This book explores how culture and tradition have impacted the tendency for African women to opt for entrepreneurship. The first section presents literature on the concept of entrepreneurship and introduces traditional African women entrepreneurs—the first-generation, culture-driven entrepreneurs, driven by the need to alleviate poverty within the family. The second section covers the modern, second-generation entrepreneurs driven by such forces as education, globalization, and technology. Further, the author assesses the regional perspectives on entrepreneurship and explores the entrepreneurial ecosystems to determine their relevance to the development of entrepreneurial spirit in Africa and among women in particular. This book expands on knowledge about the role that women play in the socio-economic development of the African continent.
This book explores how culture and tradition have impacted the tendency for African women to opt for entrepreneurship. The first section presents literature on the concept of entrepreneurship and introduces traditional African women entrepreneurs—the first-generation, culture-driven entrepreneurs, driven by the need to alleviate poverty within the family. The second section covers the modern, second-generation entrepreneurs driven by such forces as education, globalization, and technology. Further, the author assesses the regional perspectives on entrepreneurship and explores the entrepreneurial ecosystems to determine their relevance to the development of entrepreneurial spirit in Africa and among women in particular. This book expands on knowledge about the role that women play in the socio-economic development of the African continent.
This book explores how culture and tradition have impacted the tendency for African women to opt for entrepreneurship. The first section presents literature on the concept of entrepreneurship and introduces traditional African women entrepreneurs-the first-generation, culture-driven entrepreneurs, driven by the need to alleviate poverty within the family. The second section covers the modern, second-generation entrepreneurs driven by such forces as education, globalization, and technology. Further, the author assesses the regional perspectives on entrepreneurship and explores the entrepreneurial ecosystems to determine their relevance to the development of entrepreneurial spirit in Africa and among women in particular. This book expands on knowledge about the role that women play in the socio-economic development of the African continent. Chi Anyansi-Archibong is Professor Emerita at North Carolina A&T, USA. She is Past President of the North American Case Research Association (NACRA) and Founder of Southeast Case Research Association.
This book brings together new household and enterprise data from 41 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to inform policy makers and practitioners on ways to expand women entrepreneurs’ economic opportunities. Sub-Saharan Africa boasts the highest share of women entrepreneurs, but they are disproportionately concentrated among the self-employed rather than employers. Relative to men, women are pursuing lower opportunity activities, with their enterprises more likely to be smaller, informal, and in low value-added lines of business. The challenge in expanding opportunities is not helping more women become entrepreneurs but enabling them to shift to higher return activities. A central question addressed in the book is what explains the gender sorting in the types of enterprises that women and men run? The analysis shows that many Sub-Saharan countries present a challenging environment for women. Four key areas of the agenda for expanding women’s economic opportunities in Africa are analyzed: strengthening women’s property rights and their ability to control assets; improving women’s access to finance; building human capital in business skills and networks; and strengthening women’s voices in business environment reform. These areas are important both because they have wide gender gaps and because they help explain gender differences in entrepreneurial activities. It is particularly striking that while gender gaps in education tend to close with higher incomes, gaps in women’s property rights and in women’s participation in reform processes do not. As simply raising a country’s income is unlikely to be sufficient to give women equal ability to control assets or have greater voice, more proactive steps will be needed. Practical guidelines to move the agenda forward are discussed for each of these key areas.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a driving force of the global economy, contributing up to 50% of gross domestic product in some instances. They also contribute to economic development through various channels such as employment creation, economic growth and poverty reduction, key elements of the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, in many economies the majority of jobs are provided by SMEs. However, despite their support of the economy, SMEs are prone to several binding constraints, such as access to finance and market entry, as well as exogenous shocks and crises, most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on evidence from international experience, SMEs and Economic Development in Africa provides grounded solutions to challenges affecting SMEs, particularly in Africa, and offers guidance on how to build resilience to counteract future shocks. It also offers a number of policy measures which governments in developing countries may need to consider in order to encourage economic growth and development, such as increasing productive capacities, training, enhancing business ethics and professionalism and improving competitiveness. What makes this book distinctive is that fact that it brings together the literature concerning SMEs in one place, and using case studies, it showcases how policymakers can overcome the challenges affecting SMEs. The book also provides tested and practical remedies for African economies with a view to making SMEs a springboard for economic prosperity. The book will appeal to advanced students, scholars and researchers, as well as policymakers, development agencies and non-governmental organisations.
