Women Entrepreneurs Reflect on Informal/Self-Directed Learning in Business and Life

• Main Author: Howard, Yvonne Biedron
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest LLC 2010
• Subjects: Business; Entrepreneurship; Females; Independent Study; Informal Education; Interviews; Lifelong Learning; Qualitative Research; United States (West Coast)
• ISBN: 1124618147; 9781124618142

Research studies about women business owners or women entrepreneurs are few, and previous research has focused on gender differences of business owners, traits of entrepreneurs, and reasons for and success of entrepreneurship. Very little research exists on female business owners/entrepreneurs discussing their informal learning and experiences' and how this type of learning has moved them forward as women and in their business niche. Most of the past research has been descriptive utilizing statistical techniques, while qualitative studies, which use a variety of techniques, have not been widely utilized in this population. A qualitative autobiography or narrative design implementing personal interviews was used with twelve business-women professionals/entrepreneurs. The random sample of women was obtained through two authorized mass e-mail requests through professional women entrepreneur organization mailing lists on the west coast of the United States. The research sample of professional women was between the ages of thirty-seven and sixty and business experience between seven to forty years. The interviewees represented a varied cross-section of business and commercial establishments. Each narrative was analyzed individually and comparatively to generate common categories and themes among and between the interviewees. The study incorporates each woman's personal story as to the "why" and "how" they embraced entrepreneurship, their informal learning practices, why these particular practices and how they work. The participants emphasized a self-directed and life long learning quest and articulated that being a woman enhanced their ways of learning and knowing and integrating their life roles. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]