Abstract
Islam encourages and supports efforts to involve women in social life, to integrate them through many courses and, together with men, to share the burden of the road towards the development and prosperity of society. The only condition set before a woman is the consistent adherence to shariah rules and principles and to jealously guarding their Islamic dignity. The economic empowerment of women through entrepreneurship and small business offers a huge space for the introduction of real changes in their lives. Although in many sectors shown as a positive example, and as a trend in the economic reality of Bosnia and Herzegovina, women’s small entrepreneurship is challenged to respond to the current economic recession. In order to gain strength and in turn to help the healing of the whole economy, such empowerment has to be first of all legally recognized (as it is in most countries of the world and neighbouring countries) both by statistical and by legislative institutions. Only by creating the basic preconditions for recognizing and evaluating women’s business can it become possible to address all the problems facing female entrepreneurship in Bosnia and Herzegovina in a systematic and rational way. Unfortunately, like many other unexplored aspects of life in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is almost no relevant and ongoing research on problems facing women in small entrepreneurship. Therefore, the primary goal of this research is, through a descriptive study, to determine whether and to what extent business problems are present in a women’s small entrepreneurship in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The research on this topic was based on primary data collection methods and testing techniques drawing on surveys. To this end, we have interviewed 125 women entrepreneurs in small business in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In connection with the interpretation of the data obtained, the research will in this regard provide recommendations for measures to ensure the initial conditions (empowerment through all forms of education and training) that would result in a larger (self-) employment of women and their increased participation in economic activities.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
Shahbaz Mavaddat, Director, Southern Europe and Central Asia, IFC, Foreword for “Voices of Woman Entrepreneurs in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, May 2008, Washington, USA.
- 2.
“USA Today”, 25 October 1985, page 1 A, taken from Norman M. Scarborough & Tomas W. Zimmer (2005) Effective Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Approach. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, p. 55.
- 3.
Norman M. Scarborough & Tomas W. Zimmer (2005) Effective Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Approach. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, p. 9.
- 4.
Milenko Dostić (2002) Menadžment malih i srednjih preduzeća. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: EFSA, p. 51.
- 5.
Nikola Kuvačić (2005) Preduzetnička biblija. Split, Croatia: Beretin, p. 15.
- 6.
Marica Škrtić (2006) Poduzetništvo. Zagreb, Croatia: Sinergija, p. 1.
- 7.
E. Kepler and S. Shane, Are Male and Female Entrepreneurs Really That Different? Small Business Research Summary, SBA, Office Advocacy.
- 8.
A. Kalleberg and K. T. Leich (1991) Gender and Organizational Performance: Determinants of Small Business Survival and Success, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 136–161.
- 9.
www.international.gc.ca – Canadian Case Studies of Best Practice Relating to Woman Entepreneurs – 11.03.2008.
- 10.
Lee Bender (2008) Twenty Gender Differences in Entrepreneurship, Journal of Women’s Entrepreneurship and Education, Second Edition, www.jwe.portal.com
- 11.
Teufik Čočić and Mirko Pešić (2012) Ekonomski vjesnik UDK, Vol. 336, No. 78, p. 297, Croatia; pages 377 and 381.
- 12.
Lee Bender (2008) Twenty Gender Differences in Entrepreneurship, Journal of Women’s Entrepreneurship and Education, Second Edition, www.jwe.portal.com
- 13.
Teufik Čočić and Mirko Pešić (2012) Ekonomski vjesnik UDK, Vol. 336, No. 78, p. 297, Croatia; pages 377 and 381.
- 14.
Milenko Dostić (2002) Menadžment malih i srednjih preduzeća. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: EFSA, p. 55.
- 15.
Petar Čovo (2007) Održivo preduzetništvo – žensko preduzetništvo. Croatia: Zadar University, p. 53.
- 16.
“GEM 2010 Women’s Report” by Donna J. Kelley, Candida G. Brush, Patricia G. Greene and Yana Litovsky, Babson College, and the Global Entrepreneurship Research Association (GERA).
- 17.
“GEM Report Bosnia and Herzegovina – Report on women’s entrepreneurhip in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Prof. dr. Bahrija Umihanić, Mirela Arifović Omerović, Slađana Simić, Centar za razvoj preduzetništva, Tuzla, B&H, 2012, p. 7.
- 18.
Safija Junuzović: Fatima el-Fihri – established one of the first world universities, Bosanska Sumejja, February 2014, p. 46.
- 19.
Sandra L. Fielden & Marylin J. Davidson (2005) International Handbook of Women and Small Business Entrepreneurship. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, p. 212.
- 20.
Ibid., p. 213.
