How can social relations and networks facilitate female entrepreneurship?

Why? 

Women’s entrepreneurship is on the rise: more women embark on the journey of setting up their own business. According to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (2020) about 41% of entrepreneurs worldwide are women. Yet, entrepreneurship is often defined from the perspective of a white man, in a Western context. This research project therefore aims to understand how entrepreneurship is performed by women coming from a non-Western context. Since Africa has the highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world, while having a long tradition of female entrepreneurship, we situate the research context on this continent. Due to the COVID pandemic and travel restrictions, we will focus first on the experiences of women entrepreneurs with an African migration background living in Belgium. Building on the insights of their stories, we will in a next step, make the connection to the experiences of women entrepreneurs on the African continent.

Research shows the context in which men and women conduct their business activities is of utmost importance. Macrosocial arrangements in a society determine to what extent entrepreneurship is encouraged for instance. It appears that in many countries these arrangements are less favorable for women entrepreneurs than for men entrepreneurs. Even if there is no formal discrimination against women entrepreneurs, the cultural arrangements in a society, such as societal norms, can prevent women from managing their business successfully. In this research project we want to focus on the positive effects of the social network a woman belongs to. Because, while the social network can be a limiting factor, research shows it can also serve as a facilitator for entrepreneurship. For example, access to resources can be easier because of an existing network that offers practical, financial, and moral support.