Journalartikel

Jahr der Veröffentlichung: 2003

Seiten: 205-218

Zeitschrift: International Review of Sociology

Bandnummer: 13

Heftnummer: 1

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/0390670032000087069

Verlag: Taylor and Francis Group

Abstract: 

The redefinition of self-employment in recent decades has facilitated the appearance of "new" entrepreneurs – those who enter self-employment out of unemployment or other disadvantageous circumstances. Women entrepreneurs are part of this category. Differences among women's motivations, aspirations, and obstacles they face in becoming entrepreneurs are discussed as part of a larger comparative study conducted in six European countries and financed by the European Union. Some of the aspects examined in both studies include: social and political conditions that cause unemployed people to become self-employed; problems that the newcomers face in the first stages of setting up a business; and inquiring whether existing policies serve the needs of women entrepreneurs. The focus is on "new entrepreneurs," especially women and male immigrants, but models of "the standard entrepreneur" (who is male and starts his business in young adulthood or middle age) and "the pseudo entrepreneur" (who is not in salaried employment but has only one customer upon which he depends financially) are also considered. Biographical interviews conducted with native-born women in Frankfurt am Main are used. Women's reasons for becoming self-employed include: age, maternity leave, serious illness, the "glass ceiling effect" (obstacles women are confronted with when trying to climb the career ladder). The female-specific obstacles in establishing new businesses include: financial problems (banks, enterprise allowance scheme, and unemployment benefits), social security, and part-time employment. Self-employment policies in Germany are related to and determined by welfare-state models, as new entrepreneurs who become self-employed out of necessity are more dependent on professional advice and financial support than others. There is a "difference" in reading women's aspirations and motivations in becoming entrepreneurs, and it is suggested that the "standardized biography" be replaced with a variable one.

Harvard-Zitierstil: Kreide, R. (2003) Self-employment of Women and Welfare-state Policies, International Review of Sociology, 13(1), pp. 205-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/0390670032000087069

APA-Zitierstil: Kreide, R. (2003). Self-employment of Women and Welfare-state Policies. International Review of Sociology. 13(1), 205-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/0390670032000087069