Title: Key success factors and challenges in harnessing the power of women entrepreneurs

Authors: Hasliza Hassan; Junainah Mahdee; Muhammad Sabbir Rahman; Abu Bakar Sade

Addresses: Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, 63100 Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia ' Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Persiaran Multimedia, 63100 Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia ' Department of Marketing and International Business, North South University, Plot#5, Block#B, Bashundhara, Dhaka-1229, Bangladesh ' Faculty of Business and Information Science, UCSI University, Jalan Menara Gading, UCSI Heights, Taman Connaught, Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract: Women entrepreneurs play a crucial role in fulfilling Malaysia's vision of becoming a well-developed country with an economy that is fully competitive, dynamic and robust. As a developing country that is based on a diverse community, there is always a combination of contemporary and conservative perception, and acceptance by the society of women entrepreneurship. This research is presented based on a critical review of the literature in relation to women entrepreneurship. The factors that denote the success and challenges as an entrepreneur vary according to how the situation is perceived. This research attempts to explore the key success factors and challenges of women entrepreneurs, in general, and looks at how far women entrepreneurship could be developed in Malaysia.

Keywords: challenges; female entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; Malaysia; success; women entrepreneurs; critical success factors; CSFs; developing countries; literature review.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2017.085031

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2017 Vol.13 No.4, pp.450 - 467

Received: 15 Apr 2016
Accepted: 30 May 2016
Published online: 10 Jul 2017 *

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