Investment behaviour of women entrepreneurs

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the new kind of investors – women entrepreneurs – and to find out the factors that drive their investment behaviour and investment decisions. Design/methodology/approach The approach of qualitative enquiry was used for the research in which 18 in-depth exploratory interviews were conducted to identify the determinants of the investment behaviour shown by women entrepreneurs, a growing segment in investment. The accumulated data was analysed using open coding. Findings The research show that women entrepreneurs consider investment as a long-term instrument are risk averse and quite conservative. They are willing to take risks in business but not for making investment decisions. The reasons for this low-risk behaviour include lack of time to understand investments and lack of knowledge about various products. The research asserts that if they spend time to be informed about the nuances of investment instruments, they are likely to take risks for their investments as well. The interviews also reflect that women entrepreneurs often mimic the investment behaviour of their parents. Research limitations/implications The sample for this research was taken from only two cities in India and a broader research in other cities as well will expand the understanding of investment behaviours demonstrated by women entrepreneurs. The differences in women entrepreneurs’ investment behaviour due to culture and ethnicity of the respondent are also not considered. Practical implications The outcomes of the research will help the investment manager to get a better insight into the psychology of women entrepreneurs as investors. This will help them develop personalized and relevant portfolio recommendations. Second, the findings will help service providers to develop training modules for their investment advisors by sensitizing them to needs and wants of women entrepreneurs as potential investors. Third, the research will be of interest for policymakers and researchers to understand the determinants of personal investment decision-making amongst women entrepreneurs. Finally, it will help women entrepreneurs understand and mitigate their biases while taking investment decisions. It will lead them to take wiser investment decisions, thereby reducing the risk and maximizing opportunities of returns. Social implications The research will provide opportunities for enhancing gender equality amongst investors. This can be achieved by educating the investment advisors on the traits and preferences of women entrepreneurs as investors. Designing and delivering specific workshops on investment awareness for women entrepreneurs can also be accomplished based on the findings of this research. Originality/value To the researcher’s best knowledge, the investment behaviour of women entrepreneurs in India has been little investigated. This study appears to be the first qualitative research attempt in that direction. This paper will be useful in understanding the behavioural biases by women entrepreneurs in considering their personal investment decisions.

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