2. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RURALAND
URBAN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURES IN
KERALA-REFERENCE TO KOTTAYAM
SHEENAB.S
Assistant professor
DCSMAT Vagamon

3. WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR ?
🞇 Women entrepreneur are the women or a group of
women who initiate , organize and operate
business enterprise.
🞇 Women entrepreneurs engaged in business due to
push and pull factors which encourage women to
have an independent occupation stands on their
legs.

4. FUNCTIONS OFWOMEN ENTRPRENURES?
• Exploration of the prospects of starting a new enterprise
• Undertakings of risk and risk and handling of economic
uncertainties involved in the business
• Introduction of innovations or imitations of innovations
• Co-ordination, administration and control
• Supervision and leadership

6. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
• To study the socio economic background of rural and urban
women entrepreneurs in Kottatyam district of Kerala.
• Examine the motivational and other factors that influence the
rural urban women become an entrepreneur.
• To analyse the major strength and weakness of rural and
urban entreprenure and the environmental opportunities and
threats which promote the enttreprenureship
• Suggesting some measure to improve the satisfaction of rural
and urban entrepreneurship.

7. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Rural and urban entrepreneurs are playing an important role in
the economic development of the nation.
Empowering women in entrepreneurship activities leads to
break the inequalities of income and reduce poverty.As compare
to men women are less motivated due to some unwanted fear,
lack of motivational and unwanted activities.
Thus the study undertaking the prospects and challenges among
rural and urban women highlight their motivational forces and
relationship between socio economic background of women
entrepreneurs and challenges

8. RESEARCH METHEDOLOGY
• The study is based on the combination of both Primary and Secondary
data.
• The Secondary data was collected from various Books, journal, reports
and Websites etc.
• For the collection of primary data sample survey was conducted in
selected rural and urban areas of Kottayam district.
• Asample of 200 respondent were selected by using a purposive sampling
method.
• Pre structured interview schedule was used for sample survey.

9. DATAANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION

10. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

11. (source : Primary data)
AGE WISE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESPONDENTS
Age
Rural Urban
Number Percentage Number Percentage
20-30 42 42% 46 46%
30-40 28 28% 24 24%
40-50 16 16% 18 18%
50-Above 14 14% 12 12%
Total 100 100

12. Category Rural Urban
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Married 44 44% 42 42%
Unmarried 42 42% 40 40%
Widowed 12 12% 10 10%
Divorced 2 2% 8 8%
MARITALSTATUS OFTHE RESPONDENTS
(source : Primary data)

13. Educational Qualification Rural Urban
Number percentage Number percentage
Below HS 24 24% 0 -
SSLC 32 32% 20 20%
HSS 26 26% 24 24%
Graduate 12 12% 30 30%
Post Graduate 6 6% 26 26%
EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF THE RESPONDENTS
(source : Primary data)

14. Income Rural Urban
Number percentage Number percentage
5,000 to10,000 26 26% 4 4%
10,000 to15,000 36 36% 12 12%
15,000 to 20,000 32 32% 18 18%
20,000 to 25,000 6 6% 32 32%
25,000 above 0 0 34 34%
Approximate Family Income
(source : Primary data)

15. Income
Rural Urban
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Less than 100,000 12 12% 0 0
100,000 to 150,000 34 34% 12 12%
150,000 to 200,000 24 24% 38 38%
200,000 and Above 30 30% 50 50%
Investment Level of the Respondents
(source : Primary data)

16. Income Rural Urban
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Less than 10,000 14 14% 12 12%
10,000 to 15,000 12 12% 10 10%
15,000 to 20,000 34 34% 30 30%
20,000 to 25,000 18 18% 22 22%
Above 25,000 22 22% 26 26%
MONTHLY INCOME FROM ENTERPRISES
(source : Primary data)

17. Nature Rural Urban
Number percentage Number percentage
Own capital /family
support
42 42% 34 34%
Government
assistance
32 32% 28 28%
Bank loan 14 14% 20 20%
Private loan 12 12% 18 18%
SOURCE OF FINANCE FOR RESPONDENTS
(source : Primary data)

18. Types Unit Rural Urban Total Respondents
Manufacturing Food products 8 10 18
Doll making 4 6 10
candles 18 0 18
Jewellary 14 16 30
Tailoring 22 18 40
Bag Manufacturing 4 2 6
Total 70 52 122
Trading Stationary 6 16 24
Bakery products 2 4 6
Boutique 4 6 10
Readymade garments 6 8 14
Total 18 26 44
Service Beauty parlor 4 6 10
DTP/Internet 6 8 14
Educational institutions 2 4 6
Travel agency 0 2 2
Resturent 0 2 2
Total 12 22 34
TYPES OF ENTERPRISES
(source : Primary data)

