IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsoctx/v14y2024i8p151-d1454781.html

Factors Influencing Women’s Entrepreneurial Success in a Patriarchal Society: Empirical Evidence from Morocco

Author

Listed:
  • Jaouad Rharzouz

    (Faculty of Law, Economic and Social Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tangier 90000, Morocco)

  • Houda Bouarir

    (Faculty of Law, Economic and Social Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco)

  • Badreddine El Moutaqi

    (Natural Resources and Sustainable Development Economics Laboratory, FP Larache, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco)

  • Nabil Rizqi

    (Natural Resources and Sustainable Development Economics Laboratory, FP Larache, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco)

  • Omar Boubker

    (Natural Resources and Sustainable Development Economics Laboratory, FP Larache, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93000, Morocco)

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to identify factors associated with women’s entrepreneurial success. By embracing social feminism theory, this study provides a well-rounded analysis of the individual, social, institutional, and economic factors that shape successful women’s business development in a patriarchal society within a Muslim and Arab country. Following the conceptual model development, data were obtained from 212 Moroccan women business owners using a web-based questionnaire. The results, based on structural equation modeling, revealed the positive and direct influence of individual factors on women entrepreneurs’ success, including the need for achievement, and risk-taking. Additionally, external factors, particularly government support, social support, and access to finance, were found to be an important determinant of the entrepreneurial success of Moroccan women. This study enriches the existing knowledge on the determinants of the entrepreneurial success of women in developing countries. It offers offer useful managerial implications for policymakers who should implement appropriate actions to promote gender equality, as well as foster an environment conducive to enabling Moroccan women to launch and develop their own businesses.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaouad Rharzouz & Houda Bouarir & Badreddine El Moutaqi & Nabil Rizqi & Omar Boubker, 2024. "Factors Influencing Women’s Entrepreneurial Success in a Patriarchal Society: Empirical Evidence from Morocco," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:14:y:2024:i:8:p:151-:d:1454781
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/8/151/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/14/8/151/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gary Akehurst & Enrique Simarro & Alicia Mas‐Tur, 2012. "Women entrepreneurship in small service firms: motivations, barriers and performance," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(15), pages 2489-2505, January.
    2. Scott C. Manley & Joseph F. Hair & Ralph I. Williams & William C. McDowell, 2021. "Essential new PLS-SEM analysis methods for your entrepreneurship analytical toolbox," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1805-1825, December.
    3. Danny Miller & Peter H. Friesen, 1982. "Innovation in conservative and entrepreneurial firms: Two models of strategic momentum," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, January.
    4. Dianne H. B. Welsh & Eugene Kaciak, 2019. "Family enrichment and women entrepreneurial success: the mediating effect of family interference," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1045-1075, December.
    5. Haber, Sigal & Reichel, Arie, 2007. "The cumulative nature of the entrepreneurial process: The contribution of human capital, planning and environment resources to small venture performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 119-145, January.
    6. Houda Bouarir & Asmae Diani & Omar Boubker & Jaouad Rharzouz, 2023. "Key Determinants of Women’s Entrepreneurial Intention and Behavior: The Role of Business Opportunity Recognition and Need for Achievement," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-19, January.
    7. Helene Ahl, 2006. "Why Research on Women Entrepreneurs Needs New Directions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(5), pages 595-621, September.
    8. Ingrid Verheul & André Van Stel & Roy Thurik, 2006. "Explaining female and male entrepreneurship at the country level," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(2), pages 151-183, March.
    9. Dianne H. B. Welsh & Eugene Kaciak & Silvana Trimi & Emerson Wagner Mainardes, 2018. "Women Entrepreneurs and Family Firm Heterogeneity: Evidence from an Emerging Economy," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 445-465, June.
    10. Bettoni, Luis & Santos, Marcelo & Filho, Gilberto Oliveira, 2023. "The impact of microcredit on small firms in Brazil: A potential to promote investment, growth and inclusion," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 592-608.
    11. Suwastika Naidu & Anand Chand, 2017. "National Culture, Gender Inequality and Women’s Success in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(2), pages 647-664, January.
    12. Clement K. Wang & Bee Lian Ang, 2004. "Determinants of Venture Performance in Singapore," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(4), pages 347-363, October.
