Entrepreneurship

1. WOMAN ENTREPRENEURS
Entrepreneurship – Lesson 9

2. Topics to be
Discussed…………..
 Introduction
 Definition
 Factors influencing Women Entrepreneurs
 Types of Women Entrepreneurs
 Challenges faced by Women Entrepreneurs
 Specific Strategies to help Women
Entrepreneurs succeed
 Women Development Prospects in Oman

3. Introduction
 Recently, the Sultanate of Oman has devised
certain strategies to diversify the economic
activities to sectors other than oil, on which the
economy was heavily dependent earlier.
 The government encourages the private sector
and focuses on the human resources with a
special drive towards ‘Omanisation’, inducing
Omani nationals to support and create
enterprises.

4. Introduction
 However, Oman marks a significant departure
from its traditional and exclusive male
dominated decision-making situation.
 The era of exclusive patriarchal (male-
controlled) dominance in leadership positions
is changing to an evolving phase of women’s
empowerment (Al-Lamky, 2007).

5. Introduction
 Omani Women Workshop (2009) observes that
legal, educational, training, and financial support
have offered some opportunities to Omani Women
in the field of entrepreneurship.
 McElwee and Al-Riyami (2003) find that factors
such as family support and encouragement have
positively influenced women in emerging as
entrepreneurs in Oman.
 They note also that increased educational
opportunities for women and the level of
education have led to increased productivity.

6. Introduction
 Small and medium sectors such as sewing,
cosmetics, design and other sectors that do
not require large amounts of capital have
attracted largely Omani women (Nadwa,
2009).

7. Definition
 Women entrepreneurs are those who start a
small business either individually or
collectively with others by using the business
opportunities offered by the environment.

8. Factors Influencing Women
Entrepreneur
 They want new challenges and opportunities for
self-fulfillment.
 They want to prove their mettle in innovative and
competitive jobs.
 They want the change to control the balance
between their family responsibilities and their
business lives.
 They would like come out from their conventional
role of managing their home.
 They want to support their male counterparts by
engaging in their professions and families.

9. Types of Women Entrepreneur
 Women entrepreneurs are classified into the
following-
 Chance Entrepreneurs
 Natural Entrepreneurs
 Created Entrepreneurs
 Forced Entrepreneurs

10. Types of Women Entrepreneur
 Chance Entrepreneurs
 Chance entrepreneurs are those who initiate their
business without any preparation, clear goals and
plans. They grab the opportunities coming their
way.

11. Types of Women Entrepreneur
 Natural Entrepreneurs
 Natural entrepreneurs take business as a
profession. They plan for their business and are
being motivated by the earning of money.

12. Types of Women Entrepreneur
 Created Entrepreneurs
 Created entrepreneurs are encouraged and
trained through specialized training programs
such as Entrepreneurship Development Program
to set up their own ventures.

13. Types of Women Entrepreneur
 Forced Entrepreneurs
 The women who are compelled by circumstances
death of father, husband or brother to takeover
and manage their businesses are called as forced
entrepreneurs.

14. Challenges Faced by Woman
Entrepreneurs
 Barriers of infrastructure
 Professional barriers
 Educational and training barriers
 Social and cultural barriers
 Legal barriers
 Behavioral constraints
 Barriers of role

15. Challenges Faced by Woman
Entrepreneurs
 Barriers of infrastructure such as access to
credit, access to technology, support and
guidance, information on opportunities,
government support, industrial support and
financial support (for raising capital);

 Professional barriers such as traditional
occupational restrictions, lack of professional
education, generating skill, and knowledge of
industrial collaboration;

16. Challenges Faced by Woman
Entrepreneurs
 Educational and training barriers such as
vocational training opportunities, lack of
information/ advice on how to start an
enterprise, basic educations, and no time for
training/ upgrading skills;

 Social and cultural barriers such as values
and family structure, combining family and
work life, and gender bias;

17. Challenges Faced by Woman
Entrepreneurs
 Legal barriers such as discrimination in acting
independently and assuming responsibility;

 Behavioral constraints such as self-confidence,
finding the right contacts for your business
ventures, gaining of acceptance/ respect of
people, and the negative image of self; and

 Barriers of role: leadership requirements,
compatibility with tasks, and the pressures to
achieve goals.

18. Specific Strategies to Help Women
Entrepreneurs Succeed
 Create a Strong Network
 Understand the advantages of information
technology
 Learn ways to Balance work and life
 Get inspiration and advice from by other
successful women entrepreneurs.

19. Women Development Prospects in
Oman
 Oman Women Association:
 The first Omani Women’s Association (OWA) was
established in 1970 as a voluntary organization
and has played a significant role in the
development of women in the Sultanate.
 The role of OWA has been very encouraging in
helping women to learn skills and education and
make them self-reliant.

20. Women Development Prospects in
Oman
 Intilaaqah:
 Intilaaqah, a division of Shell, imparts
entrepreneurial training to young entrepreneurs,
both men and women.
 It has trained a lot of women on entrepreneurship
and the kinds of business which women have
started after the Intilaaqah training are:
 Tailoring of ladies dresses;
 Photo And video shooting in wedding parties;
 Sale of readymade garments;
 Beauty salons;
 Health clubs

21. Reviewed…………..
 Introduction
 Definition
 Factors influencing Women Entrepreneurs
 Types of Women Entrepreneurs
 Challenges faced by Women Entrepreneurs
 Specific Strategies to help Women
Entrepreneurs succeed
 Women Development Prospects in Oman