Management Practices of Successful Female Business Owners

Abstract

This research project examines management techniques used by 58 female owners of small businesses in three eastern metropolitan areas. Data indicate that financially successful women owners delegate certain key tasks to employees, are more highly educated, and have more prior work experience than less successful females. The primary inadequacies reported by the women were difficulties in leading others and inability to delegate tasks. In addition to a lack of formal planning and policy setting, other seemingly important management functions did not materially affect sales or profit. Moreover, the level of mental and physical effort and degree of participative management were not significant criteria for success.

Testing Gender Productivity Difference with Informal Enterprises Data: A Case Study of Burkina Faso

“…From 400 enterprises' data from three different industrial sectors, Kalleberg and Leicht [43] show that determinants of survival and success of enterprises in Indiana (USA) were independent from the owner's sex. Other studies having been carried out in developed countries have also shown that women's enterprises produce less incomes and even employ fewer workers than men's enterprises [25,49]. Even if it is accepted that there is a difference in women's and men'senterprises' output, Kalleberg and Leicht [43] estimate that this productivity difference is overestimated when one uses national data.…”

The Gendered Aspects of MSEs in MENA: Evidence from Egypt and Turkey

“…These differences seem to exist regardless of economic context. Previous studies have also shown that female business owners most often start businesses in the 'traditional' service sectors such as retail trade, hotels and catering (Schrier 1975;Smith, McCain & Warren 1982;Hisrich & Brush 1983;Cuba, Decenzo & Anish 1983;Scott 1986;Neider 1987;OECD 2000a;Du Rietz & Henrekson 2000). Studies of Sexton et al, 1990;Stigter, 1999, andVerheul &Thurik, 2001 have found that women have different objectives and ambitions than men, often interested in balancing their home and business responsibilities, and are less moved by profits or the size of their business.…”

“…Studies done in transitional economies such as Poland (Zapalska 1997) and Slovenia (Glas & Petrin 1998) have found that female business owners tend to be represented mostly in the service sector. In terms of business size and turnover, a number of studies have indicated that female-owned businesses tend to be smaller than male-owned businesses and have a lower business turnover (Schrier 1975;Schwartz 1976;Welsch & Young 1982;Geoffee & Scase 1983;Hisrich & Brush 1983;Chaganti 1986;Longstreth et al 1988;Smith et al 1982;Cuba et al 1983;Scott 1986;Neider 1987;Du Rietz & Henrekson 2000).…”

Why Less? The Gendered Aspects of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Ownership under Economic Transition

“…Other studies have shown that female business owners 4 most often start businesses that are in the 'traditional' service sectors such as retail trade, hotels and catering (Schrier 1975;Smith, McCain & Warren 1982;Hisrich & Brush 1983;Cuba, Decenzo & Anish 1983;Scott 1986;Neider 1987;van Uxem & Bais 1996;OECD 2000a;Du Rietz & Henrekson 2000). However, increasingly more female business owners are becoming involved in less traditional service sectors such as communications, finance, real estate, etc.…”

“…Studies done in economic transition countries such as Poland (Zapalska 1997) and Slovenia (Glas & Petrin 1998) have found that female business owners tend to be most prominently represented in the service sector. In terms of business size and turnover, a number of studies have indicated that female businesses tend to be smaller than male owned businesses and have a lower business turnover (Schrier 1975;Schwartz 1976;Welsch & Young 1982;Geoffee & Scase 1983;Hisrich & Brush 1986;Chaganti 1986;Longstreth et al 1988;Smith et al 1982;Cuba et al 1983;Scott 1986;Neider 1987;Du Rietz & Henrekson 2000).…”