A Study on Women Entrepreneurs and Their Goals for Nation Building – (With Reference To Bhilai C.G)

Dr. Sheeja Varkey

Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, ST. Thomas College, Bhilai

*Corresponding Author E-mail: drsheeja07@rediffmail.com

ABSTRACT:

In the era of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization along with ongoing IT revolution, today’s world is changing at a surprising pace. Political and Economic transformations appear to take place everywhere. Today, women entrepreneurs represent a group of women who have broken away from the beaten track and are exploring new avenues of economic participation. It is high time that countries should rise to the challenge and create more support systems for encouraging more entrepreneurship amongst women.

Women, who succeed as entrepreneurs are risk taking personalities. The women entrepreneurs have their own identity in the world of entrepreneurship. Most of them are capable of fully identifying themselves in their new economic role in society.

In India, entrepreneurship has traditionally been considered a male prerogative. However, in tandem with a changing socio-cultural environment and an increase in educational opportunities, women have started recognising their inherent talents and business skills. With the help of various governmental and non-governmental agencies, growing numbers of women are joining the ranks of entrepreneurs. When we look at the social scenario down the ages we observe that women constitute nearly half of the world population. Women as mothers are architects who build the future of a generation.

For women entrepreneurs," starting and operating a business involves considerable risks and difficulties regarding obtaining lines on credit, problems in marketing management, production, advertising and packaging and other socio-personal, managerial, technical, Raw-material, Inventory, Financial and governmental assistance problems.

This study was carried out as the role of women entrepreneurs and has gained significance in today's environment. The present study is based on the women entrepreneurs in and around Bhilai.

KEYWORDS: Entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurs, future prospects, India, Architect

INTRODUCTION:

In this dynamic world, women entrepreneurs are a significant part of the global expedition for sustained economic development and social progress. Due to the growing industrialization, urbanization, social legislation and along with the spread of higher education and awareness, the emergence of Women owned businesses are highly increasing in the economies of almost all countries. Women had undergone a long way and are becoming increasingly visible and successful in all spheres. India has traditionally been a patriarchal society with low participation of women in the economy.

As women used to remain inside the four walls of the house and used to do all the domestic work like cooking, cleaning was dominated by men as they used to be considered as weaker sex, who always depend on men folk in their family and outside, throughout their life. Today’s women are taking more and more professional and technical degrees to cope up with market need and are flourishing as de signers, interior decorators, exporters, publishers, garment manufacturers publishers, CEO and still exploring new avenues of economic participation.

NEED FOR THE STUDY:

Till now very few efforts have been made in exploring the women Entrepreneurship in India. The efforts of Chhattisgarh Government through various welfare organizations, non-Governmental agencies, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and hosts of other agencies have started looking after and helping the efforts of women entrepreneurs. Encouraged with the efforts made by different agencies the women entrepreneurs have their own identity in the world of entrepreneurship. Most of them are capable of fully identifying themselves in their new economic role in society. The study suggests a women entrepreneur is one who starts business and manages it independently and tactfully takes all the risks, accepts challenging role to meet her personal needs and become economically independent.

OBJECTIVES:

The broad objective of the study was:

1. To identify the reasons for women for involving themselves in entrepreneurial activities.

2. To determine the possible success factors for women in such entrepreneurial activities.

3. To make an evaluation of peoples opinion about women entrepreneurs.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

For conducting this research a sample of 25 women entrepreneurs in Bhilai was selected. Design of the study was exploratory type and data is collected from primary and secondary sources. Primary data was collected through questionnaire. As my area of study is restricted to Bhilai township only,I got a sample of 25 people.

WHY WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR SHOULD SET GOALS?

Setting goals is a very significant part of success and positive accomplishments. It is like scaling a mountain and determining early on what milestones you would like to reach at specific points in your climb. Women who set goals literally create a map of their target achievements in life, determining where they should begin, where to pause, where to explore a bit and where and when to stop. Once the map is generated, it allows the woman to check where she is in the structure and determine if she is making some progress towards her goals. Have you ever created goals for your life? By setting goals, women will know how they are doing and what they should do to achieve their targets, goals and dreams. Goal setting means a woman is proactive in dealing with challenges that may affect her plans. Being proactive means she can plan for detours and issues that may occur as well as the solution them. By doing this, a women is not easily scared or defeated when challengers occur because she has already prepared for them. She knows they can happen and she has prepared a solution or strategy when that time comes. Once prepared, she can take on her goals head on! But goal setting is not enough; it needs to be accompanied by a self-confidence, positive outlook and self discipline. To be successful in goal setting, the goals that one has set for herself should be honest, relevant and based on her abilities. Setting goals can be used in any aspect of life-from personal or family life, to career and finances. When setting goals, it is always important to set standards that would suit your present circumstances and your abilities that may influence the achievement of your goal.

HOW TO DEVELOP WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS?

Right efforts on from all areas are required in the development of women entrepreneurs and their greater participation in the entrepreneurial activities. Following efforts can be taken into account for effective development of women entrepreneurs.

