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Success and Family Life of Women Entrepreneurs in a Backward Province – A Case Study

Madhavi Putta1, Prof. G. Satyanarayana2, Prof. P. Vijaya Kumar3
Scholar, Dept of Economics, Sri Krishnadevaraya University Anantapur – 515 003, AP, India1
Professor of Economics, Dean Social Sciences, Sri Krishnadevaraya University Anantapur – 515 003, AP, India2
Professor and Director, School of Management Studies, JNT University Kakinada, Kakinada – 533 003, AP, India3
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Abstract

Women in India, in general are faced certain problems to lead their life in business. The role of women entrepreneurs is to explore the prospects of starting new enterprise with new innovations and must be ready to take the risks, control of business and provide effective leadership in all aspects of business. Indian women give more emphasis to family ties and relationships. Married women have to make a fine balance between business and home. A sample of 300 women entrepreneurs was selected for the present study from Anantapur district of Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh State, India to analyse the reasons for their success and impact on the relationship with the family members and chores.

Keywords

Women Entrepreneurs, Backward Province, Success, Family life

INTRODUCTION

According to the Government of India, Women Entrepreneur is an enterprise owned and controlled by a women having a minimum financial interest of 51% of the capital and giving at least 51% of employment generated in the enterprise to women. The role of women entrepreneurs is to explore the prospects of starting new enterprise with new innovations and must be ready to take the risks, control of business and provide effective leadership in all aspects of business.
Generally the women entrepreneurs are confined themselves to petty business and small cottage industries. The decision-making power of the women entrepreneurs will have certain impact on their life style. On the other hand, the household chores and domestic responsibilities are also to be considered as the important factors in their growth and success.
Women in India, in general are faced certain problems to lead their life in business. The greatest deterrent to women entrepreneurs is that they are women. Women's family obligations also bar them from becoming successful entrepreneurs in both developed and developing nations. "Having primary responsibility for children, home and older dependent family members, few women can devote all their time and energies to their business". The financial institutions discourage women entrepreneurs on the belief that they can at any time leave their business and become housewives again. The result is that they are forced to rely on their own savings, and loan from relatives and family friends.
Indian women give more emphasis to family ties and relationships. Married women have to make a fine balance between business and home. More over the business success is depends on the support the family members extended to women in the business process and management.

II. SAMPLING AND SURVEY

A. Sampling
A sample of 300 women entrepreneurs was selected for the present study from Anantapur district of Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh State, India to analyze the reasons for their success and impact on the relationship with the family members and chores. For in-depth analysis, 100 women entrepreneurs from three industrially well bestowed areas i.e. Dharmavaram, Rayadurg and Hindupur of the district were taken for the analysis. The sample was selected using non-random opportunity sampling technique as the list of women entrepreneurs available with the governmental and non-governmental organizations did not tally to a great extent with the existing women entrepreneurs.
B. Area of Survey
The proposed study was undertaken in drought prone Anantapur district. In Anantapur district there are about 5863 micro and small units established with an investment of RS. 279.38 crores and they are providing employment to 29926 persons. There are 68 medium and mega industries in the district. Besides 65 other medium and mega industries are under implementation in the district. Currently only five percent of enterprises are managed by women. Most of these enterprises are located around the affinity of Dharmavaram, Rayadurg and Hindupur areas of the district.

III. FAMILY LIFE AND SUCCESS

A. Relationship with Husband
The devotion of women entrepreneurs to enterprise activity may sometimes hamper the family life. As such during field study an attempt is made to study sample women entrepreneurs relations with their spouses. The same is presented in the Table 1.
The Table 1 reveals that 32 percent of sample women entrepreneurs stated that the relationships with their spouses improved after launching the enterprise by them. In this case Rayadurg women entrepreneurs stood at the top of ladder with 39 percent. They are followed by Dharmavaram and Hindupur women entrepreneurs with 31 percent and 26 percent respectively. Nearly 18 percent of women entrepreneurs reported that the enterprise activity allows them to spend some time with their spouses. The remaining 50 percent women entrepreneurs reported some kind of problems with their relationship with their better halves. Among them 24.67 percent reported that worries about enterprise future often interferes their relationships with their husbands. Around 13.33 percent reported tiredness to help their spouses. The remaining 12 percent reported that marriage life suffers due to involvement in enterprise activities. This is best illustrated in the figure 1.
B. Relationship with Children
The impact of entrepreneurial activities on the relationship with their children is registered during field survey and the data is presented in the Table 2.
The data in the Table 2reveals that more than one-fourth of women entrepreneurs felt that their entrepreneurial activities will make them better parents. The remaining three-fourth reported some kind of problems in mother-child bond. Nearly 28 percent reported that they don‟t have sufficient time to spend with their children. Irritation emanated with busy works making 19.33 percent of women entrepreneurs not as good parent. Lack of energy is the cause reported by 13 percent women entrepreneurs as to be good mother is hampering the relationship with their children. The variations of these responses among three areas are not significant and are somewhat negligible and the same is depicted in figure 2.
C. Impact on Home Maker Role
Traditionally women are confined to household chores. Even today most of the women particularly in India are assigned the household activities, irrespective of their socio-economic status. The Table 3gives the details of impact of entrepreneurial activities on their role as home maker.
It is evident from Table 3 that nearly 20.33 percent reported no problems with doing household chores and the remaining 79.67 percent reported some kind of problems. Lack of energy, worries, inability and difficulty to do household chores are the reasons and in terms of percentage of women entrepreneurs are 17, 31.67, 17.33 and 13.67 respectively. The figure 3 reveals the data about the impact on Home Maker Role.
D. Reasons for Success
The study also looked at the self- reported reasons for success of these women entrepreneurs. When asked what led to their success, the most common reason given seems to be personal qualities such as "hard work and perseverance'. Product- related factors such as "providing a quality product", "uniqueness of offerings" and "variety of products offered" were the most frequently stated reasons for success. People skills and marketing skills were mentioned by some women. A significant number of women also credited their success to the support provided by their spouses. The study on the success of women entrepreneurs and the reasons for the success is conducted in the survey area and the responses are given in the Table 4 and also represented pictorially in figure 4.
While research in other developing countries does indicate that personal qualities are critical success factors for entrepreneurs, they usually are rated as lower in importance to other factors such as good management skills or having access to financial resources.
The high importance placed on personal qualities by the women entrepreneurs in this study may be due to the differing socio-cultural environment that these women operate in. The entry of women into the entrepreneurial world is only a recent development in India due to the orthodox and traditional nature of Indian society. Hence, these women, who are the first to break out of socio-cultural constraints, must have felt that personal qualities are more important than managerial or technical skills.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

The study was conducted in three backward provinces in Anantapur District in Andhra Pradesh State, India. The women entrepreneurs must be ready to take the risks, control of business for their success. The impact of the business on the family matters of women entrepreneur is presented. One-fourth of women entrepreneurs felt that their entrepreneurial activities have positive impact in their family life while the remaining three-fourth reported some kind of problems. The entry of women into the entrepreneurial world is only a recent development in India due to the orthodox and traditional nature of Indian society. Hence it is important to note that some measures must be taken by the concerned government organizations to look in to the matter for encouraging the women to venture enterprises.

Tables at a glance

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Table 1 Table 2 Table 3 Table 4
 

Figures at a glance

Figure Figure Figure Figure
Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4
 

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