Challenges of women entrepreneurs in securing support from formal sources: A case study in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Whereas the extant literature regarding support for women entrepreneurs from both government and other formal sources during the COVID-19 pandemic is mostly concerned with Western, developed countries, this research focuses on a developing nation and considers various societal issues in that context. Based on interviews with women who own small businesses in a highly patriarchal developing country, Bangladesh, this feminist study provides unique insights into how deserving women business owners were corruptly deprived of government aid during the pandemic. It also emphasizes the role of other formal institutions in financially supporting women business owners in this resource-constrained country. The study further reveals whether and how formal sources supported women in addressing a variety of gendered problems extending beyond mere financial issues during the pandemic, as articulated in their words. Finally, the study provides useful policy suggestions that can be helpful for crisis management in similar developing nations.