Women Entrepreneurs in the Global Marketplace

"This nine-country study draws on government reports, books and journal articles to underpin unique empirical data that helps highlight the economic impact of women entrepreneurs. The book aims to improve women's position as entrepreneurs globally and, in this regard, draws attention to the need to alleviate womens poverty levels in some of the less developed economies. Women Entrepreneurs in the Global Marketplace should be of value to both scholars and policy makers by not only enhancing their understanding of womens entrepreneurship, but also by helping them realise that a complex support matrix is required to ensure womens future advancement."--Colette Henry, Tromso University Business School, Norway. This groundbreaking book examines the status of female entrepreneurs across the world, analyzing the social, political, cultural and economic factors that affect their positions in society and their contributions to entrepreneurship and innovation within their respective countries. Using a combination of original data and detailed statistics drawn from reports by government agencies and international organizations, Andrea E. Smith-Hunter discusses the accomplishments and challenges of women entrepreneurs in nine countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, Iceland, India, Jamaica, Sweden and the United States. This geographic diversity provides a complete and comprehensive picture of women entrepreneurs worldwide both their shared experiences and the specific conditions they face on a regional level. Following a detailed discussion of the current status of female entrepreneurs, the author offers a number of thoughtful recommendations for improving their opportunities and positions across the world. This innovative volume will prove highly useful for international organizations that assist women, as well as for professors and students of entrepreneurship studies and anyone else interested in the unique conditions faced by women entrepreneurs of the world.