Women entrepreneurship: a survey in Erzurum province

The aim of this study is to reveal the profile of women entrepreneurs in Erzurum province and investigate the factors and problems affecting their entrepreneurial activity. With this aim study examines the problems women entrepreneurs encountered at start-up phase, managing their business and after becoming an entrepreneur. Support from family, networks and various institutions, received at start-up phase and managing the business; interactions between family and work life; experienced role conflict; perceptions on supportive environmental conditions in the region are also discussed. Factors affecting women's entrepreneurial activity are investigated. An exploratory survey is carried out among 200 women entrepreneurs from various sectors in Erzurum province. Collected data is initially evaluated by descriptive statistics, frequency tables and mean values. Then exploratory factor analysis is carried out to put forward the factors affecting entrepreneurial activity of women. Six factors are offered for the exploratory factor analysis: difficulty in managing the business, role conflict, supportive environmental conditions, patriarchal social structure, socio-economic profile. These six factors together accounted for 55,927% of the total variance.