Factors Affecting Growth of Women Entrepreneurs in Pakistan

Abstract

Entrepreneurship plays a significant role in socio-economic growth of a country and is a major concern to both scholars and policy makers. Within entrepreneurial ecosystem, women entrepreneurs are also regarded as new growth engine of socio-economic development. Therefore, based on liberal feminist theory the present study intends to examine those factors that affect the growth of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. The study adopts qualitative research design and data was collected through semi-structured interviews from sample of fifteen women entrepreneurs, who work behind the veil due to different issues in Rawalpindi, Punjab Pakistan. The interviews were content analyzed. The result of content analysis reveal that socio-cultural, education, experience, personal, and financial factors influence the growth of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. The findings of this study have clear implications for policy makers in making policies to address women's entrepreneurial issues.