The growth and development of female entrepreneurial firms in Ireland

• Main Author: McClelland, Emma Marie
• Published: Ulster University 2007
• Subjects: 158.7
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.487713

Initial academic inquiry has highlighted the importance of entrepreneurial activity and the crucial role of entrepreneurs within a small business sector. Moreover, in terms of the volume of academic research which has been undertaken in the area of entrepreneurship and on the small firm sector, it is argued that the female entrepreneur has been seriously 'neglected' by both the mass media and the academic community (Carter, 2001; Baker et aI., 1997).However, much of the extant literature on female entrepreneurs is often limited to the prestart up stage of business, dealing in particular with issues of discrimination in raising finance, or the motivations of female entrepreneurs in starting new ventures (Cromie, 1987). Thus, comparatively little rigorous and in-depth research has been undertaken on the issue of gender and business performance highlighting the need for an examination of female-owned organisations beyond the start-up stage of business and in particular, their processes of growth. In light of these gaps in the existing literature, this thesis will investigate the growth and development of female entrepreneurs in the Irish context.