Factors affecting the performance of women entrepreneurs in SMEs: a case study of Punjab, Pakistan

Women entrepreneurs play a vital role in the economic development of any country. However, certain factors that affect the performance of women entrepreneurs vary from culture to culture. The present study is an effort to examine and highlight those factors that have significant impact on the performance of women entrepreneurs and their characteristics in SMEs. Data is collected from 307 women entrepreneurs with response rate of approximately 83% using survey questionnaires. Data analysis is conducted through SPSS21.0 and AMOS 22. Results show that economic, social, and legal and administrative factors significantly affect the performance of women entrepreneurs. The present study will help women entrepreneurs to get knowledge about factors that may affect their performance. This study may help the government to increase the number of women entrepreneurs and encourage them to play their role in sustainable growth of economy by removing their economic, social and legal obstacles.