_fullStr | The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe |
| title_short | The influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe |
| title_sort | influence of culture on female entrepreneurs in zimbabwe |
| topic | female entrepreneurship culture developing country Zimbabwe gender social structure patriarchy |
| url | https://sajesbm.co.za/index.php/sajesbm/article/view/101 |
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