Challenges Facing Women Entrepreneurs in Sotik Sub-county in Bomet County
Abstract
Women entrepreneurship has attracted increasing attention in recent years in light of concrete
evidence of the importance of new business creation for economic growth and development (Acs
etal., 2005; Langowitz and Minniti, 2007). Not only does women entrepreneurship contribute to
economic growth and employment creation, but it is increasingly recognized to also enhance the
diversity of entrepreneurship in any economic system (Verheul et al., 2006) and to provide
avenue
for female expression and potential fulfillment (Eddleston and Powell, 2008). The success of
women entrepreneurship has been greatly affected by various factors in the society. Thisstudy
examined the challenges facing women entrepreneurs in Sotik sub- county in Bometcounty.
To achieve the goals of the study, a sample of 100 out of 500 women entrepreneurs in the
subcounty
were selected from all the sectors of the businesses. Out of the 100 questionnaires
distributed to the women entrepreneurs, the researcher was able to collect 86 filled
questionnaires
representing a response rate of 86% of the sampled group. Their responses to the questionnaire
were
analyzed and evaluated and based on the findings, recommendations were made. It is therefore
necessary for women in Sotik sub-county to be given support by ensuring that adequate
infrastructure is developed. Men in the society should learn to accept women entrepreneurs
bureaucracies and red tapes prevalent in the registration and accessing other services by women
entrepreneurs should be removed. Women should also be given machine and financial support so
that their operations become effective in their businesses.
The results indicated that economic factors, social factors, legal and administrative factors
training
support and machine support factors pose great challenge to women entrepreneurs in Sotik
subcounty.
The contributing factors showing that the level of education by women entrepreneurs is
low and the fact that county government has not put structures and policies in place to help
women
entrepreneurs rise above economic, social, legal and administrative training support and machine
support factors. The researcher recommended that these factors should be seriously dealt with by
the county government. There should be support from the central government, the financial
institutions located in the county, the private institutions and the foreign investors
Citation
Master Of Arts In Gender And Development StudiesPublisher
University of Nairobi Institute Of Anthropology, Gender And African Studies