Business in the urban informal economy: barriers to women’s entrepreneurship in Uganda

Guma, Prince K.

doi:10.1080/15228916.2015.1081025

Cited by 41 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Newer sectors like electronics and second‐hand clothes equally attract male and female street entrepreneurs. Negative attitudes towards businesses owned by women prevail and women's businesses operate in a hostile environment subjected to more bribery and harassment than enterprises owned by men (Karakire Guma, ). Enterprises run by women are typically smaller than those operated by men (Namatovu et al , ; Stevenson and St‐Onge, ).…”

Section: Context Participants and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite a vast literature on entrepreneurship in Uganda, women's constructions of entrepreneurial identities in the informal sector have been largely ignored (Karakire Guma, ; Kikooma, ). Studies have largely focussed on barriers and support to women's entrepreneurship, particularly in relation to accessing finance and training (Campos et al , ; Foy, ; Karakire Guma, ; Namatovu et al , ). These tend to reflect micro‐finance providers' strategies that typically overlook how entrepreneurial identities sustain inequalities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mobile Phones and Entrepreneurial Identity Negotiation by Urban Female Street Traders in Uganda

Masika

2017

Gender Work & Organization

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Mobile phones have been posited as enhancing women's entrepreneurship and gender equality in developing countries, yet empowerment outcomes are unclear. This article considers how women in the gender‐segregated informal economy construct their entrepreneurial identity in relation to mobile phones and the discursive repertoires that marginalize and empower. Using data from interviews with six urban female street traders in Kampala, Uganda, it explores how these repertoires illustrate their sense of self, positioning and belonging to the business community. Normative representations and positioning of female traders can sideline entrepreneurial identity and over‐validate gender identity. But, participants also negotiate entrepreneurial identity construction in response to these marginalizing influences. Although the data demonstrate that participants are equivocal about their entrepreneurial identity or fit in business, some representations are more validating and offer a sense of belonging. The article concludes by highlighting the nuanced opportunities for social change their discursive repertoires may present.

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Section: Context Participants and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobile Phones and Entrepreneurial Identity Negotiation by Urban Female Street Traders in Uganda

Masika

2017

Gender Work & Organization

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“…More specifically, there is a need for business owners and other stakeholders working in this Jua Kali sub-sector of the economy, to have a full grasp of the barriers to effective business performance. Unfortunately, no cogent understanding of such barriers is evident to stakeholders (Atiase et al, 2017;Fumo & Jabbour, 2011;Guma, 2015). In addition, there are also very few academic sources accessible, which outline even a close 'framework' of such barriers in a local Kenyan context (Wawire & Nafukho, 2010).…”

Section: Background and Importance Of The Informal Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The term 'informal' is ubiquitous in the entrepreneurship literature, with various studies (Guma, 2015;Safavian et al, 2016) referring to it as enterprises and accompanying activities of production which are unregistered, unregulated and often fall outside the boundaries of a formal tax system. In addition, Henning and Akoob (2017) assert that informal enterprises are run according to other informal arrangements.…”

Section: Delineating Jua Kalimentioning

confidence: 99%

Employment creation in Kenya: exploring the Jua Kali enterprises

Mang’unyi

Mwanzia

Govender

2018

Problems and Perspectives in Management

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In developing countries, non-agricultural micro-sized informal enterprises are known to create employment and income generation opportunities. However, due to the complexity and unregulated nature of the sector and, in particular, the Jua Kali, achieving efficient and effective sustainability remains a major challenge for the owners and policy makers alike. Since many unknown barriers continue to impact the effective and efficient development of the aforementioned enterprises, the aim of this study was to determine the barriers to effective job creation in a developing country's informal micro enterprise industry using evidence from the Jua Kali sub-sector in Kenya. The data from a survey conducted among a random sample of 118 enterprises, which were listed in one Jua Kali Association Directory Nairobi, were analyzed using exploratory factor and regression analyses. Strong evidence supports the notion that some sociodemographic variables such as age, education and marital status have an impact on entrepreneurial activities in the Jua Kali sector. Training, advise and consultation for Jua Kali entrepreneurs need to be enhanced, as this will be necessary to advance their business prowess. The results contribute to studies in entrepreneurship and management by demonstrating that designing and implementing the systems, activities and programs for supporting employment creation through the informal sector can improve productivity at all levels of the economy and improve the living of these entrepreneurs.

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“…micro-entrepreneurs, some of whom manage to turn their activities into mature businesses (Babah Daouda, Ingenbleek, & van Trijp, 2016;Karakire Guma, 2015).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Endogenous African Business: Why and How It Is Different, Why It Is Emerging Now and Why It Matters

Ingenbleek

2019

Journal of African Business

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Africa is currently undergoing a transition that is unprecedented in its history. For the first time, the demand of urban populations pulls business development, thus creating economies with higher levels of specialization than before. This essay highlights the phenomenon of the endogenous African businesses that are arising in this process. These businesses tap into the natural resources and the social, economic, and cultural systems that build upon them. These resources and systems make the African business environment different from business environments in other parts of the world. Furthermore, the endogenous businesses have access to knowledge on how to manage modern businesses in the formal sector of the economy. In combination with African resources and systems, such knowledge enables them to create and sustain and competitive advantage in modern dynamic marketplaces. Endogenous African businesses are important because they have the potential to fuel economic growth, to revitalize rural areas, to contribute to food security and healthy diets, and to provide role models of which Africans can be proud. Hence, these businesses deserve our attention in the next two decades of scholarly research and education on African business.

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Business in the urban informal economy: barriers to women’s entrepreneurship in Uganda

Cited by 41 publications

References 19 publications

Mobile Phones and Entrepreneurial Identity Negotiation by Urban Female Street Traders in Uganda

Mobile Phones and Entrepreneurial Identity Negotiation by Urban Female Street Traders in Uganda

Employment creation in Kenya: exploring the Jua Kali enterprises

The Endogenous African Business: Why and How It Is Different, Why It Is Emerging Now and Why It Matters

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