Factors That Influence Women to Be Involved in Entrepreneurship: A Case Study in Malaysia

Abstract

Women’s entrepreneurship has been growing in recent years. Past studies have shown the push and pull factors influencing women entrepreneurship in general. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate how these factors influence women’s entrepreneurship in one district in Malaysia. Interviews conducted with five successful female entrepreneurs revealed positive kappa value for push factors as compared to pull factors. The push factors found are interconnected to the necessities which include unemployment, redundancy, financial condition, lack of family financial gain, discontentment with present-day job and the needs to fulfill accommodation of work and home roles. The push factors identified are family factor, opportunity to change family lifestyle and family background. This study also focuses on the full factors which influence women to become entrepreneurs. These factors are family support, family economic status, self-independence and the desire to own a business, which contributes to the start and the sustainability of their businesses was also found in this current study.