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RESILIENCE AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF ENTREPRENEURIAL INDONESIAN WOMEN

JENNIFER M. I. LOH

Edith Cowan University, School of Psychology and Social Sciences, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia

Corresponding author.

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RAYINI DAHESIHSARI

Atma Jaya University, Indonesia

Jendral Sudirman 51, Jakarta, Indonesia

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https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218495813500052Cited by:33 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

The development of female entrepreneurs in Indonesia is an integral part of Muslim women's economic contributions and empowerment. However, there is a lack of reliable research about female entrepreneurship and how gender may affect the experiences of business ownership in Indonesia. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the challenges encountered by these women entrepreneurs on a daily basis. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 female Indonesian entrepreneurs. Participants were recruited using theoretical and maximum variation sampling techniques. Content analysis was then used to analyze the data. Results revealed high levels of variations, both within and between women, suggesting that the quality of business entrepreneurship and success depended largely on the personal characteristics of these women, rather than on any system of formal education or training. This study also found that many women displayed resilient coping strategies when dealing with business failures. As a consequence, they were able to thrive despite restrictive social, cultural and political constraints. The paper highlights the importance of the experiences of female entrepreneurs in a developing country and the need to integrate the development of female entrepreneurship as a part of women empowerment effort.

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