Asian Female Entrepreneurs and Women in Business — an Exploratory Study

Abstract

Abstract The 'growth' of Asian enterprises has been a much commented upon feature of the small business population. Asian entrepreneurs have been eulogized by the popular press keen to laud free enterprise heroes. More detached academic commentary has also sought to identify the key success factors for this entrepreneurial minority. Much less conspicuous has been the role that female Asian entrepreneurs and Asian women working in 'family' businesses play. This exploratory study focuses upon the often-neglected issue of the contribution of Asian women to both entrepreneurship and the management of family businesses. In order to illuminate the position of Asian women in business a series of interviews were undertaken with two particular groups: Asian women entrepreneurs in their own right; and Asian women working in family enterprises. Issues explored with Asian women entrepreneurs include their background, their influences, the factors that facilitated or inhibited their decision to become self-employed, their experiences of entrepreneurship and the particular issues that confront them as Asian women in business. Interviews with Asian women working in family enterprises explored their role and contribution to the management of the business. Amongst the issues covered are their 'official' and 'unofficial' position within the firm; the balance between domestic and business responsibilities and the influence, if any, of cultural factors in the nature of their presence within the enterprise. Keywords: Ethnic BusinessesFemale EntrepreneurshipSelf-EMPLOYMENTFamily Business