2. Consider women as specific target group for all developmental programmes.

3. Adequate training programme on management skills to be provided to women community.

4. Encourage women's participation in decision-making.

5. Vocational training to be extended to women community that enables them to understand the production process and production management.

6. Training and counselling on a large scale of existing women entrepreneurs to remove psychological causes like lack of self-confidence and fear of success.

7. Continuous monitoring and improvement of training programmes.

8. More governmental schemes to motivate women entrepreneurs to engage in small scale and large-scale business ventures.

WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AND THEIR PROBLEMS

Women in India are faced many problems to get ahead their life in business. A few problems can be detailed as :

1. Women entrepreneurs face many hurdles the most common problem is the non cooperation from their husband or close family members majority of the time the family members don’t motivate them.

2. Women also face the conflict of performing of home role as they are not available to spend enough time with their families. They spend long hours in business and as a result, they find it difficult to meet the demands of their family members and society as well.

3. Lot of the women entrepreneurs have imperfect organizational set up to drive in a lot of money for canvassing and advertisements. They have to face severe competition from organized industries. They have also to face a stiff competition with the men entrepreneurs who easily involve in the promotion and development area and carry out easy marketing of their products with both the organized sector and their male counterparts. Such a competition ultimately results in the insolvency

4. Many of the women enterprises have imperfect organizational set up. But they have to face severe competition from organised industries.

5. Low-level risk taking attitude is another factor affecting women folk decision to get into business. Low-level education provides low-level self-confidence and self-reliance to the women folk to engage in business, which is continuous risk taking and strategic cession making profession.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS:

1. Research on entrepreneurship has evolved various characteristics that have identified entrepreneurs. A majority (52.2%)of the respondent were between the ages of 35-47 years.

2 From the sample 78.3%were married, 8.4%were divorced, 8.3%were widows and 5.0%were single.

3. 50.0% of the respondents were graduates followed by 25.0% were undergraduates/diploma holders. 10%of them were postgraduates and 15%were professionally qualified.

4. Of the total sample, the majority (63.3%) belonged to nuclear families and the remaining (36.7%) was for joint families.

5. On the basis of collected data it can be concluded that, city of the respondents faced the problems of labour absenteeism, followed by Transportation problem, problem of labour turnover, and of skilled labour and lack of knowledge.

ANALYSIS OF DATA:

1. Women's family obligations also bar them from initiating &becoming successful entrepreneurs.

I Agree Fully	30%
Partially Agree	50%
I Do Not Agree	20%

INTERPRETATION

Thus on the basis of above table it can be concluded that, most of the respondents stated that they have weak collateral positions followed by the problems that their family life is affected.

2. Financial institutions generally doubt about the entrepreneurial seriousness & abilities of women entrepreneurs. As a result, the women entrepreneurs are suffering from inadequate financial resources and working capital.

Agree	25%
Strongly Disagree	63%
Disagree	12%

INTERPRETATION

From this table we get that only 25% respondents are suffering from inadequate financial resources where 63% respondents strongly disagree and 12% respondents disagree.

3. What were the challenges you faced during the commencement in your business?

No obstacles	10%
Start of finance	20%
Lack of Family support	30%
Management / skill	25%
Others (please specify)	15%

INTERPRETATION

Thus on the basis of above table it can be concluded that, Majority of the entrepreneurs stated that they had poor knowledge of market, followed by problem of Inventory Management and inadequate sales promotion avenues.

RESEARCH FINDINGS:

1) Women entrepreneurs enter business predominantly to keep busy. Although their initial motivation is low, they tend to become high achievers once they get really involved.

2) The business environment seems to have prepared them mentally, thereby facilitating their entry into business. Help and guidance was also available within the family in case of any business problems.

3) The operational problems faced by the women are in the areas of dealing directly with worker; and also pertain to difficulties in doing field work

RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS:

There is need for training to existing women entrepreneurs, in the various aspects of management. The Government must make greater efforts to publicize the various schemes announced from time to time to attract women entrepreneurs.

CONCLUSION:

In a nutshell this study mainly focuses upon women participation in nation building process, rural development and integrity towards progressive growth quality efficacy so women empowerment through entrepreneurship is today’s mantra.

REFERENCES:

1. Lathwal Shruti (july 2011) “ Women Entrepreneurs in India” IJRIM Volume 1, issue 3 (ISSN 2231-4334).

2. Dr. Masood Zehra Rana “Emergence of women-owned businesses in India”-An insight researchers world journal of arts science and commerce ISSN 2229-4686.

3. Mathew V. Rincy and Panchanatham N. July 2011 “An exploratory study on the work life balance of women entrepreneurs in south India Asian academy of management journal, vol. 16,no.2,77-105.

4. Sharp Laura September 2,2013 “ Why Women Entrepreneurs Should Set Goals?”

5. George Meriyn and Anantham Seeni Kiruba(April-June 2013),” Women Empowerment: The Realistic Goals and Challenges for Nation Building” The Journal of Women’s Empowerment Vol.No.28,No.2.

Received on 20.01.2014 Modified on 31.01.2014

Asian J. Management 5(2): April-June, 2014 page 179-182