For readers of #GIRLBOSS and viewers of Shark Tank—a global revolution in entrepreneurship is under way, inspiring women to blaze a trail of financial self-reliance and become self-made. Featuring a foreword by Suze Orman. What does it mean to be self-made? It’s not just about having money, but financial empowerment is where it begins. It means getting out of survival mode, where you are one problem away from catastrophe. It means changing your mindset from instant gratification to goal orientation. It means being able to sleep at night without worry. It means being rich in every way: rich in money, rich in family, rich in love, rich in time—abundant! For Nely Galán—entrepreneur, TV producer, and real estate mogul—helping women to become self-made is a movement and a mission. Galán pulls no punches. She is the straight-talking friend and mentor you’ve always wanted, and here she shares valuable, candid, no-nonsense lessons learned on her own path to becoming self-made (“There is no Prince Charming”; “Think like an immigrant”; “In your pain is your brand”; “Don’t buy shoes, buy buildings!”). You’ll read inspiring stories of women who started and grew businesses out of ingenuity, opportunity, and need. You’ll find exercises to help you identify your goals and your strengths. You’ll learn tips and tricks for saving money, making money, and finding “hidden money” that can help jump-start your self-made dreams. When you become self-made, the change in you inspires change in those around you, because one of the greatest rewards of a self-made life is seeing how the sparks from your personal revolution can light a fire in others. So come, join the Self-Made movement. The revolution starts inside of you! Praise for Self Made “A much-needed and wise book that teaches women not to fear money but to see it as a means of reaching our dreams. Nely shows us how to become money courageous instead of finance fearful. I want to give this book to so many women (and men) I know. Thank you, Nely.”—Sandra Cisneros “Nely Galán and I have traveled the country together helping women grow their businesses and live their dreams. I know firsthand that Nely is the ultimate self-made woman and your best girlfriend. Her generosity of spirit jumps off the page as she shares the secrets of her hard-won success and her contagious confidence.”—Nell Merlino, creator of Take Our Daughters to Work Day and founder of Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence “Self Made teaches women to unleash their spark and hustle. Nely inspires readers to use what they have to get what they want on their path to becoming self-made.”—Tory Johnson, “Deals & Steals” contributor on ABC’s Good Morning America and author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Shift “You are not truly complete as a woman until you feel confident and empowered to make decisions about your money. Throughout my career, I have seen how a woman who takes ownership of her financial life is transformed and liberated, and how that in turn has a tremendous impact on her children. This is my belief and my personal experience, and it’s why Self Made resonates so strongly with me.”—Maria Elena Lagomasino, CEO of WE Family Offices and member of the board of directors of the Walt Disney Company, the Coca-Cola Company, and Avon Products, Inc. From the Hardcover edition.
"This report provides a synthesis of the findings from the Jobs, Gender and Small Enterprises in Africa-- a Study on Women's Enterprise Development (the WED Study), which was carried out in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zambia through 2002. This was an action research project and funded as part of Ireland Aid's Partnership Programme with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and its InFocus Programme on Boosting Employment through Small Enterprises Development (IFP/ SEED). The study was directed by Gerry Finnegan from the Women's Entrepreneurship Development and Gender in Enterprise (WEDGE) Team within SEED and undertaken by a partnership of three nationally-based research groups-- Julé Development Associates International (JUDAI) Consultants in Zambia, Zewde and Associates PLC in Ethiopia and the University of Dar Es Salaam's Entrepreneurship Centre (UDEC) in Tanzania together with two international consultants Dr. Pat Richardson and Rhona Howarth from the UK"--P. ix.
This book provides compelling evidence from 42 Sub-Saharan African countries that gender gaps in legal capacity and property rights need to be addressed in terms of substance, enforcement, awareness, and access if economic opportunities for women in Sub-Saharan Africa are to continue to expand.
Africa welcomes business investment and offers some of the world's highest returns and impacts Africa has tremendous economic potential and offers rewarding opportunities for global businesses looking for new markets and long-term investments with favorable returns. Africa has been one of the world's fastest-growing regions over the past decade, and by 2030 will be home to nearly 1.7 billion people and an estimated $6.7 trillion worth of consumer and business spending. Increased political stability in recent years and improving regional integration are making market access easier, and business expansion will generate jobs for women and youth, who represent the vast majority of the population. Current economic growth and poverty-alleviation efforts mean that more than 43 percent of the continent's people will reach middle- or upper-class status by 2030. Unlocking Africa's Business Potential examines business opportunities in the eight sectors with the highest potential returns on private investment—the same sectors that will foster economic growth and diversification, job creation, and improved general welfare. These sectors include: consumer markets, agriculture and agriprocessing, information and communication technology, manufacturing, oil and gas, tourism, banking, and infrastructure and construction. The book's analysis of these sectors is based on case studies that identify specific opportunities for investment and growth, along with long-term market projections to inform decision-making. The book identifies potential risks to business and offers mitigation strategies. It also provides policymakers with solutions to attract new business investments, including how to remove barriers to business and accelerate development of the private sector.
The “useful and inspiring” (Diane von Furstenberg) guide for female entrepreneurs who want to take their businesses into the big leagues. “Do you have an ambitious vision for your business, but aren’t sure what to do next? Successful entrepreneur Julia Pimsleur provides an invaluable guide for any woman who wants to make a big jump” (Gretchen Rubin, author of Better Than Before and The Happiness Project). Over the past twenty years, women in the US have started nearly twice as many businesses as men, but only three percent of all women business owners ever make revenues of one million dollars or more. Most are stuck running kitchen-table businesses, just getting by, or in many cases, running out of cash. Julia Pimsleur aims to change that with Million Dollar Women, which will show you how to take your business to that million-dollar mark and beyond. Million Dollar Women introduces you to Pimsleur and seven other women who have raised capital, developed powerful networks, and built multimillion-dollar companies from scratch. It teaches you the concepts and the vocabulary you need to secure funding and scale up. It explains how to make the right connections, when to delegate, and when to seek coaching and support. Drawing on her own experience of becoming a CEO, Pimsleur also provides help for overcoming the hurdles you have to clear to leap to that next level. “With thought-provoking interviews of women entrepreneurs and other business experts and important exercises at the end, this resourceful book is rich in ideas and valuable insight” (Booklist).
