Push and Pull Factors Influencing Women Entrepreneurs in India

A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Dissertation:
A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Academic year: 2017-2018
Name of the student: Pratyusha Samineni
Name of the university: Newcastle University Business School
Name of the course: MSc. Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship
Student Number: 140428083
Supervisor’s Name: Dr.Andreas Giazitzoglu
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A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Acknowledgements
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my guide and mentor, Dr.Andreas Giazitzoglu,
who has continually and consistently motivated and inspired me during the duration of my
research. Without his persistent guidance and assistance, the completion of this dissertation
would have been impossible.
I am also grateful to all the people involved in this research, without whose cooperation, I would
not have been able to complete the dissertation. Every member of the dissertation committee has
provided adequate professional and personal guidance which aided me in my endeavour. I would
also like to thank the participants who gave me valuable insight into what it feels like to be a
woman entrepreneur in India. I would also like to mention my family, who supported me
throughout this process.
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A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation is to study the pull-push theory concerning women
entrepreneurship in India. In India, like other nations of the world, women are gradually
beginning to expand their horizons and gain prominence as far as the professional sector is
concerned. Women are no longer limited to the domestic sphere in India. Various social,
economic, political, psychological and family factors are pushing women to start their own
business and venture into entrepreneurship. There are a number of push and pull factors that
drive women to do so. While negative aspects provoke some women like lack of suitable
employment and dissatisfaction with existing employment conditions, some women are pulled
into this industry by the mere force of passion and creativity.
The following paper attempts to analyse these factors and depicts the extent of their influence. A
detailed review of the existing literature is performed, which studies the various factors affecting
women in entrepreneurship and a list of facts and figures concerning the same. The push and pull
theory has also been studied, with detailed charts and graphical evidence. The paper poses the
research question, “How does push and pull theory influence women entrepreneurs in India?”.
An inductive research approach utilised in the paper, where there is an exploration of the new
phenomenon of women entrepreneurship. The data collection and analysis method is qualitative,
with semi-structured interviews of women entrepreneurs in India. An analysis of the interview
results has been provided, along with a final discussion on multiple aspects related to women
entrepreneurship in India.
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A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................5
Chapter 2: Literature Review...........................................................................................................7
2.1 Women’s role in business and entrepreneurship...................................................................7
2.2 Facts and Figures about Women Entrepreneurs in India.......................................................8
2.3 Push and Pull Theory...........................................................................................................18
Chapter 3: Research Methodology................................................................................................22
3.1 The research question: How does push and pull theory influence women entrepreneurs in
India?.........................................................................................................................................22
3.2 Research Philosophy – Interpretivism.................................................................................23
3.3 Research Approach – Inductive...........................................................................................24
3.4 Research Method – Qualitative...........................................................................................24
3.5 Research Methodology – Phenomenology..........................................................................25
3.6 Time Horizon & Sampling– Cross-sectional.......................................................................27
3.7 Research Ethics....................................................................................................................27
3.8 Data Collection & Data Analysis........................................................................................28
3.9 Limitations...........................................................................................................................28
Chapter 4: Findings & Analysis:...................................................................................................30
4.1 Introduction:........................................................................................................................30
4.2 Analysis...............................................................................................................................37
4.3 Discussion............................................................................................................................39
Chapter 5: Conclusion...................................................................................................................43
References:....................................................................................................................................43
Appendix: .....................................................................................................................................52
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A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
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A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Chapter 1: Introduction
In most cultures around the world, a common assumption is prevalent – that women
should be restricted to the domestic sphere and are only capable of maintaining a family.
However, women today are challenging such backward notions and competing with their male
counterparts in a globalised and highly competitive business arena. In India, the status of women
has undergone a drastic change in the last few years, owing to globalisation and industrialisation.
With the education of more and more women, women gained awareness and have shifted from
their roles in the kitchen to that of professional activity (Bodkin, 1999). Entrepreneurship has
always regarded primarily as a male-dominated sphere from the very beginning. However, with
the passage of time, such stereotypes have been shattered, and India has seen the rise of some of
the most inspirational female entrepreneurs in recent times. As such, it is essential to understand
the various factors that push women to become entrepreneurs. In India at present, women are
competing at a national level with men as far as business is concerned, thus affecting economic
development as a whole. Women are no longer restricted to selected professions but have
expanded their horizons to trade, engineering and industry as well. This, in turn, contributes to
the growth of the nation as a whole.
Women, with proper resources and education, can prove themselves to be potentially
productive forces of the nation. There are many social, cultural, religious, psychological and
economic factors which have led to a growth of women entrepreneurship in India. One of the
most obvious reasons behind women (both urban and rural) opting for entrepreneurship is an
economic and social well-being. Since more and more women are stepping out of the home to
earn, they are gaining financial independence. Apart from attractive incomes, better lifestyle,
personal satisfaction, the ability to hone and utilise one’s talents and skills, assurance of career,
family security and self-confidence are some of the other reasons why a large number of Indian
women are venturing into entrepreneurship today. Out of all the factors, however, social, family
and psychological factors play a crucial role (Krishnamoorthy &Balasubramani, 2014). Social
factors determine the lifestyles of individuals. More and more women today are being grasped by
an innate desire to go beyond the restrictions imposed on them by society and embrace the
opportunities that the world has in store for them.
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A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Moreover, in India, violence against women is common. Women are often subjected to
domestic and sexual violence; for such women, the only way to survive is to find their means of
livelihood. This paper examines how positive aspects do not always trigger the push and pull
factors behind the growth of women entrepreneurship. There might be negative factors like
dissatisfaction with existing factors, lack of suitable opportunities for employment, family issues,
violence and atrocious acts committed against them which move them towards a path of
entrepreneurship.
It must be understood that in a developing nation like India, entrepreneurship is no less
than a colossus achievement for women. However, women today are becoming more aware of
their inherent rights, and proper education empowers them to pursue their ambitions. It must also
be realised that no nation could progress with half of its population deprived of their fundamental
human rights to work and earn money. The pull and push theory has been applied to understand
the factors that play a crucial role in promoting women entrepreneurship. “Push” factors refer to
the negative factors while “pull” factors are relatively positive. A desire to be independent and
have a career of their own is one of the major motivational factors that drive women to become
entrepreneurs. Women today are more inclined to combining their roles as mothers, wives and
homemakers with that of their professional lives.
This research paper attempts to study the various push and pull factors that affect women
entrepreneurship in India. This would allow the researcher to explore the intricacies of this new
phenomenon. The researcher would follow a qualitative data analysis method. In order to
understand the push and pull factors, simple quantitative data would not be sufficient. Instead,
semi-structured interviews would be more wholesome and give the researcher more detailed
insight into the various social, economic and psychological factors influencing women
entrepreneurship in India.
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A study on the push and pull factors that influence women to become entrepreneurs in India
Chapter 2: Literature Review
The following sub-sections will discuss the opinion of scholars on women
entrepreneurship, as well as setting the scene between woman entrepreneurship and various
internal/external factors that compel a woman to become an entrepreneur in India.
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