The importance of women's entrepreneurship in economic development and barriers to women's entrepreneurship

Abstract: The vitality of entrepreneurship for the development of countries and to increase their competitive power requires women to benefit from their entrepreneurship potential. The development of women's entrepreneurship depends on the correct identification of the obstacles in this regard. In this context, the aim of the study is to reveal the importance of women's entrepreneurship for economic development, to examine the perspective of women on entrepreneurship and the obstacles they face in the context of entrepreneurship. In the context of the level 2 regions in Turkey, as a result of correlation analysis carried out in this context, a positive relationship between per capita income and the ratio of women entrepreneurs as with the added value created rate has been found. In addition, a strong positive relationship has been found between the human development levels of the countries and the ındex of women entrepreneurs they have. When the surveys conducted to determine the women's perspective on entrepreneurship and the obstacles on this issue are analyzed; In the first place among the obstacles encountered, insufficient initial fund, social pressures, insufficient support from the family and discrimination against women came to the prominence. When the results of the T and Anova test to determine the difference of entrepreneurship barriers according to socio-economic and demographic factors were examined, it was seen that the most important factor in overcoming the obstacles to women's entrepreneurship was the education level of women themselves and their spouses. Therefore, increasing the education level of women and society is important for entrepreneurship and especially for women entrepreneurship. In addition, measures such as providing more financial support to women whose spouse are unemployed, especially women whose financial situation is not good, and providing free daycare facilities for their children, will encourage women entrepreneurship.