TY - JOUR
T1 - Women and apparel entrepreneurship
T2 - An exploration of small business challenges and strategies in three countries
AU - Hodges, Nancy
AU - Watchravesringkan, Kittichai
AU - Yurchisin, Jennifer
AU - Karpova, Elena
AU - Marcketti, Sara
AU - Hegland, Jane
AU - Yan, Ruoh Nan
AU - Childs, Michelle
PY - 2015/6/8
Y1 - 2015/6/8
N2 - Purpose – The purpose of this study was to explore strategies used by successful female entrepreneurs to manage the challenges of running a small apparel business. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research design was used. Primary and secondary data were collected on small business in three countries: Russia, South Africa and Thailand. In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 11 female small apparel business owners. Businesses ranged from tailoring and custom clothing shops, to small-scale design and production, as well as small apparel retail stores. Findings – Three emergent themes highlight the similarities and differences that surfaced across the participants’ narratives. Key issues within the thematic areas point to the need for these women to be creative in finding resources to start and grow their small apparel businesses, and to manage the competition that they face within this industry. Research limitations/implications – It is difficult to generalize the findings of this study beyond the sample. Implications of the findings for understanding the needs of female apparel entrepreneurs and small business owners are considered. Originality/value – Despite the significance of women to the apparel industry as well as small business ownership, thus far, the role of women as apparel entrepreneurs and small business owners has been under-examined in the literature. This study offers insight into what it is like for women seeking to succeed as apparel entrepreneurs and small business owners.
AB - Purpose – The purpose of this study was to explore strategies used by successful female entrepreneurs to manage the challenges of running a small apparel business. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research design was used. Primary and secondary data were collected on small business in three countries: Russia, South Africa and Thailand. In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 11 female small apparel business owners. Businesses ranged from tailoring and custom clothing shops, to small-scale design and production, as well as small apparel retail stores. Findings – Three emergent themes highlight the similarities and differences that surfaced across the participants’ narratives. Key issues within the thematic areas point to the need for these women to be creative in finding resources to start and grow their small apparel businesses, and to manage the competition that they face within this industry. Research limitations/implications – It is difficult to generalize the findings of this study beyond the sample. Implications of the findings for understanding the needs of female apparel entrepreneurs and small business owners are considered. Originality/value – Despite the significance of women to the apparel industry as well as small business ownership, thus far, the role of women as apparel entrepreneurs and small business owners has been under-examined in the literature. This study offers insight into what it is like for women seeking to succeed as apparel entrepreneurs and small business owners.
KW - Apparel industry
KW - Entrepreneurship
KW - Small business
KW - Women
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84930167697&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84930167697&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/IJGE-07-2014-0021
DO - 10.1108/IJGE-07-2014-0021
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84930167697
VL - 7
SP - 191
EP - 213
JO - International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship
JF - International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship
SN - 1756-6266
IS - 2
ER -