This document discusses challenges facing women entrepreneurs in Mexico and actions universities can take to encourage more women to start their own businesses. It presents statistical data showing that women represent a small percentage of business owners and executives in Mexico. A study of accounting and business administration students found that most women planned to work as employees rather than start their own companies, citing lack of money and fear as barriers. The document recommends universities provide resources like workspace, advising, and connections to help students develop business ideas and gain the skills and confidence to become entrepreneurs.

1. Dr. Ma. De Los Angeles Mendoza
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: A CHALLENGE TO
BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION UNIVERSITY
August 7th, 2015.

2.  Outline
1. Introduction
2. Statistical data
3. Problem development
4. Conclusions

3.  Introduction
Objective
• In Mexico, each year hundreds of women choose to work as employees
instead of being their own boss. University women, are not being
entrepreneur. According to statistics data, most of them just work as an
employee.
• Then, it is inevitable to ask what universities are doing to change this
paradigm.
• So, a research was conducted with the aim of analyzing and determining
reasons and draw conclusions to encourage the activity of
entrepreneurism among women.

4.  Statistical data
National data:
• Women in Mexico represent the 16% from the business sector.
• 31% of executive jobs are occupied by women, 7% are members of
the board company and only 2% are business women.
• 51% of working people in the informal sector are women.
• Nowadays, women graduate with better grades than men, but
before their thirty birthday they will be making 10% less money.

5.  Statistical data
State data
• 51.8% of total population in Chiapas state are women (2’699,681).
• 29.3% (546,627) belong to the Economically Active Population.
• It is estimated that 32% (180,000) women work by their own and only 2 %
(12,000) create jobs.

6.  Problem development
• In order to probe the affirmation if women prefer working as an employee
or being their own boss, a short research was conducted to get
information about plans students have when finish the university.
• The place is Bank and Commerce School, Campus Tuxtla Gutiérrez,
Chiapas. This is a private university specialized in careers related to
business and commerce since 1929.
• Population size: The subjects are students of eight semester (last) of
Accounting (16) and Business Administration career (19). A questionnaire
was carried out to get the information.

7. Public Accounting career.
• The population is 9 women and 7 men, the media of ages is 22 years old.
• Four men and three women are working right now. Two men are working
in their own business and the other are working in different companies as
employees.
• To the question about what are their plans to work when they finish
school, two men said they are going to continue working in their business,
two women are going to stay home to take care of their babies, and the
rest is going to look for a job.
• To the question about if they ever considerate having their own business
instead being employees, three women said yes but in a far future, seven
men said yes, and seven women said never.
• About reasons not to start a company: Fear (21%), lack of money (52%),
laziness (12%), insecurity (15%).

8. Business Administration career
• The population is 9 women and 10 men; the media of ages is 23. Six men
and five women are working right now.
• They all are working in different companies as employees.
• To the question about what are their plans to work when they finish
school, one woman is going to stay home to take care of her child, and the
rest is going to look for a job.
• To the question about if, they ever considerate having their own business
instead being employees, five women said yes but in a far future, all of
men said yes.
• About reasons not to start a company: Fear (16%), lack of money (58%),
laziness (14%), insecurity (12%).

9. In order to reach the objective of women developing and acquiring
knowledge and tools to improve their future by starting business and
building companies, here are some steps universities could make:
• Provide a physical space to work, for example small offices.
• Post teachers some hours a week to help students to develop their
ideas and do some research.
• Make alliance with Government, so students can get some credits to
propel the business and help to register their marks and intellectual
property.

10. • Include subjects about Equity and Genre in an economic approach, so
women can be aware about differences among income, position, status
and other indicators that they might face in their labor life, compared to
data with workingmen.
• Start working in their projects in fourth or fifth semester, so they can have
knowledge enough and plenty time to improve them before they finish
university.
• Make more projects fair and encourage students to participate in internal
or external business fair, this way they can improve their self-confidence,
correct the technical faults and check the competition.

11. The most important thing is that students know about possibilities they can
have, it is not only about obtaining a diploma and getting a job. Economy in
Mexico in a micro level is being contracted, there are few jobs and more
people demanding to work, especially young people.
Even if the students have a great background, it will be difficult get a well paid
job. Women have to face this reality, and empower themselves to being their
own boss and create jobs by changing their mental paradigm.