Barriers of growth within an informal sector business: narratives of women subsistence entrepreneurs in South Africa

Purpose - The study explores growth barriers experienced by a sample of women subsistence entrepreneurs operating within the informal sector in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach - The paper utilizes a descriptive-exploratory research approach and design relying on semi-structured interviews. A purposive sample of 45 women subsistence entrepreneurs formed the participant pool. Findings - Three main narratives emerged. First, a sense of personal contentment existed as a potential barrier for women subsistence entrepreneurs. Second, the women subsistence entrepreneurs had no expansion strategy due to their circumstances. This served as a barrier to growth. Finally, challenges emanating from the home-front served as a limit to the growth of the informal sector business. Research limitations/implications - Based on the findings, strategies are offered to assist the women subsistence entrepreneurs in tackling the identified barriers to the growth of the informal sector business. A limitation of the research concerns issues that accompany qualitative research. Notably, these include sampling issues. Practical implications - Based on the findings, strategies are offered to assist women subsistence entrepreneurs in tackling the barriers that affect their businesses. Originality/value - Given the popularity of the informal sector in emerging nations such as South Africa, the study proffers suggestions that assist the advancement of subsistence entrepreneurship, especially within the informal sector. The role of women in all this is heightened.