Socio – Cultural Differences Between Rural & Urban Women Entrepreneurs

Abstract

In India, it is important to empower women through entrepreneurship for women's development, economic growth, and social stability.
Women, in India, despite struggling with the social shackles are becoming economically independent. The social norms relating to the
status of Women range from outright taboos against working outside the home to pressures that discourage women from being involved
in self–employment or entrepreneurial ventures. According to the Patriarchal system that prevails in India, males have power over
women through control of property and household income. Since female economic independence is limited in these societies, this
automatically leads to their lower status in relation to men. Hence, the cultural structures are rigid dividing the roles and spheres of men
and women. The typical divide is that of roles restricted within the household for women and outside the home for men. In recent years,
there has been an increasing awareness of the disadvantaged status of women and the need to promote social equality and recognition of
women as equal partners with men in development. As a response to this awareness, several studies and action programmes at the
international, national and regional levels have been carried out or are ongoing, to identify and assess problems and evolve policies and
measures for their solution. As a result, there is a clear perception now of the nature and magnitude of the basic issues inhibiting women’s
role in society and their development.
This paper highlights, how despite lacking qualifications and yet becoming entrepreneurs to achieve economic independence is perceived
differently in urban as well as rural areas. Further, how the social, as well as cultural factors, differ for the women entrepreneurs in both
urban as well as rural areas is captured in this particular study.