TY - JOUR
T1 - A critical assessment of work and family life of female entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa
T2 - Some fresh evidence from Ghana
AU - Adom, Kwame
AU - Asare-Yeboa, Irene Tiwaa
AU - Quaye, Daniel M.
AU - Ampomah, Abena Oforiwaa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2018/6/8
Y1 - 2018/6/8
N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate how work and family lives of female entrepreneurs in emerging Sub-Saharan countries including Ghana influence their business performance, with focus on criteria such as income, number of outlets, and number of employees the entrepreneur controls. Design/methodology/approach: A phenomenological qualitative approach to research was adopted for this study to help the researcher gain deeper understanding of experiences of Ghanaian female entrepreneurs with respect to their work and family life and its influence on business performance. With a purposive sampling technique, 25 active women entrepreneurs with family responsibilities were sampled for the study. A multiple case study strategy, in-depth face-to-face interviews, and participant observation were used to solicit responses from participants included in the study. Findings: The study revealed that a majority of female entrepreneurs involved in the study believe that their roles and responsibilities to their families have a negative impact on both the income they generate from their business and their willingness to expand their outlets. However, it has a positive impact on their willingness to employ additional employees in their businesses. As a consequence, this study reveals that quality family life is essential to these female entrepreneurs and they are willing to put the well-being of their families first, even at the expense of their business growth. Research limitations/implications: The study focused solely on the work and family life of women entrepreneurs and its influence on their business performance in Ghana. However, there exist other critical issues that affect women entrepreneurs in the Sub-Saharan region that can be explored to provide more insight on this subject or in different contexts. Originality/value: As a first of its kind in the Ghanaian context, little is known in extant literature until now with regard to work and family life of female entrepreneurs and its influence on their business performance. This study therefore seeks to bridge this gap.
AB - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate how work and family lives of female entrepreneurs in emerging Sub-Saharan countries including Ghana influence their business performance, with focus on criteria such as income, number of outlets, and number of employees the entrepreneur controls. Design/methodology/approach: A phenomenological qualitative approach to research was adopted for this study to help the researcher gain deeper understanding of experiences of Ghanaian female entrepreneurs with respect to their work and family life and its influence on business performance. With a purposive sampling technique, 25 active women entrepreneurs with family responsibilities were sampled for the study. A multiple case study strategy, in-depth face-to-face interviews, and participant observation were used to solicit responses from participants included in the study. Findings: The study revealed that a majority of female entrepreneurs involved in the study believe that their roles and responsibilities to their families have a negative impact on both the income they generate from their business and their willingness to expand their outlets. However, it has a positive impact on their willingness to employ additional employees in their businesses. As a consequence, this study reveals that quality family life is essential to these female entrepreneurs and they are willing to put the well-being of their families first, even at the expense of their business growth. Research limitations/implications: The study focused solely on the work and family life of women entrepreneurs and its influence on their business performance in Ghana. However, there exist other critical issues that affect women entrepreneurs in the Sub-Saharan region that can be explored to provide more insight on this subject or in different contexts. Originality/value: As a first of its kind in the Ghanaian context, little is known in extant literature until now with regard to work and family life of female entrepreneurs and its influence on their business performance. This study therefore seeks to bridge this gap.
KW - Ghana
KW - Sub-Saharan Africa
KW - Women entrepreneurship
KW - Work and family life
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85033598809&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/JSBED-02-2017-0063
DO - 10.1108/JSBED-02-2017-0063
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85033598809
SN - 1462-6004
VL - 25
SP - 405
EP - 427
JO - Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development
JF - Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development
IS - 3
ER -