Interrogating “entrepreneurship for development”: a counter-narrative based on local stories of women in rural Ethiopia

Sarah Cummings, Diana Escobedo López · 2022 · International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship

Summary. This study challenges the dominant narrative that entrepreneurship solves development problems by examining women's actual experiences in rural Ethiopia. Through interviews and focus groups, researchers found that while women entrepreneurs gain financial benefits and social recognition, they also face significant downsides including personal safety concerns, stress, limited social life, and fear of poverty. The findings urge policymakers to reconsider uncritical promotion of entrepreneurship and recognize its complex, sometimes harmful effects on women's lives.

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@article{cummings-2022-interrogating-entrepreneurship-development-counter-narrative,
  title   = {Interrogating “entrepreneurship for development”: a counter-narrative based on local stories of women in rural Ethiopia},
  author  = {Sarah Cummings and Diana Escobedo López},
  journal = {International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship},
  year    = {2022},
  doi     = {10.1108/ijge-02-2022-0021},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1108/ijge-02-2022-0021}
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Interrogating “entrepreneurship for development”: a counter-narrative based on local stories of women in rural Ethiopia
AU  - Sarah Cummings
AU  - Diana Escobedo López
JO  - International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship
PY  - 2022
DO  - 10.1108/ijge-02-2022-0021
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/ijge-02-2022-0021
ER  - 

Details

DOI

10.1108/ijge-02-2022-0021

Countries

Ethiopia

Regions

Africa

Categories

entrepreneurship, policy

Added

2026-04-28