Gender Considerations and Entrepreneurship Development in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates

Authors

  • Sheikh Hamad Peillex United Arab Emirates University
  • Muhammad al-Qasimi Shah Shah United Arab Emirates University
  • Zayed Al Sharqi Esposito United Arab Emirates University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t5186

Abstract

Entrepreneurship development refers to the process of creating an environment that fosters entrepreneurship and supports the growth and success of entrepreneurial ventures. It plays a critical role in driving economic growth and job creation, as well as promoting innovation and competitiveness In the UAE, women make up only a small percentage of entrepreneurs, with the majority of businesses owned and operated by men. Gender considerations in entrepreneurship development requires promoting women's leadership and representation in the business community. It was found that UAE Gender Balance Council was set up with the aim of promoting gender balance across all sectors of society, and the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative, which provides financial and non-financial support to women entrepreneurs. There are also several private sector initiatives aimed at supporting women's entrepreneurship in the UAE, including the Dubai Business Women Council, which provides business training and support to women entrepreneurs, and the Women's Angel Investor Network, which provides funding and mentorship to women-led businesses. Promoting gender diversity and inclusion in business can have a positive impact on the wider economy, by promoting innovation and growth. In conclusion, it is important to address the challenges that women entrepreneurs face in balancing their entrepreneurial activities with their family responsibilities. Beauracracy in accessing mentorship and networking opportunities, accessing technology and digital resources, accessing information and resources related to entrepreneurship and in accessing business incubators and accelerators. The study recommended that the government should encourage more women to participate in entrepreneurship by promoting female role models and highlighting the successes of women entrepreneurs in the UAE.  Develop mentorship and networking programs that are specifically tailored to the needs of women entrepreneurs. Provide opportunities for women entrepreneurs to connect with international networks and markets. Increase the representation of women on boards and in senior leadership positions in businesses and organizations. This can help to create a more inclusive and diverse business environment in the UAE. Encourage the development of women-led and women-owned businesses in the UAE.

Keywords: Gender Considerations, Entrepreneurship Development, United Arab Emirates

Author Biographies

Sheikh Hamad Peillex, United Arab Emirates University

United Arab Emirates University

Muhammad al-Qasimi Shah Shah , United Arab Emirates University

United Arab Emirates University

Zayed Al Sharqi Esposito, United Arab Emirates University

United Arab Emirates University

References

Abd El Basset, F., Bell, R., & Al Kharusi, B. (2022). Reducing barriers to female entrepreneurship in Oman: does family matter?. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, (ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-01-2022-0009

Althalathini, D., Al-Dajani, H., & Apostolopoulos, N. (2021). The impact of Islamic feminism in empowering women’s entrepreneurship in conflict zones: Evidence from Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine. Journal of Business Ethics, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04818-z

Bauman, A., & Lucy, C. (2021). Enhancing entrepreneurial education: Developing competencies for success. The International Journal of Management Education, 19(1), 100293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2019.03.005

Boshmaf, H., & O'Keeffe, C. (2022). Promoting Gender Equality in Jordan: A Gender Review of the National Entrepreneurship and SME Growth Strategy 2015-2017. Dirasat: Human and Social Sciences, 49(5), 61-72. https://doi.org/10.35516/hum.v49i5.3114

Cardella, G. M., Hernández-Sánchez, B. R., & Sánchez-García, J. C. (2020). Women entrepreneurship: A systematic review to outline the boundaries of scientific literature. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1557. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01557

Carleson, L. (2020). 'Women are power, they are roots, and they are everything': How entrepreneurial identity enables economic empowerment from microloans.

Facchini, F., Jaeck, L., & Bouhaddioui, C. (2021). Culture and entrepreneurship in the United Arab Emirates. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 12, 1245-1269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-020-00663-z

Gorelova, I., Dmitrieva, D., Dedova, M., & Savastano, M. (2021). Antecedents and consequences of digital entrepreneurial ecosystems in the interaction process with smart city development. Administrative Sciences, 11(3), 94. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci11030094

Hassan, A., Saleem, I., Anwar, I., & Hussain, S. A. (2020). Entrepreneurial intention of Indian university students: the role of opportunity recognition and entrepreneurship education. Education+ Training, 62(7/8), 843-861. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-02-2020-0033

Khan, R. U., Salamzadeh, Y., Shah, S. Z. A., & Hussain, M. (2021). Factors affecting women entrepreneurs’ success: a study of small-and medium-sized enterprises in emerging market of Pakistan. Journal of innovation and entrepreneurship, 10(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-021-00145-9

Kuschel, K., Ettl, K., Díaz-García, C., & Alsos, G. A. (2020). Stemming the gender gap in STEM entrepreneurship–insights into women’s entrepreneurship in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 16(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-020-00642-5

Lomazzi, V., & Seddig, D. (2020). Gender role attitudes in the international social survey programme: Cross-National Comparability and Relationships to Cultural Values. Cross-Cultural Research, 54(4), 398-431. https://doi.org/10.1177/1069397120915454

Păunescu, C., & Molnar, E. (2020). Country’s entrepreneurial environment predictors for starting a new venture—evidence for Romania. Sustainability, 12(18), 7794. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187794

Peillex, J., Boubaker, S., & Comyns, B. (2021). Does it pay to invest in Japanese women? Evidence from the MSCI Japan empowering women index. Journal of Business Ethics, 170(3), 595-613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04373-8

Santos, D. (2022). Building entrepreneurial ecosystems: the case of Coimbra. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 13(1), 73-89. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-02-2020-0028

Sukmawati, A. R. (2021). Factors Influencing Entrepreneurial Intention among Undergraduate Students in USA.

Yacus, A. M., Esposito, S. E., & Yang, Y. (2019). The influence of funding approaches, growth expectations, and industry gender distribution on high‐growth women entrepreneurs. Journal of Small Business Management, 57(1), 59-80. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsbm.12491

Zarrouk, H., Sherif, M., Galloway, L., & El Ghak, T. (2020). Entrepreneurial orientation, access to financial resources and SMEs' business performance: The case of the United Arab Emirates. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 7(12), 465-474. https://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no12.465

Downloads

Published

2023-06-08

How to Cite

Peillex, S. H. ., Shah , M. al-Q. S. ., & Esposito, Z. A. S. . (2023). Gender Considerations and Entrepreneurship Development in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Journal of Entrepreneurship & Project Management, 7(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t5186

Issue

Section

Articles