Push and pull motivation factors for women entrepreneurship: a study on women headed families in Ampara district

Abstract

Introduction:Entrepreneurial motivations are often defined as “push” or “pull” categories. To date, research has focused on the factors motivating men and women separately. What is missing from this research is an analysis of the particular group that is women headed families and an exploration of what this means in terms of push-pull factors. This paper aims to contribute by applying the existing theory on push and pull factors to explore the nature of entrepreneurial motivations among women headed families in Ampara District. Ampara and Batticala districts in Sri Lanka are situated in the Eastern part of the island which were affected by thirty years domestic war and tsunami hit in 2004. Due to this,most of the women in this district have become bread winners of their families and engaged in entrepreneurial activities to save their families. Accordingly 14.1 % of the families in Ampara district have become women headed families such as loss of husband, divorced/ abandoned by the husband, disappearance of elderly male member of the family, differentially able elderly male member, heading the family due to other reason (Source: Statistical Information Women Headed Households- 2010, Care International Sri Lanka, 2010).

Purpose: Entrepreneurial motivations are the most important factors in order to assure their survival in the industry. Hence, the research question is“To what extent the push and pull motivation factors influence to women entrepreneurship?” Accordingly, the research aims to study the push and pull motivation factors for women entrepreneurship in micro businesses among women headed families in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach– This exploratory study uses a semi-structured and face-to-face interview with 110 women entrepreneurs using simple random sampling method and the research duration was around six months.

Findings: The significance of the study especially to women entrepreneurs in micro business sector which are contributing a lot for the development of national economies. Many women entrepreneurs in developing countries such as Sri Lanka face many problems and challenges while they are operating their businesses. Findings suggest that women appeared similarly motivated by a combination of push and pull factors. However it was found the women entrepreneur in women headed families are motivated more by push factors rather than pull factors. Death of the bread winner, disabled male member in the family, sudden fall in family income and permanent inadequacy in income of the family are some of the main reasons for their entrepreneurial activity rather than their desire to evaluate their talents, need for achievement and to get recognition Accordingly, the findings might be immense value to enhance women entrepreneurship in developing countries, such as Sri Lanka, as much research has not been conducted in this regard.

Conclusion: Most of the women entrepreneurs in women headed families are motivated by push factors for entrepreneurship in micro businesses. Steps are being taken to promote women entrepreneurship. They should be moulded properly with entrepreneurial qualities to meet the challenges in national and global markets and be competent enough to survive in the industry by means of showing the pull factors and positive sides of the entrepreneurship.