IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jglont/v14y2024i1d10.1007_s40497-024-00377-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A qualitative investigation into perceived barriers experienced by European female agri-food entrepreneurs

Author

Listed:
  • Maria McDonagh

    (Atlantic Technological University)

  • Tansy Ryan

    (Atlantic Technological University)

  • Aisling Moran

    (Atlantic Technological University)

  • Lisa Ryan

    (Atlantic Technological University)

Abstract

Purpose Agri-food systems in Europe are predominantly male dominated. Female food entrepreneurs can play a key role in the development of novel, sustainable food products. The aim of the present study was to gain an increased understanding of the various barriers which female agri-food entrepreneurs situated in rural areas perceive as hindrances to their entrepreneurial growth and development and their opinions on mentorship programmes. Methodology Seven separate focus groups comprising of a total of 25 female participants were carried out with agri-food entrepreneurs throughout Europe (Ireland, Belgium, Poland, Italy). Discussions were semi-structured and revolved around individuals’ perceptions of the support received from their surrounding infrastructure and their opinions on barriers and enablers for entrepreneurship development. A reflective thematic analysis was conducted following verbatim transcription of the conversations from the focus groups. Findings Three major themes were identified. Barriers to business development included the lack of adequate financial support and the frustrations experienced with the complexity of funding applications. Socio-cultural support was oftentimes lacking. Participants were aware of the benefits of an online presence to develop their business but lacked confidence in their digital abilities. Few female entrepreneurs were aware of mentorship programmes, and most were unsure what this practice would entail. These findings highlight a range of issues in need of addressing to improve the infrastructure surrounding female agri-food entrepreneurs throughout Europe.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria McDonagh & Tansy Ryan & Aisling Moran & Lisa Ryan, 2024. "A qualitative investigation into perceived barriers experienced by European female agri-food entrepreneurs," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jglont:v:14:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s40497-024-00377-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s40497-024-00377-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40497-024-00377-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s40497-024-00377-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. von Graevenitz, Georg & Harhoff, Dietmar & Weber, Richard, 2010. "The effects of entrepreneurship education," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 90-112, October.
    2. Meek, William R. & Pacheco, Desirée F. & York, Jeffrey G., 2010. "The impact of social norms on entrepreneurial action: Evidence from the environmental entrepreneurship context," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 493-509, September.
    3. Edelman, Linda F. & Manolova, Tatiana & Shirokova, Galina & Tsukanova, Tatyana, 2016. "The impact of family support on young entrepreneurs' start-up activities," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 428-448.
    4. Garry Bruton & Susanna Khavul & Donald Siegel & Mike Wright, 2015. "New Financial Alternatives in Seeding Entrepreneurship: Microfinance, Crowdfunding, and Peer–to–Peer Innovations," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(1), pages 9-26, January.
    5. Esteban Lafuente & Yancy Vaillant & Josep Rialp, 2007. "Regional Differences in the Influence of Role Models: Comparing the Entrepreneurial Process of Rural Catalonia," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(6), pages 779-796.
    6. Stephen Downing, 2005. "The Social Construction of Entrepreneurship: Narrative and Dramatic Processes in the Coproduction of Organizations and Identities," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(2), pages 185-204, March.
    7. Dmitry Khanin & Robert Rosenfield & Raj V. Mahto & Cherry Singhal, 2022. "Barriers to entrepreneurship: opportunity recognition vs. opportunity pursuit," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1147-1167, May.
    8. Kristina Nyström, 2021. "Working for an entrepreneur: heaven or hell?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 919-931, February.
    9. Camelia Ilie & Abel Monfort & Gaston Fornes & Guillermo Cardoza, 2021. "Promoting Female Entrepreneurship: The Impact of Gender Gap Beliefs and Perceptions," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, May.
    10. Martin, Bruce C. & McNally, Jeffrey J. & Kay, Michael J., 2013. "Examining the formation of human capital in entrepreneurship: A meta-analysis of entrepreneurship education outcomes," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 211-224.
    11. Simon Nsengimana & Robertson K. Tengeh & Chux Gervase Iwu, 2017. "The Sustainability of Businesses in Kigali, Rwanda: An Analysis of the Barriers Faced by Women Entrepreneurs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-9, August.
    12. Roy Thurik & Isabel Grilo, 2005. "Latent and actual entrepreneurship in Europe and the US: some recent developments," Papers on Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy 2005-24, Max Planck Institute of Economics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy Group.
    13. Tatiana A. Iakovleva & Lars Kolvereid & Marjan J. Gorgievski & Øystein Sørhaug, 2014. "Comparison of perceived barriers to entrepreneurship in Eastern and Western European countries," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 18(2/3), pages 115-133.
