Women Entrepreneurs in UAE

MOTIVATING FACTORS FOR EMIRATI WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the primary reasons that contribute to the success of women entrepreneurs in UAE, and to understand the cultural transformations which enable them to compete in the business world, under the influence of patriarchal society. It is an exploratory research and designed to explore the factors of success for women in the male dominated business environment, and to assess their business ability in changing market dynamics.

Key Word: Women entrepreneurs, patriarchal society, modernization.

Introduction

The prolonged argument that contends that economic output is generated, and advance by entrepreneurs is no longer a debatable issue. In modern day capitalistic and individualistic environment it has become a known fact, especially accentuated by the liberalization and privatization of government own enterprises to medium and small size organization. The success of nation's economic growth and progress depends upon its capability to capitalize on its natural endowments to gain its economic objectives (Omar, 2013).

The phenomena of entrepreneurs and more specifically women entrepreneurs have witnessed speedy growth in around the globe in general and UAE in particular. Prior to the discovery of crude oil, the Emirati women were not only considered as domesticated partners in the family whose sole responsibility to look after the house, but played an important role in all aspects of life. They have participated and contributed considerably in various businesses such as making of traditional handicrafts, sewing and crushing flour, beside fulfilling their traditional in the form of child bearing, cooking food trice a day, housekeeping and taking care of their families (Omar, 2013).

In modern day UAE, the government has made sure that women must have the same rights as men enjoy in their society, which enable the Emirati women to play a significant role in the business development of their country. For instance, the recent research conducted by AlKhaleej, indicate that the number of women entrepreneurs in UAE is increasing day by day (AlKhaleej, 2010). At the moment, there are more than eleven thousand women entrepreneurs working inside UAE, and contributing around $3.7 milliard to the Emirati economy (Kargwell, 2012).

The primary reason for the initiation of this research is to highlight the collective achievements of these women in the context of patriarchal society. Since time immemorial men had the upper hand on all aspects of human life in this region, whereas female were regard as domesticated being whose sole responsibility was giving birth and child rearing (Kargwell, 2012).

Nevertheless, this became a motivational reason that challenged them to prove their potential by crossing over to the field of business and finance, and mark themselves as equal to men in terms of business development and retention. Hence, the objective of this study is to throw some light on the business related achievements of Emirati female entrepreneurs and their contribution to the socio-economic development of their society including the detail analysis of the reason of their success (Kargwell, 2012).

Modern day Emirati women are involved two forms of business activities which include ...