Gender Analysis of Business Factors amongst Entrepreneurs in South Africa: Multivariate Analysis of Variance
The article raises a pertinent question; is there a significant difference between Male Entrepreneurs and Female Females in terms of key Business Success Factors? This article tests the null hypothesis that the population means on a set of dependent variables do not vary across Gender. Thus, this...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Danubius University
2021-02-01
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Series: | Acta Universitatis Danubius: Oeconomica |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://dj.univ-danubius.ro/index.php/AUDOE/article/view/403/1128 |
Summary: | The article raises a pertinent question; is there a significant difference between Male
Entrepreneurs and Female Females in terms of key Business Success Factors? This article tests the null
hypothesis that the population means on a set of dependent variables do not vary across Gender. Thus,
this paper determines the variation if any between Male and Female Entrepreneurs with reference to
Customer and Market Size; Products and Services and Management Know-How. However, opinions
differ on the degree of the effects of contextual factors on the success or otherwise of SMEs especially
in developing countries such as South Africa. Furthermore, studies on the direction of these factors in
terms of male and female ownership of SMEs have not been fully documented in South Africa; thereby
necessitating the need for this research. We divided the sample population into groups (strata) and then
selected samples from each stratum for the survey. Questionnaires were subsequently distributed among
the SME’s operating in Mpumalanga. For this study, we applied a two-fold structured questionnaire.
The first section addressed questions on participants’ demographics and business types. The second
section addressed questions on business success factors relevant to the scope of the study. Using
MANOVA, we created a new summary dependent variable, which is a linear combination of each of
our original dependent variables and then executes an analysis of variance using the new combined
dependent variable. Policy makers need to recognise that women are a heterogeneous group with many
differences in their motivations, intentions and projects for engaging in business activities. Traditional
instruments have been used to address these barriers but these approaches have not yielded the expected
effects. There is need to expand the strategies in-addition to the broad institutional conditions required
for a successful business. In this article therefore, a comparative analysis of some identified success
factors of SMEs in South Africa is undertaken in order to examine the gender differentials in
productivity and performance of both female-owned and male-owned enterprises. More targeted action
is required to ensure that family policies, social policies and tax policies do not discriminate against
entrepreneurship by women. |
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ISSN: | 2065-0175 2067-340X |