The Challenges of Growing Small Businesses - International Labour ...

Table of contents
Foreword ........................................................................................................................................ iii
Executive summary ........................................................................................................................ ix
Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... x
Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................... xi
The Gender lexicon ....................................................................................................................... xv
1. Introduction and background ................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Background................................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Aims and objectives.................................................................................................... 3
1.3 The Study approach .................................................................................................... 3
1.3.1 The Team of researchers .................................................................................. 4
1.3.2 The Programme of Work.................................................................................. 4
1.3.3 The Conceptual framework .............................................................................. 6
1.3.4 Study definitions............................................................................................... 9
1.4 The Structure of the report........................................................................................ 13
2. Perspectives on women’s enterprise in some African countries ......................................... 14
2.1 A partial picture? ...................................................................................................... 14
2.2 Profiling the women entrepreneurs and their assets for business ............................. 16
2.3 Women’s enterprises and their experiences of business ownership ......................... 18
2.4 Women’s use of Business Support Services............................................................. 22
2.4.1 Awareness and experience of Business Support Services.............................. 22
2.4.2 Business networks/associations...................................................................... 23
2.5 The enabling environment for women’s enterprise .................................................. 24
2.5.1 Equality legislation......................................................................................... 24
2.5.2 Implementation of business legislation .......................................................... 25
2.6 The socio-cultural and economic context for women’s entrepreneurship ................ 26
2.7 Summary................................................................................................................... 28
3. Jobs, gender and enterprise in Africa – the primary research ............................................. 29
3.1 The research agenda.................................................................................................. 29
3.2 The research approach and methodology challenges................................................ 30
3.2.1 The approach .................................................................................................. 30
3.2.2 Sample selection............................................................................................. 30
3.2.3 Sample identification...................................................................................... 31
4. Profiles of women entrepreneurs in some African countries .............................................. 33
4.1 The women entrepreneurs and their assets for business ........................................... 33
4.1.1 Age profile...................................................................................................... 33
4.1.2 Education........................................................................................................ 33
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