Title: Women's enterprise in Nepal: profile, problems and prospects

Authors: Momoko Ozawa; Brenda Bushell

Addresses: Department of English Language and Literature, University of the Sacred Heart, 4-3-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-8938, Japan ' Department of English Language and Literature, University of the Sacred Heart, 4-3-1 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-8938, Japan

Abstract: The concept of promoting women's economic empowerment is gaining greater attention in developing countries around the world. Provided access to economic resources, education and management training, women can ultimately contribute to their country's economic growth and sustainable development. Involvement in the economy also enables women to play a larger, direct social role and contributes to a more balanced and equitable society. In Nepal, women's cooperatives have the potential to provide a supporting environment for the growth of women's enterprise and leadership, however, many fail. Using the MAIR model, this research examines the structures of women's enterprises and the problems women entrepreneurs face, based on a survey and interviews with 25 women working in or leading women's enterprises. Findings reveal the need for building cooperative and collaborative capacities, access to specific leadership and skill-training programmes, alternative financing, networking systems, and most important of all, social acceptance.

Keywords: women's enterprise; cooperatives; women entrepreneurs; female entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; Nepal; MAIR model; social issues; microcredit; economic empowerment; leadership; sustainable society; developing countries; cooperation; collaboration; skills training; alternative financing; networking systems; social acceptance.

DOI: 10.1504/IER.2013.055146

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 2013 Vol.14 No.2, pp.97 - 105

Published online: 30 Jun 2014 *

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