    14. Stephen, Roper & Jonathan M., Scott, 2009. "Perceived financial barriers and the start-up decision: An econometric analysis of gender differences using GEM data," MPRA Paper 23342, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Brigitte Hoogendoorn & Peter Zwan & Roy Thurik, 2019. "Sustainable Entrepreneurship: The Role of Perceived Barriers and Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(4), pages 1133-1154, July.
    16. Kim Klyver & Benson Honig & Paul Steffens, 2018. "Social support timing and persistence in nascent entrepreneurship: exploring when instrumental and emotional support is most effective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 51(3), pages 709-734, October.
    17. Hung Manh Chu & Cynthia Benzing & Charles Mcgee, 2007. "Ghanaian And Kenyan Entrepreneurs: A Comparative Analysis Of Their Motivations, Success Characteristics And Problems," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 12(03), pages 295-322.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Walter, Sascha G. & Block, Jörn H., 2016. "Outcomes of entrepreneurship education: An institutional perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 216-233.
    2. Joern H. Block & Lennart Hoogerheide & Roy Thurik, 2009. "Education and Entrepreneurial Choice: An Instrumental Variables Analysis," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 09-088/4, Tinbergen Institute, revised 23 Nov 2010.
    3. Mariacarmela Passarelli & Giuseppe Bongiorno, 2025. "Is it the time to reshape entrepreneurship education? State-of-the-art and further perspectives," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-35, December.
    4. Lucia Dalla Pellegrina & Giorgio Di Maio & Paolo Landoni & Emanuele Rusinà, 2021. "Money management and entrepreneurial training in microfinance: impact on beneficiaries and institutions," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(3), pages 1049-1085, October.
    5. Alamir Al-Alawi & Sohail Amjed & Ahmed Mohamed Elbaz & Nasser Alhamar Alkathiri, 2023. "The Anatomy of Entrepreneurial Failure: Antecedents of the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory and the Role of Social Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-16, May.
    6. Heiko Bergmann, 2017. "The formation of opportunity beliefs among university entrepreneurs: an empirical study of research- and non-research-driven venture ideas," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 116-140, February.
    7. Justin R. Hall & Selen Savas-Hall & Eric H. Shaw, 2023. "A deductive approach to a systematic review of entrepreneurship literature," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(3), pages 987-1016, September.
    8. Maha Aly & Galal Galal-Edeen, 2021. "Why is Germany less entrepreneurial? A behavioral reasoning perspective," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(5), pages 1376-1416, October.
    9. Timo Nevalainen & Jaana Seikkula-Leino & Maria Salomaa, 2021. "Team Learning as a Model for Facilitating Entrepreneurial Competences in Higher Education: The Case of Proakatemia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-17, July.
    10. 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.
    11. Meoli, Azzurra & Fini, Riccardo & Sobrero, Maurizio & Wiklund, Johan, 2020. "How entrepreneurial intentions influence entrepreneurial career choices: The moderating influence of social context," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(3).
    12. Galina Shirokova & Nailya Galieva & Joshua V. White & Diana Doktorova, 2024. "Narcissism, workaholism, family support and new venture performance: a moderated mediation model," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 379-419, June.
    13. Pham, Dung & Jones, Paul & Dobson, Stephen & Liñán, Francisco & Viala, Céline, 2021. "Entrepreneurial implementation intention as a tool to moderate the stability of entrepreneurial goal intention: A sensemaking approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 97-105.
    14. van Ewijk, Anne R. & Weber, Wiebke, 2021. "The value of knowing what you want: Goal hierarchy and entrepreneurial intentions," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 15(C).
    15. Vladasel, Theodor & Lindquist, Matthew J. & Sol, Joeri & van Praag, Mirjam, 2021. "On the origins of entrepreneurship: Evidence from sibling correlations," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(5).
    16. Valery Chistov & Nekane Aramburu & María Eugenia Fabra Florit & Iñaki Peña‐Legazkue & Pauline Weritz, 2023. "Sustainability orientation and firm growth as ventures mature," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5314-5331, December.
    17. Dou, Xinhua & Zhu, Xiajing & Zhang, Jason Q. & Wang, Jie, 2019. "Outcomes of entrepreneurship education in China: A customer experience management perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 338-347.
    18. Shahid, Pirzada Syed Rizwan, 2023. "Founder's Human Capital and the Entrepreneurial Process Duration," OSF Preprints yf6mg, Center for Open Science.
    19. Nathalie Duval-Couetil & Michael Ladisch & Soohyun Yi, 2021. "Addressing academic researcher priorities through science and technology entrepreneurship education," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 288-318, April.
    20. Antonio Rafael Ramos-Rodríguez & José Aurelio Medina-Garrido & José Ruiz-Navarro, 2019. "Why not now? Intended timing in entrepreneurial intentions," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1221-1246, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; Perceptions; Barriers; Mentorship; Supports; Female entrepreneurship;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q10 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - General
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness

    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:spr:jglont:v:14:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s40497-024-00377-5. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.