Anthropology of Women's Entrepreneurial Bej-Ia Vior In Kambatta Southern Ethiopia
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Date
2006-06
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Publisher
AAU
Abstract
The goal of this study is to present an ethnographic examination of
entrepreneurial behavior a nd characteristics of the women in Kambatta.
Four research questions a re crucial and centra l in this research. These
a re how culture affects women entrepren eurs hip?, what a re the SOCIO cu ltura l enabling environment for wome n entrepre neurship?, what
ch a racteristics of entrepreneurs hip do Ka mba tta women have? And a re
unma rried women more entrepren euri a l th a n ma rri ed women In
Kamba tta society?
This research in Kambatta is conducted betwee n Febura ry-May, 2006 in
Dura me a pplying diffe rent e thnographic d a ta collection me thodologies
su ch as interviews, surveys, pa rti cipa n t obse rvation a nd case studies.
S v n case studie wer selected a nd 30 u rvey questionnaires were
distribut d to wome n nlrepre neurs selec ted ra ndomly in Dura me town.
Findings with regard to th e a bove three questions a re conclusive.
Ena bling factors for women entrepren eurs hip a re associa ted with the
combination of cu ltura l a nd structura l issues. In Ka mba tta society
ch a nging attitude toward s business wome n is clearly seen a nd there a re
a lso policy environments a nd NGO a dvocacy on women's rights created
positive image towa rds women 's initiatives. Not so ma ny women in
Kambatta could com e out to business due to more structural constraints
existing in the soc iety . However, th ere are still structured tra dition a l
va lue systems in Ka mbata that hamper wo men 's independent life,
business endeavo rs a nd choice .
Concerning th e fourth question, the fi ndings a re less conc lu sive. The
finding s h ows th al th e question wheth e r unmarri ed women are more
entrepren euria l lhan marri ed cannot be proved and diffi cult to
gen era lize. In conc lusion, lhe ethnographi findings of the research a re
clearly sh own in co rporating theoreti cal discu ssions a nd debates