Malaysian women entrepreneurial characteristics, strategic orientation and firm performance: The moderator role of government support programs

Abstract

A B S T R A C T This paper aims to identify critical factors associated with women entrepreneurship using the Malaysian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as a base. The study also examines the government support program (GSP) as a mediator between the influencing factors and performance of women entrepreneurs. More publications on specific issues regarding women entrepreneurship are now available in the literature due to the increasing awareness on women entrepreneurs of different backgrounds. Despite the significance of this subject, only minimal data can be found on the business practices and strategies for growth and survival of these women entrepreneurs. In addition, the entrepreneurs’ perceptions towards careers in the area and many other questions still remain unexplored. To that end, this research intends to examine some of these questions in effort to address the gap in the literature with focus on the women entrepreneurs in Malaysia. Its main objective is to study the personal characteristics of these women entrepreneurs and the impact of GSP on firm performance