TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page – – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – – – v
Table of contents – – – – – – – – – vi
List of tables – – – – – – – – – ix
Abstract – – – – – – – – – x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the problem – – – – – – – 2
1.3. Objectives of the study – – – – – – – 3
1.4 Research questions – – – – – – – 4
1.5 Research Hypotheses – – – – – – – 4
1.7 Scope and Limitations of the study – – – – – – 5
1.8 Definitions of the Terms – – – – – – – 6
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 General literature – – – – – – – – 7
2.1.1 Case study – – – – – – – – 19
2.2 Theoretical Framework – – – – – – – – 20
2.2.1 Previous Empirical Studies on the Relationship between SMEs and Poverty
Alleviation – – – – – – – – 21
2.2.2 Alleviating Poverty through Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Micro – 22
2.2.3 Alleviating Poverty through Women Entrepreneurship – – – 23
2.2.4 Women as Entrepreneur – – – – – – – 25
2.2.5. Gap in knowledge – – – – – – – 25
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design – – – – – – – – 27
3.2 Population of the Study – – – – – – – – 27
3.3 Sample and Sampling Techniques – – – – – – 27
3.4 Instrumentation – – – – – – – – 28
3.5 Validation of instrument – – – – – – – – 29
3.6 Method of data collection – – – – – – – – 29
3.7 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – – – – 29
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis – – – – – – – 31
4.2 Testing of Hypotheses – – – – – – – 43
4.3 Discussion of Findings – – – – – – – 51
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary – – – – – – – – – 53
5.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – – 54
5.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – – – 54
References
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Women’s status in any society is perhaps different from that of their male counterparts and this may be destined naturally. This perception could possibly provide some basic explanations on the reason for the different role expectations from men and women in the society. Women are seen as inseparable from the family and most functions of housekeeping in the family are assigned to them. In the first instance, women are generally considered as main carers of the family (Tisdell, 2002; O’Connell, 1994).In most cases the income of the head of household normally determines the economic wellbeing of the entire family members. When family lives in poverty, the women usually suffers most and that affects significantly the welfare of the children. It is in fact more devastating if the children are teenagers who cannot partake in any job or productive economic activity. In some instances, the women play important roles in poverty reduction of their immediate families especially if the income of the husband is very meagre to cater for the family’s basic needs. They actually play a complementary role in the fight against poverty in most countries especially in developing or low income countries. Some studies reveal that the increasing rate of women participation in entrepreneurship is due to increase economic pressure and perhaps awareness as a result of increasing level of education (Tambunan, 2008).
Due to these reasons and other challenges, women begin to partake in entrepreneurial activity to uplift and empower themselves both socially and economically. The role of women is increasingly being recognized in every part of the world (Winn, 2005). It is worth acknowledging that businesses owned by women entrepreneurs are one of the fastest growing entrepreneurial activities in the world (Brush, 2009). Women across the world began to make significant impact by turning themselves into entrepreneurs instead of being mothers only.
Promoting women entrepreneurship development demands more attention to be focused upon issues that restrict women entrepreneurs. Information on gender issues will help with the implementation of supportive practices and programmes for monitoring and evaluating the challenges facing women entrepreneurs in developing economies and the best way to meet their needs. More emphasis from several researchers such as Odoemene (2003) and Mansor (2005) have been placed on the effect of psychological and economic factors on their entrepreneurial development. Few studies have focused on the environmental factors that are likely to affect the participation in business. In Nigeria, there is still a case to be made on the impact of environmental factors on the female entrepreneurs. The focus of this paper is to examine challenges and prospects of women entrepreneurs in alleviating poverty in Ika Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of the problem
Women entrepreneurship is a relatively new phenomenon in Nigeria. With growing recognition that women have unique talent, which could be harnessed for development, and for creating employment opportunities for others who are not suited to non-entrepreneurial carriers, developing women as entrepreneurs has become an important part of nation development planning and strategies. Shane (2003) stated that entrepreneur’s ability to discover and exploit opportunity for entrepreneurial activity differs between individuals and depends on individual’s attitude towards risk taking. Women, however, are very often excluded from participation in entrepreneurial activities because most African traditions regard them as subordinate to men regardless of their age or educational status. In Nigerian culture, the traditional female role is still highly regarded and such qualities as subservience, supportiveness, and submissiveness meet with approval.
Traits required to start up business are masculine by nature i.e such attributes as aggressiveness, goal oriented and competitiveness. The involvement and success of female entrepreneurs is affected by the institutions and macro environment which include national politics, culture and economic influences which play a significant role in mediating women entrepreneurial activities in many ways. Other challenges to female entrepreneurship include; lack of finance or startup capital, poor access to market, information and technology, role conflicts, poor infrastructural provisions like electricity, transportation, communication, perception of people, preparation for future challenges etc…
The aim of this paper is to examine the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in poverty alleviation in Ika local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state and as well proffer solutions to these challenges.
1.3. Objectives of the study
The main objective of this study is to assess the role of female entrepreneurs in alleviating poverty in Ika local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state.
Other Specific objectives are to:
- ascertain the level to which role conflict affects female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA
- examine the extent to which poor infrastructural provision affects female entrepreneurs in Ika 3. assess the extent to which lack of startup capital has affects women entrepreneur in Ika local government.
- analyze the extent to which perception of people affects female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA.
- Proffer solutions to the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in alleviating poverty in Ika.
1.4 Research questions
The study addresses the following areas - To what extent has role conflict affect female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA?
- To what extent has lack of infrastructural provision affect women entrepreneurs in Ika LGA?
- To what extent has lack of startup capital affect female entrepreneurs in ika lga?
- Does the perception of People affects female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
This study would be guided by the following hypothesis - H0: There is no significant relationship between role conflicts and female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA.
H1: There is significant relationship between role conflicts and female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA. - H0: There is no significant relationship between infrastructural provision and female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA.
H1: There is significant relationship between infrastructural provision and female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA. - H0: There is no significant relationship between lack of start up capital and female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA.
H1: There is significant relationship between lack of startup capital and female entrepreneurs in Ika LGA.
1.7 Scope and Limitations of the study
Scope of the Study
The study was restricted to make an evaluation into the role of female entrepreneurs in poverty Alleviation in rural communities of Akwa Ibom state, the case study of Ika LGA. Spatially, this work was delimited to female entrepreneurs, market women, small and medium scale female business owners, local female factory operators.
Limitations of the Study
In the course of carrying out this study, a number of constraints were encountered. Much time was spent on carrying out this research study from the printing and distribution of questionnaires to the target population, rather than whole population which was difficult to do. Funding in carrying out this research involves a lot of money. This includes travelling from one town to the other gathering vital data for the study; money was expended on the printing of questionnaire, typesetting and binding of the research work into a booklet.
However, the researcher was faced with the problem of some respondents not co-operating fully in providing answers to the questionnaire, seeing the exercise as an unnecessary distraction from their businesses. There was also the problem of some respondents having misconception about the whole exercise, because they thought providing certain information about them on issues were going to implicate them.
The availability of some vital materials for the study was not without difficulties. Vital documents like journals, literature and other relevant sources of secondary data collection were encountered with some degree of hardship. Accessing the Internet for vital and relevant data was also not easy. However, in spite of the limitations, the overall objectives of the research were accomplished, as solutions were provided to tackle limitations.
