Growth and Dynamics of Women Entrepreneurs in Southern Africa

摘要

Data from census surveys conducted in Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are analyzed to explore the growth patterns of female entrepreneurs in southern Africa as compared to their male counterparts. Major findings are: (1) Women's enterprises are as long-lasting as men's, but their employment growth rates are for the most part significantly lower; (2) The most often cited problem of female entrepreneurs is inadequate market demand; for males, financial problems are more paramount; (3) Women's enterprises tend to be home-based, while men's tend to be located in central business districts. The data underscore the importance of market demand to female entrepreneurs -- and the relative lack of attention paid to this issue in the women in development literature. The data also reveal the apparent inelasticity of women's firms to increases in market size and access to credit and training, possibly indicating that female entrepreneurs have different business objectives than men.