Motivating factors, barriers and success factors among agri-based women entrepreneurs in selected areas of Isabela : focus on micro and small-scale enterprises

Date

5-2016

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Arlene C. Gutierrez

Abstract

This research generally aimed to examine the motivating factors, barriers and success factors among women entrepreneurs in selected areas in Isabela. Its specific objectives were to: 1) describe the socio-demographic characteristics and the PEC profile of the women entrepreneurs in selected areas in Isabela as well as the profile of their businesses 2) identify the motivating factors behind the establishment and development of their businesses 3) determine the current needs of the women entrepreneurs in terms of financial and entrepreneurial training and development 4) examine the barriers encountered by the women in establishing and developing their businesses 5) analyze the strategic employed by the women entrepreneurs to cope with the barriers and 6) formulate recommendations for nascent and current women entrepreneurs for them to counter the barriers to success as well as for organizations which can help the women-led enterprises attain sustainability. This study utilized a survey questionnaire to secure data such as their personal profile, business, motivations, barriers and perceived assistance needed. A Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PEC) questionnaire was used to assess their entrepreneurial traits and skills. Secondary data like the list of women entrepreneurs and socio-economic data about the study area were also taken from local government unit (LGU) and provincial department of Trade and Industry (DTI) documents and reports. This study?s sample consisted of 46 women entrepreneurs selected through convenience sampling whose businesses were based in Ilagan City, Cauayan City and the town of Roxas. Most of the enterprises in Ilagan City were agri-based (i.e., furniture-making, corn production and livestock-raising) those in Cauayan City were into retailing, while those in Roxas were into crop production as well as food processing. This study used descriptive statistics to describe the socio-demographic profile, PEC and profile of their entrepreneurs. Factor analysis was utilized to examine the women entrepreneurs motivating factors. The businesses were classified according to enterprise life cycle (i.e., start-up and growing) and according to scale (i.e., micro-scale and small-scale).The analysis of motivating factors and barriers were done based on enterprise life cycle. On the other hand, the basis for entrepreneurial success in relations to the examination of success factors was the scale of the business. Chi-square analysis was utilized for the analysis of success factors.The result of the study showed that women entrepreneurs in Isabela varied in terms of age, civil status, number of children and educational attainment. Majority of the women were middle-aged (30-40 years old) and married with children. Most of them started their business when they were 26-30 years old. Majority of the women entrepreneurs attained high levels of education (i.e., college graduate) and had been employed for some years before they started a business. Majority of the of the women entrepreneurs were found to have been exposed to a craft or trade when they were young while some had been involved in the family business when they were young.The PEC profile of the women entrepreneurs showed that they had high commitment to work contract, risk-taking, persistence and information seeking. They scored moderately on opportunity-seeking, demand for quality and efficiency, systematic planning and monitoring, persuasion and networking and self-confidence. On the other hand, the respondents scored the lowest in the area of goal-setting.Majority of women-led businesses in Isabela were retailing and service type of businesses and were found to be operating at micro-level whether on the basis of asset size or number of employees.A factor analysis conducted revealed that women entrepreneurs were motivated to establish a business by four major factors. The labels of these factors were: 1) achievement factor 2) competence factor 3) affiliation factor and 4) job/financial security factor. On the other hand, the two major factors identified to motivate the women entrepreneurs to grow and sustain their business were labeled achievement factor and creativity factor.The common problems which were experienced by the women entrepreneurs who operated businesses classified as start-ups were lack of training education for women entrepreneurs, finance-related problems specifically the unavailability of low cost loans for starting a business and career-family conflict. The most often cited problems by the respondents whose businesses were classified as growing were high interest rates, balancing family role and career, training courses which do not address their specific needs and restrictive credit policies of suppliers.As for the assistance needed by all the respondents these were ?Low cost loans for business start-up?, access to loan guarantees?, ?tax concessions for women? and ?encourage network of women entrepreneurs? were the most cited assistance needed by women entrepreneurs during their start-up stage. The women expressed that they also needed almost the same assistance for growing and sustaining their businesses.There were two factors found using chi-square to be associated to the performance of the enterprises. The business was found to have performed better (i.e., small instead of micro) if the entrepreneur had finished a business degree and their business was the only source of income for their family. The key recommendations of this study are for organizations engaged in promoting women entrepreneurship to conduct action-oriented trainings which could develop the PECs which Isabela women entrepreneurs were found to only possess in moderate and weak levels. This study also suggest that organizations engaged in women enterprise development should facilitate the information of women entrepreneur networks to enable those without business degree to be connected with those with a business education as well as for those whose businesses are already at the growth stage to mentor and inspire those women entrepreneurs who are operating business at the start-up stage.

Language

English

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993 2016 M17 M36

Document Type

Thesis

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