- 21.
Anshuja Tiwari (2007) Women Entrepreneurship and Economic Development – Constraints and Suggestions. India: Sarup and Sons, first edition, p. 95.
- 22.
Anil Kumar (2008) Women in Small Business and Entrepreneurship. India: International Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., p. 105.
- 23.
Ivana Čvorović, Centres for Women Entrepreneurship, Project “Istraživanje ženskog preduzetništva u Srbiji i Bugarskoj – mogućnosti poslovne saradnje” financed by EU, Niš, Serbia, 2008, p. 39.
- 24.
Congressional record of V 153 Pt. 12, 18–26 June 2007, edited by US Congress.
References
Anil, K. (2008). Women in small business and entrepreneurship. New Delhi: International Publishing House Pvt, Ltd, p. 105.
Anshuja, T. (2007). Women entrepreneurship and economic development—Constraints and suggestions (1st ed.). New Delhi: Sarup and Sons, p. 95.
Bahrija, U., Mirela, A. O., & Slađana, S. (2012). GEM report Bosnia and Herzegovina—Report on women’s entrepreneurship in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tuzla: Centar za razvoj preduzetništva, p. 7.
Bell, R. (1993). Task role motivation and attributional styles as predictors of enterpreneurial performace: Female sample findings. Enterpreneurship and Regional Development, 5(4), 331–344.
Bernardshaw, R. (1999). Rural women entrepreneurs: Problems and prospects. In M. Soundarapandian (Ed.), Women enterpreneurship issues and strategies. New Delhi: Kanishka Publishers.
Brush, C. (1992). Research on women business owners: Past trends, a new perspective and future directions. Entrepreneuship Theory and Practice, 16(4), 5–31.
Carter N. & Kolvereid, L. (1997). Women starting new businesses: The experience in Norway and the US, paper presented at OECD conference on women entrepreneurs in SMEs, Paris, France.
Carter, N. M., Gartner, W. B., & Reynolds, P. D. (1996). Exploring start up event sequences. Journal of Business Venturing, 11, 151–166.
Cocic, T & Pesic, M. (2012). Ekonomski vjesnik UDK 336.78:297, p. 377 & 381.
Congressional record of V 153 Pt. 12, 18–26 June 2007 edited by US Congress
Cvorovic, I. (2008). Project – „Istrazivanje zenskog preduzetnistva u Srbiji i Bugarskoj – mogucnosti poslovne saradnje“. Nis, Centres for Women Enterpreneurship. p. 40.
Donna, J. K., Candida, G. B., Patricia, G. G. & Yana, L., Babson College, & Global Entrepreneurship Research Association (GERA). GEM 2010 Women’s Report by.
Fabowale, L., Orser, B., & Riding, A. (1995). Gender, structural factors and credit terms between Canadian small businesses and financial institutions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 19(4), 41–65.
Final report to the European Commission. (2000). Young entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, ethnic minority entrepreneurs and co-entrepreneurs in the European Union and central and eastern Europe, DG Enterprise July, Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research (CEEDR). UK: Middlesex University Business School.
Fischer, E. M., Reuber, A. R., & Dyke, L. S. (1993). A theoretical overview and extension of research on sex, gender and entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 8(2), 151–168.
Ivana, Č. (2008). Centres for women entrepreneurship, project “Istraživanje ženskog preduzetništva u Srbiji i Bugarskoj—mogućnosti poslovne saradnje” financed by EU, Niš, Serbia, p. 39.
Kalleberg, A., & Leich, K. T. (1991). Gender nad organizational perforamce: Determinants of small business survival and sucess. Academy of Management Journal, 34(1), 136–161.
Kepler, E., & Shane, S. (2007). Are male and female entrepreneurs really that different? Small Business Research Summary. Washington, DC: SBA, Office Advocacy.
Kirkwood, J.J. (2004). One size does not fit all: Gender differences in motivations for becoming and enterpreur. Thesis, OTAGO University.
Kolvereid, L., Shane, S., & Westhead, P. (1993). It is equally difficult for female entrepreneurs to start business in all countries? Journal of Small Business Management, 31(4), 43–51.
Kourilsky, M. L., & Walstad, W. B. (1998). Entrepreneurship and female youth: Knowledge, attitudes, gender differences and educational practices. Journal of Business Venturing, 13(1), 77–88.
Lee, B. (2008). Twenty gender differences in entrepreneurship. Journal of Women’s Entrepreneurship and Education, Second Edition, October, www.jwe.portal.com
Ljunggren, E., & Kolvereid, L. (1996). New businesses formation: Does gender make a difference. Women in Management Review, 11(4), 3–12.
