ReseArch Grant PROGRAM
(GCWUF-GRG application Form) /
GCWUF-GRG ID:______
1.Title of the Project:__ “What hinders the women entrepreneurial culture? An answer fromDistrict Faisalabad”
2. Field of Study:__Business Entrepreneurship
3. Area of Research:__Entrepreneurial Finance
4. Principal Investigator (PI)Full Name:__Aisha Imtiaz__
Designation: Assistant Professor Department: Business Administration
Ongoing Projects No.: NIL Email:
Phone Number: 0092-41-8537754 Cell No: 0092-321-7545704
5. Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) Full Name : Dr. Nausheen Syed
Designation: Assistant Professor Department:_Business Administration
Ongoing Projects No.:__NIL Email:
Phone Number:__0092-334-6039259 Cell No: __0092-334-6039259
6. Estimated Cost of Project:___100,000/PKR
7. Key Words of the Project:
I. __Women Entrepreneurship
II. _Microfinance
III. __Small Business
IV. __Socio economic factors
8. Declaration: It is declared that the information provided is correct. The project will be completed in stipulated time frame and budget provided.
Name of PI: _Aisha Imtiaz
Signature:______
Date:______
Official Stamp:______/ Name of Co-PI:__Dr. Nausheen Syed
Signature:______
Date:______
Official Stamp:______
Name of Vice Chancellor /Rector: ______
Signature:______
Official Stamp:______Date:______
Project Details :
1. Project summary (not exceeding 300 words):
Micro-finance program extends small loans to very poor people for self-employment projects that generate income, allowing them to care for themselves and for their families. Micro-finance enables an entrepreneur to build a business or expand the existing business and create a better change in their lives. The micro-financing institutions (MFIs) provide the opportunity for the people who are living under the poverty lines by investing the affordable funds/capital and somehow by providing their management expertise. This study shows the effect of micro-financing on small business and the implications for poverty reduction. The respondents will be the clients of Akhuwat Foundation, District Faisalabad. The objectives of the study are to make an assessment of income generation by micro-finance to the poor households, Identify problems encountered by the women in acquiring and using micro finance, to assess the impact of loan borrowed from the Akhuwat Foundation on poverty and socioeconomics of the households in the study area, to examine the repayment behavior of women who have taken micro finance and suggest policy measures for improving the program. The study will be conducted in Faisalabad. The respondents will be micro-entrepreneurs and low-income household women. Respondents will be chosen systematic random sampling from `Faisalabad district. The data will be collected from both rural and urban area. The data will be collected with the help of well-designed and structured questionnaire, which will be analyzed by using appropriate statistical techniques. The results will be presented in the form of a research thesis.
1. Socio-economic significance:
Entrepreneurial women plays a vital role in economy of the country. It directly affects on social life of households and its dependents.
2. Expected outcome:
This study will provide authentic and verified solutions to local businesses and policy makers about women empowerment in society. It will also show the results about the contribution of women towards the economy of the country.
3. A brief account of work done nationaly and internationally (not more than one page):
Imai et al., 2010 took the data of 99 countries and used regression analysis to check the impact of microfinance on poverty level. The results were significant. They found that microfinance scheme reduces the poverty level. They also suggested that investment from government and other institution in microfinance will be provided as a tool to control poverty in countries. The micro financial institutions and NGO’s playing their role positively in reduction of poverty from the society and having a positive impact towards the economy of the country.
Chandarsekar&Parkash, 2010 ;Mayoux 2001 found in their study that the microfinance has a great impact and a positive contribution towards the women empowerment, education of children, health facilities and other socioeconomic factors of the poor community. They suggested that poverty can be reduced by using the tool of microfinance.
According to Economic Survey of Pakistan (2009 – 2010) poverty can be described as it comprises on two basic elements, on a micro level its income poverty and on a macro level it may be defined as human poverty. In the first condition of income poverty, it includes the lack of basic necessities to fulfill the human needs at its lower limit of material wellbeing duly defined by the national poverty line. In the second condition, human poverty can be described as the denial of choices and opportunities for survival for all dimensions of life. So the many authors advised in different ways to reduce the poverty from the community.
(Mahmood, S. (2011) says that a micro financial institute has a great concern to empower the women in the society so that they can get able to establish their families by their own. It was found in the study that almost 62% women used their loan to start a new business or they invested in the existing one. And the remaining 38% women utilized their loan for their personal consumption. The author identified the major problem in women entrepreneurship is the lack of technical assistance and training which may be provided by the micro financial institutions.
Hossain (2012) concluded in his study that microfinance has a positive impact on poverty reduction and economy of the country. It was found that the people who borrowed loan from the bank had an increase in their income and their expenditure after utilizing the loan. This result shows that the client’s income rose up to near the extreme poverty line but still they are living below the poverty line. The opportunity of micro business and employment increased at moderate level. The clients are more inclined to start their own new business and they also have more interest to invest their loan in the existing business to earn more profit. The results show that there is not a significant increase on the conditions of the residential status and no increment in the saving of the borrower. It has no significant impact on savings but its having a positive inclination towards the saving behavior of the poor clients.
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