Access to and use of resources in business from a gendered perspective
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The document discusses the access to business resources from a gendered perspective, highlighting the need for support for women entrepreneurs in Wales, where only 19% of SMEs are female-led. It emphasizes the role of 'bricolage' in overcoming resource scarcity during startup phases and presents co-working spaces as potential support systems for women. Challenges faced include access to resources, credibility, and networking, with recommendations for further research on women's experiences in business and co-working spaces.
Access to and use of resources in business from a gendered perspective
- 1. Access to and use of resources in businesses from a gendered perspective Celia Netana, University of South Wales celia.netana@southwales.ac.uk
- 2. Background • Strategic Insight Partnership (SIP) HEFCW funding to enable HE and third sector/private organisations to work together • Brought together our mutual interests in supporting women in Wales achieve and prosper, gender and enterprise
- 3. Background • 19% of all SME are led by women (BIS, 2013) • Discussion in literature in field of gender and enterprise around access to resources as a way of understanding why there continues to be a gender gap in number of SMEs starting up • Access to resources and what people do when resources are scarce
- 4. Literature Bricolage • Introduced in the literature as intellectual bricolage by Lévi-Strauss in the 1960s (Baker and Nelson, 2005; Desa, 2010). • In an entrepreneurial context Baker and Nelson (2005) consider bricolage as “…making do by applying combinations of the resources at hand to new problems and opportunities”.
- 5. Literature Bricolage Bricolage as enabler to start up : “ a refusal to accept limitations, making do and improvisation…” (DiDomenico et al., 2010) “Social bricolage” –adding “social value” Important on international level breaking through institutional and regulatory controls (Linna, 2013) Bricolage as inhibitor to growth: “less rational” and more chaotic solution (Stinchfield, 2011) A scattered, broad approach to bricolage has been found to have a limiting effect on business growth (Baker and Nelson, 2005 and Fisher, 2012). Bricolage tends to have a more positive effect on the business at start up but less so once the business has been established (Senyard et al., 2009)
- 6. Literature Incubators No generally agreed definition of incubator – different forms in different industries How incubators have developed over the decades: Smilor and Gill 1986 1) “…the business incubator seeks to effectively link talent, technology, capital and know how in order to leverage entrepreneurial talent and to accelerate the development of new companies.” Hackett and Dilts 2004b 2)“…a shared office-space facility that seeks to provide its incubatees with a strategic, value-adding intervention system of monitoring and business assistance.” UK Business Incubation Limited, 2011 3) "Business incubation is a unique and highly flexible combination of business development processes, infrastructure and people designed to nurture new and small businesses by helping them to survive and grow through the difficult and vulnerable early stages of development."
- 7. Literature Incubators – coworking spaces
- 8. Literature Benefits of co-working spaces Development of credibility Shortening of entrepreneurial learning curve Quicker solution of problems Access to entrepreneurial network Outputs of co-working spaces More entrepreneurs New viable ventures Growing sustainable businesses, profit Incubation graduation and churn, “Fertile” entrepreneurial environment Areas of support needed by women business owners Premises outside the home (otherwise perceived as hobbyist) Human capital (previous work or business experience and skills) Financial capital Social capital (networks, contacts)
- 9. Literature Issues around access to coworking spaces from a gendered perspective Opening hours Locations Industry sectors (incubators tend to be high tech, digital media) “masculinized environments” (Marlow and McAdam, 2012) Business “types” – mostly high growth potential firms targeted. Members only – some incubators use selection criteria to ensure a good and productive fit within their incubators and to suit their funders’ priorities. How are co-working spaces advertised? Who are they targeted at? Incubator manager – important role operationally, also to collect information on tenants and tenant’s input to continue to offer relevant services and understand how tenants interract with each other Digital networking - (fablabs etc) great potential especially in rural areas but only if infrastructure can support it.
- 10. Who took part? 30 self employed women across Wales Business sector Answer Options Response Percent Response Count Advanced materials and manufacturing 0.0% 0 Construction 3.7% 1 Creative Industries 22.2% 6 Energy and Environment 0.0% 0 Financial and Professional Services 22.2% 6 Food and Farming 0.0% 0 Information Communication and Technology 0.0% 0 Life Sciences 0.0% 0 Tourism 11.1% 3 Other 40.7% 11 Other (please specify) 13
- 11. What did you need at start up? What did you actually get at start up? Yes – had used a co-working space Finance Advice Finance Support Business Advice Premises Internet Equipment Networking Child/ Adult care Other Staff to work on deferred pay Social media marketin g
- 12. What did you need at start up?What did you actually get at start up? No – have not used a co-working space Finance Advice Finance Support Business Advice Premises Internet Equipment Networking Child/ Adult care Other Marketing PR
- 13. Top 3 challenges at start up Top 3 challenges Top 3 solutions • Getting through recession • Getting on preferred suppliers lists, finding clients, no income • Credibility in new market, getting “known”, networks • Premises, meeting room hire • How to get started (registration etc) • Confidence, overcoming reluctance to self market • Finding suitable insurance, IT resources, Capital • Working from home • Need for admin support • Hard work, belief in yourself, commitment to business idea • Not giving up, social media marketing, New Enterprise Allowance • Finding and joining local networks • Worked from home • Business Wales • Attending networks and expanding boundaries, still reluctant to self market • Extended mortgage, luck, help from friends, credit card • Time management • Virtual service and friends
- 14. Top 3 challenges at start up Top 3 challenges Top 3 solutions • Where to get info, find funding, find legal advice, where to start, what’s essential • Child/Adult care • Money to book events, took 2 yrs before income, cashflow • Finding staff, practical hands on support • Winning business, getting clients, where to sell • No previous experience, business planning • No boss, gaining confidence • Relying on others to help you • New Enterprise Allowance grant, Business Wales, paid for legal advice/accountant • Worked nights and weekends, “spinning plates”, good friends, supportive partner • Bank overdraft, personal savings • Still difficult finding staff, employed people we know • Chambers of Trade, still don’t have enough clients, research, networking • Reading books, talking to others, free courses, networking • Talking to friends, trial and error, just get out there and do it! • Hard work, lots of tears, determination
- 15. What can we take from this study? There is a recognition of the hard work and steely determination they had shown in setting up their own businesses and degree of pride that they had done it by their own steam. “Belief in the quality of the work…. HARD WORK ……Not giving up when faced with adversity….. Total commitment to deliver added value to any project I get involved with” “Hard work, lots of tears but a determination second to none.”
- 16. Where do we go from here? Co-working spaces have potential to offer specific, targeted support to women in Wales Further research needed- •How business development support is delivered •on women in business in welsh context •on women’s experiences of using co-working spaces •on women’s experiences after using co- working spaces
- 17. Next Steps If you are part of an incubator/co- working space, please get in touch: Celia.netana@southwales.ac.uk
Editor's Notes
- #4: Bricolage to Incubators/Coworking
- #9: Used this to form our survey questions –
- #10: Formed the basis of our questions – what do female business owners say they needed and did they get what they needed at start up?
- #11: “Other” responses as specified by respondent Event Staffing Agency Personal Development, Research & Consultancy and Creative Sector Economic consultancy Education & Food Tourism Careers Guidance Translation and Interpreting Third sector consultancy and training Individual and Organisational Development Privately run Playgroup Training and legal advice Recruitment
- #12: Initial striking result was that only 7 out of 30 had used a coworking space at start up what do women in Wales seek from incubators, what did they actually get and what do they need?
- #14: Complexities of subject hightlighted – working from home both a challenge and a solution!