19. Sl No Problems Number of Respondents Percentage of
Respondents
Rural Urban Rural Urban
1 Indifferent attitude of society 28 28 28% 28%
2 No support from husband 8 14 8% 14%
3 No support from other family 10 10 10% 10%
4 Conflict do to dual
responsibility
6 4 6% 4%
5 Lack of self confidents 28 20 28% 20%
6 Lack of freedom 20 24 20% 24%
The problems faced by Rural and Urban Women Entrepreneurs in
their enterprise
(source : Primary data)

20. Sl
No
Problems Number of
Respondents
Percentage of
Respondents
Rural Urban Rural Urban
1 Shortage of capital
in starting in the
business
30 36 30% 36%
2 Lack of own funds
and resources
20 32 20% 32%
3 Limited working
capital
16 8 16% 8%
4 Negative attitude of
banks
12 6 12% 6%
5 Inadequate loan 18 12 18% 12%
6 Lack of Government
assistance
4 6 4% 6%
FINANCIAL PROBLEMS OF
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
(source : Primary data)

21. Sl
No
Problems Number of
Respondents
Percentage of
Respondents
Rural Urban Rural Urban
1 Lack of knowledge
how to market
the product
30 14 30% 14%
2 Shortage of
manpower for
selling the product
16 20 16% 20%
3 Difficult in travelling 22 6 22% 6%
4 Heavy completion
with big enterprises
20 40 20% 40%
5 Late payment by the
customers
12 20 12% 20%
MARKETING PROBLEMS
(source : Primary data)

22. Sl No Problems Number of Respondents Percentage of
Respondents
Rural Urban Rural Urban
1 Inadequate space and
building
32 20 32% 20%
2 Inadequate power supply 26 12 26% 12%
3 Inadequate
communication facility
28 18 28% 18%
4 Inadequate water supply 6 24 6% 24%
5 Shortage of equipment
and machines
8 26 8% 26%
INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS
(source : Primary data)

23. FINDINGS
 Indifferent attitude of society towards women entrepreneurs is one of
the major problem However this problem is more acute in case of
rural areas It may be because of the conservative nature of the
society.
 Women entrepreneur have a play dual role responsibilities as house
wife and entrepreneur. This cause a problem of the entrepreneurs
both in the rural areas as well as in urban areas.
 Shortage of capital to start their business is a major problem.
However the problem is more acute in the case of rural women .
 Bank have negative attitude toward have mentioned the rural and
urban entrepreneurs. Both the group mentioned that , there is delay
in sanctioning loans and bank provided by bank is not adequate.

24.  Shortage of skilled manpower to improve their production
 Most of the rural entrepreneurs do not have a sufficient knowledge of
various scheme as compared to urban entrepreneurs.
 The problem of marketing is more acute in rural areas as compare to
urban women entrepreneurs.
 In adequate publicity and competition with big enterprise are the major
problem as reported by majority of the rural and urban entrepreneurs
 Lack of adequate infrastructure to run and start their business. Urban
entrepreneurs facing the problem of adequate spacing building

25. SUGGESTIONS
 Women must be motivated to come out of their traditional perceptions
and responsibilities.
 Education is the is the most important instrument to bring awareness
among women and other people in the society.
 Women should be encouraged to work in a group for production as well
as marketing their product .
 Training plays very important role in promoting women
entrepreneurship. It will help to improve the social and economic
environment

26.  Finance is major problem for women entrepreneur. It is necessary that
government should provide timely and adequate financial assistance and
benefit such as loan , incentives, concession and subsidies to women.
 Bank and other financial institution have to avoid their bias attitude
toward women entrepreneur.
 Marketing problem by both the rural urban entrepreneurs can be
reduced through the various support given by the government and other
agencies.
 Official formalities of the concerned department should be minimized.
so that women entrepreneur can avail the service facilities with out any
official problem.

27. CONCLUSION
In order to accelerate socio-economic growth and development ,equal
participation of both men and women are must. Empowering women in
entrepreneurship leads to brake the inequalities and reduce poverty
The study revealed that there is a significant difference between rural and
urban entrepreneurs in their entrepreneurial effectiveness.it was also
confirmed that occupational self efficiency in the case of urban women
entrepreneurs is more than in rural women.
The study has been confirmed that women entrepreneurs are facing various
problems related to socio personal, financial, marketing problem
infrastructure problem etc.
The constraints faced by women entrepreneurs must be removed by
government and with cooperation of Non Government organization and
public.