This report is the outcome of a research study initiated and financed by the ILO with the aim of better understanding Pakistani women entrepreneurs and their problems. It offers a portrayal of the specific business environment for women in this country and shows how a complex interplay of different factors has resulted in the disadvantaged status of women in society thus restricting their mobility, economic participation and business activity. The book includes the results of a survey undertaken in the region of 150 women entrepreneurs and follows with a set of recommendations. Narrative stories of 20 selected women entrepreneurs from various economic backgrounds, diverse family set-ups, and different professions are also included.

There has been an increase in women entrepreneurs participating in the growth of local, regional, national, and global economies. While these women showcase crucial skills for strategic leadership and strategy that can advance companies, they face cultural, educational, social, and political barriers that impede their development and participation within the global economy. Women Entrepreneurs and Strategic Decision Making in the Global Economy is a pivotal reference source that provides vital research on understanding the value of women entrepreneurs and the strategies they can use on the economy and examines gender impact on strategic management and entrepreneurship. While highlighting topics such as emotional intelligence, global economy, and strategic leadership, this book is ideally designed for managers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, academicians, and students.

The Emerald Handbook of Women and Entrepreneurship in Developing Economies examines women's role in entrepreneurial practices in a range of developing countries and applies unique strategic contextual frameworks to analyse, interpret and understand individual processes, themes and issues.

"This book examines the role of women empowerment and well-being for inclusive economic growth"--

Financial services are important for women who are starting and growing a business, but in Pakistan microfinance providers (MFPs) are not reaching Pakistan’s businesswomen. Only 59 percent of microfinance clients are women, yet the majority of these loans are passed on the male members of the household – husbands, fathers, and sons. The practice of passing on loans to male household members is quite widespread; women may be bearing all the transaction costs and risks of accessing loans, but are not the final beneficiaries. Second, a very low proportion of female microfinance clients are entrepreneurs. The report explores why businesswomen in Pakistan may not be using microfinance products to meet their start-up and working capital requirements, in spite of identifying access to finance as a key constraint to their business operations. Against this backdrop, access to finance remains the biggest challenge for a woman who wants to start or grow a business. Yet less than a quarter of the entrepreneurs identified through business development service providers were currently borrowing from microfinance lenders. Even among those entrepreneurs that borrow, dissatisfaction is high. Why? Women borrower-entrepreneurs are not able to access individual loan products, but instead are consistently relegated to group lending. But group loans are very costly for a woman who is running a business, and the loans are too small to fulfill working capital needs. Businesswomen are rarely given the opportunity to access individual loan products, which are usually offered exclusively to male borrowers, and women are not given opportunities to graduate from group loans to individual loans over time. Lending practices often are discriminatory, requiring husbands’ permission, male guarantors, and unmarried women are rarely considered as potential clients. Although MFIs understand that women’s inclusion is integral to the objectives of microfinance, the practice of passing on loans raises serious issues about consumer protection for women clients, and the best and most effective solutions to these challenges could and should come from the sector itself. Designing better products that reach the needs of emerging women entrepreneurs could prove to be good business, achieving double bottom-line objectives. Investing in financial literacy and education of both men and women borrowers can help curb the demand for pass-through loans and help lower risks associated with deceptive practices.

The number of women entrepreneurs is growing rapidly worldwide, however, women are still less likely than men to start a new business. Two factors influencing this are barriers and drivers, however, the understanding of how their interaction affects women’s entrepreneurial intention, specifically across different contexts, is lacking. This study focuses on entrepreneurial intention of women across four different European countries, by adopting both a national and supranational perspective. The analysis is based on the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Germany, Poland, Spain, and Sweden 2015 database. Overall the thesis contributes to the literature of entrepreneurship and context and also the understanding of factors influencing women entrepreneurship in Europe.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and The Asia Foundation prepared this report as a guide to support women's entrepreneurship in Asia and the Pacific. The three parts of the report cover the key barriers that women in Asia and the Pacific face when trying to establish or grow a business, case studies of projects supported by ADB and The Asia Foundation throughout the region, and proposed areas for further research. The recommendations are aimed at creating an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs and strategies for addressing gaps and leveraging opportunities.