Role of women in africa

Challenges and obstacles

Women generally lack the necessary resources for starting and developing their own businesses. Resources critical for success are the assets that women bring with them to the entrepreneurial process in the form of human capital (formal and occupational experiences) and the entrepreneur’s ability to access resources in the environment (e.g. capital, suppliers, customers). Human capital is derived through investment in education and training. Research supported the theory that women have been impeded from acquiring adequate levels of human capital because of social and cultural forces (Chusmir, 1983).  Socio-cultural constraints have limited women’s access to a meaningful business experience (Cromie and Hayes, 1988), and led to careers interrupted by family obligations (Kaplan, 1988). They have less human capital for the management and development of their businesses. Demands on human capital, in terms of education and experience, are specific to the nature account the unique socio-cultural setting of South Africa as a developing country. The starting point of this research study is that women entrepreneurs face different issues, depending on the stage of their personal life cycle, region or industry of location and role perceptions in entrepreneurship. The researchers recognise that the process of starting a business is highly interactive and that it is a combination of personality as well as environmental factors that motivates people. Hence, the lead for this research has been taken from the more recent, holistic studies on women entrepreneurs. The aim of this study is not to provide generalizations concerning women entrepreneurs, but to provide an initial basis for deepening our conceptual understanding of women entrepreneurs in South Africa.of the entrepreneurial venture, and hence vary between industries etc. Additionally, barriers have been seen to impede women’s access to financial resources (Carter and Allen, 1992).  Thus the main obstacles that women face in business are educational and work background, psychological characteristics, motivation, perception and career efficacy, training and skills development, comparative earning levels, management practices, external networking, desire to succeed and other obstacles (Birley, 1989; Bush 1992; Dumas, 2001; Robinson, 2001; Scherer, et al., 1990; Stevenson, 1986).  The lack of management skills and low levels of management training are issues facing women’s entrepreneurial ventures, particularly in the case of micro enterprises.  Support organizations cite a lack of sales and marketing skills as the most commonly reported problem faced by female entrepreneurs, after finance.

Directions: Please read the above article and answer the following questions about the role of women in Africa.

1).  How do gender/social roles affect or limit a women’s economic opportunities?

2). List five of the main barriers that women in business face in Africa.