Where the World is Broken up into Fragments by Narrow Domestic Walls: Women Entrepreneurs in the Informal Sector of Lucknow

Abstract

100 successful women entrepreneurs involved in the informal sector were surveyed through interviews in 5 areas of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, which is a State in India. The survey showed that poor women entered business at a very early age and were either illiterate or just literate. Their enterprises were service or job work oriented in nature. They were confronted with a lot of mental and physical stresses, domestic problems and suffered from high levels of both fear of success and failure. Their enterprises faced problems of management, finance and working capital and they themselves encountered professional disrespect On the other hand, the enterprises of educated women in the sector were growing rapidly from strength to strength. Most of them were extremely self-confident and were capable of becoming leading entrepreneurs of the country. Prescription of success for these women entrepreneurs were suggested by way of policies and strategies that would help in the sustainable development of the units, in the light of the problems confronted by them. Besides, it was also stated that policies and strategies should also be evolved for sustainable development of the beneficiaries, taking their familial, social, economic, educational and political lives. This study could help in proactive policy framework for women in the informal sector