Leadership and Decision-making Style among Women Entrepreneurs: A Case of Malaysia

Abstract

Women entrepreneur plays a catalytic role in economic development, as women constitute half of Malaysia's population. The contribution of women entrepreneurs in the country's economy is significant and may not ignore. Malaysia is a multicultural and multiethnic society comprised of Malays, Chinese, Indian and other local ethnics. The present study investigates the leadership and decision-making style among Malaysian women entrepreneurs. The present study adopted the qualitative research strategy, and ten women entrepreneurs are interviewed. A semi-structured interview technique is applied, and 6 Malays and 4 Chinese entrepreneurs made the study population. The result highlights that both Malay and Chinese entrepreneurs used democratic leadership styles for business management. Regarding decision-making, Malaysian women experienced failures in making the right decision. However, they considered the failure as a learning process for future decision-making. The present study will help new entrepreneurs persevere in their business ventures, and policymakers look into the best supports to enhance Malaysian women entrepreneurs' success. Keywords: Women Entrepreneur, Decision-making Process, Leadership Styles, Malaysia.