Getting Down to Business and Off Welfare: Rural Women Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This article reports on a grounded theory study that explored the experiences that influenced 17 rural, low-income women to choose sole business ownership as a strategy for becoming economically selfsufficient. Constant comparative analysis revealed two experiences that were common to all the women. Two separate constellations of experiences also emerged: the experiences of over two thirds of the women that were distal to the entrepreneurial decision and the experiences of the remaining women that were proximal to the decision.

Feminist Insight on Gendered Work: New Directions in Research on Women and Entrepreneurship

“…Brush (1992) argues that women's business relationships tend to be 'integrated' rather than separated from family, societal and personal relationships. Marlow and Strange characterize selfemployment as an 'accommodation tactic' (1994, p. 179) through which women can obtain the flexibility they need to meet the demands of their domestic responsibilities (see also Egan 1997;Buttner and Moore 1997).…”

Saving St. James: A case study of farmwomen entrepreneurs

“…Consequently, their businesses become an integral part of their identities and lifestyles as a way of meeting personal goals. Economic gain is secondary (Brush, 1992;Chiganti and Parasuraman, 1996;Egan, 1997).…”

“…Women are infrequently included in research on entrepreneurs (Egan, 1997;Sullivan et al, 1997). The research that is available suggests that women tend to create businesses in the informal markets and service areas (Brush, 1992;Oberhauser, 1995;Rowe et al, 1999;Chu, 2000).…”

“…Rural women also are characterized as experiencing various forms of isolation (Hargraves, 2002) and as having poor self-esteem (Claridge, 1998). Studies have determined that, in some cases, rural women do not allow themselves to seek satisfaction in their lives (Egan, 1997). Often these psychological limitations, coupled with limitations in transportation, services, and educational opportunities result in disproportionate poverty among rural women (Hargraves, 2002).…”

“…In comparison to urban women, rural women are more likely to be married and live within larger extended families (Egan, 1997;Merrett and Gruidl, 2000;Hargraves, 2002;). As a result, rural women often are constrained by their socialized gender roles (Scanzoni and Arnett, 1987;Fink, 1992;Egan, 1997;Chiappe and Flora, 1998;McKenzie, 1998;Hargraves, 2002;). While they may have little public power compared to men, they have considerable personal power in the home and in settings, like church or school, where social roles afford public influence (Fink, 1992;Claridge, 1998).…”