Women Entrepreneurs - How Drivers and Support Shape Women Entrepreneurs in Finland and Sri Lanka

Abstract

The increase in women entrepreneurs and the interest and research on the subject worldwide has created a deeper understanding on their motivations and profiles. Women are more educated and independent which made their place in society evolve, suggesting them to pursue a career on their own via entrepreneurship. The skills set and mentality required for becoming an entrepreneur have been subject to numerous studies over the decades, however the ones involving women entrepreneurs is fairly recent and requires deeper research and analysis.

In this research, the pursuit of the knowledge and understanding of specific dominant characteristics and drivers leading to an entrepreneurial mind-set enable to determine why women establish more businesses in the recent years. Creativity, autonomy and persistence are some of them, but to which importance are they shaping women entrepreneurs? The cultural, political and economic factors are also decisive in the establishment of a new venture. Therefore, cases from Finland and Sri Lanka will help determine which factors create a woman entrepreneur. Various patriarchal countries prevent women in the corporate environment, which increases the barriers in pursuing an entrepreneurial activity. In other countries, the policies and legislation encourages women to start a business.