A baseline study of entrepreneurship among first nations women in the Atlantic region

Abstract

This paper focuses on the interest, prevalence and influences on entrepreneurship among First Nations women in the Atlantic region. Gathering such baseline data addresses a key void in the literature as little is known about entrepreneurship among Aboriginal women. Using an online survey, responses from 231 Aboriginal women (both entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs) living on and off-reserve in the Atlantic region were analyzed. Among other things, the findings indicate that 33% of respondents currently own a business and collectively are responsible for over 150 jobs, of which 88% are held by Aboriginal employees. These results are quite remarkable considering the limited support the entrepreneurs received from the formal ‘support’ infrastructure. Following the presentation and analysis of the findings that span a range of topics relating to entrepreneurial interest and influences, the implications and conclusions are discussed.

Cet article traite essentiellement de l'intérêt pour l'esprit d'entreprise, de sa fréquence et des influences qui s'exercent sur lui chez les femmes amérindiennes de la région de l'Atlantique. Le recueil de telles données de référence vise à combler une lacune importante dans la littérature. En effet, nous savons peu de choses sur l'esprit d'entreprise au sein des populations féminines autochtones. Sur la base d'une enquête en ligne, une analyse a été effectuée sur les réponses de 231 femmes amérindiennes (certaines d'entre elles étant des entrepreneurs et d'autres ne l'étant pas) vivant à l'intérieur ou en dehors des réserves de la région de l'Atlantique. Les constatations effectuées ont révélé, entre autres, que 33 % des personnes ayant répondu à l'enquête possèdent actuellement une entreprise et sont collectivement responsables de plus de 150 postes de travail, dont 88 % sont tenus par des employés amérindiens. Ces résultats sont assez remarquables compte tenu du soutien limité dont les entrepreneurs ont bénéficié de la part de la structure « d'assistance » officielle. À la suite de la présentation et de l'analyse des constatations couvrant un large éventail de sujets relatifs à l'intérêt pour l'esprit d'entreprise et aux influences qui s'exercent sur lui, les implications et les conclusions qui en résultent sont discutées.

Keywords:

• entrepreneurship
• Aboriginal women
• baseline study

Mots-clés:

• esprit d'entreprise
• entrepreneuriat
• femmes amérindiennes
• étude de référence

Funding

Funding for the research from which this paper derives was provided by the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs’ Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Development Integrated Research Program (AAEDIRP).

Notes

1. “Branching” refers to the capacity of the software to present alternative questions when a particular response is given. For example, when a respondent answered “yes” to the question “Are you an owner of a business, in whole or in part?” she was taken to the questions for entrepreneurs while those that answered “no” were taken to the questions for non-entrepreneurs.

2. Industry Canada defines a business as follows: ‘The term “business” refers to registered business establishments. To be included in our sample population, a business establishment must meet the following criteria: it must have at least one paid employee (with payroll deductions remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)), it must have annual sales revenues of $30,000, and it must be incorporated and have filed a federal corporate income tax return at least once in the previous three years.’ Industry Canada, Key Small Business Statistics, August 2013 Accessed November 2, 2013. http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/eng/02803.html.

3. This figure excludes one case that reported ‘hundreds’ of employees as including it would unduly distort the findings.

4. This was revealed in Appendix A's accounts of how the business idea developed.

5. The ages reported by AADNC are slightly different in the under 35 age group since it includes those 20–34 whereas our sample includes those 18–34. All other age categories are compatible.

6. Capitalized words reflect replacement of words that might identify a respondent.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Monica Diochon

Monica Diochon is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Gerald Schwartz School of Business, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. Her research focuses on understanding how entrepreneurship emerges among individuals, organisations and within rural communities.