’Women's business’: Are women entrepreneurs breaking new ground or simply balancing the demands of ‘women's work’ in a new way?

Abstract

Small businesses are regarded as playing a vital role in regenerating the economy. Many new enterprises are founded, owned and/or managed by women; indeed women owner/managers have become a significant economic force. This paper takes as its starting point the androcentricity of existing approaches to entrepreneurship, and explores possible ways forward. Following a review of the literature generally, it considers the growing literature on women entrepreneurs, highlighting in particular the importance of feminist perspectives. It then turns to the data generated in the authors’ study of women who have left jobs in organisations and set up their own businesses. Focusing on the issue of motherhood and women's position in the labour market, it explores the ways in which the respondents’ roles and responsibilities as mothers impacted on their experiences of moving from employment within organisations to self‐employment.