Eeva Eskola
Abstract
IntEnt 2002, Malesia
The Mystery of Female Entrepreneurship
“The female entrepreneurs are more successful than their male colleagues, therefore more of them are needed”, stated the president of Finland Tarja Halonen on her speech on 1st March, 2002.
In most European countries, self-employment rates have increased over the past decade. The number of women starting and owning their own businesses has also grown dramatically. In Finland the percentage of female entrepreneur is nowadays 33%.
Despite the high amount of entrepreneurship programs, the growth rate has nevertheless decreased in 2001. The young and especially the young women have lost interest in the entrepreneurship. The female entrepreneurs meet the same economical and juridic principales than everybody but still it has been reported and stated that women are more likely to succeed as an entrepreneur. Feminine characteristics may give an advantage for them in the world of entrepreneurship.
Women as Entrepreneurs – The significance of female entrepreneurship for society can not be neglected. The importance of small companies, typical for women, is growing along the new high technology and logistic solutions. In Finland female entrepreneurs are international and more often academically educated. Media has become interested in successful female entrepreneurs. International workshops are held and female entrepreneurship has become an interesting research subject.
This paper describes and specifies the processes, which result successful female entrepreneur as an outcome. In addition the role of gender in entrepreneurship is studied qualitatively and special characteristic of the female entrepreneur are stated. As an result the achived role models can be used in training and education. Furthermore the new criterion for success is proposed. If female entrepreneur has better abilities to solve the conflicts of entrepreneurship than her male colleague, propably the female survival strategies can be taught to men as well.
The business world has traditionally been built by men. The quantitative indicators for success have been the most significant. Is success growth in size, substance or both? In entrepreneurial training along quantitative aspects the qualitative criteria for successful entrepreneur should draw more attention.
Finally, conclusions are drawn on the effect of gender on the complex process resulting the successful female entrepreneur.
Eeva Eskola
19.11.1952
Minna Canthinkatu 24 A 22
00250 Helsinki
Finland
Tel. +358-40-7671133
-M.Sc.(Econ.) 1999, doctoral studies 2001-
(Helsinki School of Economics)
-Managing Director/Entrepreneur 1977-
-Flight Attendant 1974-
-President, Business Women’s Association of Helsinki,
1982-88, 1998-00
-Vice President, The Central Association of Women Entrepreneurs,
1982-88, board member 1998-00
-Participated in;
ICSB, World Conference
London 1986
Helsinki 1988 (Executive Committee)
Sao Paolo 1989
- WES / Launch of the European network to Promote Women’s Entrepreneurship,
June 6th 2000, Brussels