Marica, Š. (2006). Poduzetništvo. Zagreb: Sinergija, p. 1.
MI-BOSPO and BHW Foundation. (2011, November). Female entrepreneurs in Bosnia and Herzegovina—Research findings on their position—Members of the network. Tuzla, B&H.
Milenko, D. (2002). Menadžment malih i srednjih preduzeća. Sarajevo: EFSA, p. 51.
Nejra, N., Marijana, D., Diana, R., & Azra, B. (2011). Voice of women in business – “Female Entrepreneurs in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Research Findings on the Status of Female Enterpreneurs – Members of the Network”. Tuzla/Bosnia/Herzegovina: MI-BOSPO Foundation/BHW/USAID. http://www.mi-bospo.org/articles.
NFWBO (National Foundation of Women Business Owners): NFWBO News. (1993). NFWBO. www.nfwbo.org and www.womenbusinessresearch.org
NFWBO (National Foundation of Women Business Owners): NFWBO News. (1994). NFWBO. www.nfwbo.org and www.womenbusinessresearch.org
NFWBO (National Foundation of Women Business Owners): NFWBO News. (2000). NFWBO. www.nfwbo.org and www.womenbusinessresearch.org
NFWBO (National Foundation of Women Business Owners): NFWBO News. (2001). NFWBO. www.nfwbo.org and www.womenbusinessresearch.org
Nikola, K. (2005). Preduzetnička biblija. Split: Beretin, p. 15.
Norman, M. S., & Tomas, W. Z. (2005). “USA Today”, 25th October 1985, page 1A, taken from, “Effective Small Business Management: An Entrepreneurial Approach”. Prentice Hall, NJ, p. 55.
Petar, Č. (2007). Održivo preduzetništvo—žensko preduzetništvo. Zadar: Zadar University, p. 53.
?>Pillai, P. S., & Saraswathy Amma, K. P. (2005). Women small business owners in India. In S. L. Fielden & M. J. Davidson (Eds.), International handbook of women and small business enterpreenurship (pp. 206–220). Cheltenham: EE Publishing Inc.
Raghuraman, N., & Karunakaran, P. (1999). Rural women entrepreneurs: Case studies. In M. Soundarapandian (Ed.), Women entrepreneurship issues and strategies. New Delhi: Kanishka Publishers.
Reed, K.A. (1999). Managing our margins: Women entrepreneurs in Suburban New Jersey, Doctoral Disertation.
Safija, J., (2014, February). Fatima el-Fihri—Established one of the first world universities. Bosanska Sumejja, p. 46.
Sandra, L. F., & Marylin, J. D. (2005). International handbook of women and small business entrepreneurship. Northampton: EE, p. 212.
Shahbaz M., (2008, May). Director, Southern Europe and Central Asia, IFC, Foreword for “Voices of Woman Entrepreneurs in Bosnia and Herzegovina”. Washington, DC.
Shane, S., Kolvereid, L., & Westhead, P. (1991). An explaratory examination of the reasons leading to new firm formation across country and gender. Journal of Busines Venturing, 6(6), 431–446.
Singer, S. (2000). Poduzetnistvo u SME sektoru – oblici poduzetnistva – Entrepreneurship in SME sector – The forms of entrepreneurship. www.efos.unios.hr/arhiva
Smallbone, D., Johnson, S., Virk, B., Hotchkiss, G. (2000). Young enterpreneurs, women entrepreneurs, ethnic minority entrepreneurs and co-entrepreneurs in the European Union and Central and Eastern Europe – Final Report to European Commision, DG Enterprise, Centre for Entreprise and Economic Development Research (CEEDR), Middlesex University Business School, UK.
Teufik, Č., & Mirko, P. (2012). Oec: Islamski ekonomski sistem—odnos prema kamati. UDK, 336(78), 297.
West, C., & Zimmerman, D. H. (1987). Doing gender. Gender and Society, 1(2), 125–151.
www.international.gc.ca—Canadian case studies of best practice relating to woman entrepreneurs—11.03.2008.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Islamic Research and Training Institute, Velid Efendić and Fikret Hadžić
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Šestić, M., Ibrahimagić, S. (2017). The Empowerment of Women in Islamic Economies: The Bosnia and Herzegovina Experience with a Focus on Business Problems in a Women’s Small Entrepreneurship. In: Efendić, V., Hadžić, F., Izhar, H. (eds) Critical Issues and Challenges in Islamic Economics and Finance Development. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45029-2_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45029-2_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-45028-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-45029-2
eBook Packages: Economics and FinanceEconomics and Finance (R0)