    13. Alaa Mansour Zalata & Collins Ntim & Ahmed Aboud & Ernest Gyapong, 2019. "Female CEOs and Core Earnings Quality: New Evidence on the Ethics Versus Risk-Aversion Puzzle," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 515-534, December.
    14. Cliff, Jennifer E., 1998. "Does one size fit all? exploring the relationship between attitudes towards growth, gender, and business size," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 13(6), pages 523-542, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jázmin Lőre & Lívia Ablonczy-Mihályka, 2025. "Challenges Faced by Female Leaders Through a Lens of a Western Hungarian Research," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Fernandez, Viviana, 2025. "Exit decisions of women entrepreneurs in resource-constrained environments," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daniela Giménez & Andrea Calabrò, 2018. "The salient role of institutions in Women’s entrepreneurship: a critical review and agenda for future research," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 857-882, December.
    2. Giulia Nevi & Chiara Ancillai & Federica Pascucci & Rosa Palladino, 2025. "Investigating female entrepreneurship: a micro-perspective of drivers and barriers for aspiring and experienced women entrepreneurs," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-28, December.
    3. Kaciak, Eugene & Welsh, Dianne H.B., 2020. "Women entrepreneurs and work–life interface: The impact of sustainable economies on success," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 281-290.
    4. Juan Wu & Yaokuang Li & Daru Zhang, 2019. "Identifying women’s entrepreneurial barriers and empowering female entrepreneurship worldwide: a fuzzy-set QCA approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 905-928, September.
    5. Watson, John & Stuetzer, Michael & Zolin, Roxanne, 2017. "Female underperformance or goal-oriented behavior?," MPRA Paper 88403, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Muhammad Shakeel & Li Yaokuang & Ali Gohar, 2020. "Identifying the Entrepreneurial Success Factors and the Performance of Women-Owned Businesses in Pakistan: The Moderating Role of National Culture," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    7. Jafari-Sadeghi, Vahid, 2020. "The motivational factors of business venturing: Opportunity versus necessity? A gendered perspective on European countries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 279-289.
    8. Welter, Friederike & Brush, Candida & De Bruin, Anne, 2014. "The gendering of entrepreneurship context," Working Papers 01/14, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    9. Wu Juan & Li Yaokuang, 2020. "An Exploratory Cross-Country Analysis of Female Entrepreneurial Activity: The Roles of Gendered Institutions," Entrepreneurship Research Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 10(3), pages 1-20, July.
    10. Diego Matricano & Mario Sorrentino, 2018. "Gender Equalities in Entrepreneurship: How Close, Or Far, Have We Come in Italy?," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(3), pages 1-75, February.
    11. Justo, Rachida & DeTienne, Dawn R. & Sieger, Philipp, 2015. "Failure or voluntary exit? Reassessing the female underperformance hypothesis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 775-792.
    12. Desislava Ivanova Yordanova, 2011. "Growth Plans of Bulgarian Enterprises: An Empirical Investigation of Individual, Organizational and Environmental Influences," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 1(1), pages 1-30.
    13. Erik Lundmark & Anna Krzeminska & Dean A. Shepherd, 2019. "Images of Entrepreneurship: Exploring Root Metaphors and Expanding Upon Them," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 138-170, January.
    14. Aparicio, Sebastian & Audretsch, David & Noguera, Maria & Urbano, David, 2022. "Can female entrepreneurs boost social mobility in developing countries? An institutional analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    15. Mayer-Haug, Katrin & Read, Stuart & Brinckmann, Jan & Dew, Nicholas & Grichnik, Dietmar, 2013. "Entrepreneurial talent and venture performance: A meta-analytic investigation of SMEs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 1251-1273.
    16. Chiara Cannavale & Giorgia Rivieccio & Lorenza Claudio & Iman Zohoorian Nadali, 2025. "The translation of latent into actual entrepreneurship: the impact of GE," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-28, December.
    17. Unger, Jens M. & Rauch, Andreas & Frese, Michael & Rosenbusch, Nina, 2011. "Human capital and entrepreneurial success: A meta-analytical review," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(3), pages 341-358, May.
    18. Rachel Lock & Helen Lawton Smith, 2015. "The impact of female entrepreneurship on economic growth in Kenya," Working Papers 26, Birkbeck Centre for Innovation Management Research, revised Nov 2015.
    19. Evan J. Douglas & Vidhula Venugopal, 2025. "The complex causality of gender and entrepreneurship: to grow or not to grow?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 65(2), pages 1209-1240, August.
    20. Eunju Jung & Yongjin Lee, 2020. "College Students’ Entrepreneurial Mindset: Educational Experiences Override Gender and Major," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-28, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:14:y:2024:i:8:p:151-:d:1454781. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.