The family network support and disparity among rural-urban women informal entrepreneurs: empirical evidences from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Families and businesses have been separated from one another, but are intertwined in the case of women entrepreneurship. Women's participation in economic and business activities has enhanced the employment ratio as well as boosting up the living standard by supporting their families financially. However, development has been always unequal.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the rural-urban disparity among women home-based entrepreneurs in Mardan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Methods: Data were obtained through a questionnaire in the rural-urban location from 504 participants who were engaged in informal home businesses. Descriptive and chi-square analyses were performed to test the association among variables.

Results: The results showed that significant disparity in the rural-urban location was found in the products offered, family’s financial status, family’s network support in finance and sales, and markets.

Conclusions: These women entrepreneurs should expand their business network to reduce their dependency on their family for support which can put a bar on their decision making. To empower women and reducing the rural-urban inequality gap, the government should provide financial support for the expansion of these entrepreneurial activities.