Title: Why do some women micro-entrepreneurs decide to formalise their businesses?

Authors: Carla Susana Marques; Carmem Teresa Leal; Gina Santos; Carlos Peixeira Marques; Roberta Alves

Addresses: Department of Economics, Sociology and Management, CETRAD Research Unit, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal ' Department of Economics, Sociology and Management, CETRAD Research Unit, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal ' University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal ' Department of Economics, Sociology and Management, CETRAD Research Unit, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal ' University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal

Abstract: The present study intends to identify the profile of women microentrepreneurs and assess the extent to which their entrepreneurial motivations may be influenced by legal incentives to formalise their businesses and by their capacity to reconcile the demands of family and work. A questionnaire was used to gather data on the individual entrepreneurial initiatives of women in Brazil. We evaluated multiple linear regression models for their explanation of the dimensions involving motivations to formalise business activities and dual roles as workers and homemakers, as well as using cluster analysis to identify the profile of women micro-entrepreneurs. The results suggest that these women opt for legalised individual entrepreneurship to access the benefits offered by the formalisation of their businesses and to search for mechanisms that encourage a work-family balance.

Keywords: women entrepreneurs; profile; motivation; work-family balance; business formalisation; micro-entrepreneur law; Brazil; legal incentives; female entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; micro-entrepreneurs; micro-enterprises; multiple linear regression modelling; cluster analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2017.081439

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2017 Vol.30 No.2, pp.241 - 258

Received: 22 Apr 2015
Accepted: 04 Nov 2015
Published online: 08 Jan 2017 *

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