IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/glodps/457.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Enterprising women in Southern Africa: When does land ownership matter?

Author

Listed:
  • Brixiová, Zuzana
  • Kangoye, Thierry
  • Tregenna, Fiona

Abstract

Limited access to finance is one of the major barriers for women entrepreneurs in Africa. This paper presents a model of start-ups in which firms’ sales and profits depend on their productivity and access to credit. However, due to the lack of collateral assets such as land, female entrepreneurs have more constrained access to credit than do men. Testing the model on data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys in Eswatini, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe, we find land ownership to be important for female entrepreneurial performance in terms of sales levels. This finding suggests that the small Southern African economies would benefit from removing obstacles to women’s land tenure and enabling financial institutions to lend against movable collateral. While land ownership is linked with higher sales levels, it seems less critical for sales growth and innovation where access to short term loans for working capital seems to be key.

Suggested Citation

  • Brixiová, Zuzana & Kangoye, Thierry & Tregenna, Fiona, 2020. "Enterprising women in Southern Africa: When does land ownership matter?," GLO Discussion Paper Series 457, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:glodps:457
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/213324/1/GLO-DP-0457.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jan Wengel & Edgard Rodriguez, 2006. "SME Export Performance in Indonesia After the Crisis," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 25-37, February.
    2. Brixiová, Zuzana & Kangoye, Thierry, 2016. "Gender and constraints to entrepreneurship in Africa: New evidence from Swaziland," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 5(C), pages 1-8.
    3. Evelyn Derera & Pepukayi Chitakunye & Charles O’Neill, 2014. "The Impact of Gender on Start-up Capital: A Case of Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 23(1), pages 95-114, March.
    4. Zuzana Brixiová & Thierry Kangoye, 2019. "Networks, start-up capital and women's entrepreneurial performance in Africa: Evidence from Eswatini," SALDRU Working Papers 257, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    5. Simeon Djankov & Edward Miguel & Yingyi Qian & Gérard Roland & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2005. "Who are Russia's Entrepreneurs?," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 3(2-3), pages 587-597, 04/05.
    6. Leyden, Dennis P. & Link, Albert N. & Siegel, Donald S., 2014. "A theoretical analysis of the role of social networks in entrepreneurship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1157-1163.
    7. Ms. Dalia S Hakura & Mr. Mumtaz Hussain & Ms. Monique Newiak & Mr. Vimal V Thakoor & Mr. Fan Yang, 2016. "Inequality, Gender Gaps and Economic Growth: Comparative Evidence for Sub-Saharan Africa," IMF Working Papers 2016/111, International Monetary Fund.
    8. Philippe Aghion & Thibault Fally & Stefano Scarpetta, 2007. "Credit constraints as a barrier to the entry and post-entry growth of firms [‘Dualism and macroeconomic volatility’]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 22(52), pages 732-779.
    9. Gartner, William B., 1990. "What are we talking about when we talk about entrepreneurship?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 15-28, January.
    10. Léonce Ndikumana & Mina Baliamoune-Lutz & Zuzana Brixiová, 2011. "Credit Constraints And Productive Entrepreneurship In Africa," Working Papers wp276, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
    11. Mr. Jonathan David Ostry & Mr. Jorge A Alvarez & Mr. Raphael A Espinoza & Mr. Chris Papageorgiou, 2018. "Economic Gains From Gender Inclusion: New Mechanisms, New Evidence," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2018/006, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Cragg, John G. & Donald, Stephen G., 1993. "Testing Identifiability and Specification in Instrumental Variable Models," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 222-240, April.
    13. Julie A. Nelson, 2015. "Are Women Really More Risk-Averse Than Men? A Re-Analysis Of The Literature Using Expanded Methods," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 566-585, July.
    14. Hazel Jean L. Malapit, 2012. "Are Women More Likely to be Credit Constrained? Evidence from Low-Income Urban Households in the Philippines," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 81-108, July.
    15. Mohammad Amin, 2010. "Gender and firm-size: Evidence from Africa," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 30(1), pages 663-668.
    16. Baumol, William J., 1996. "Entrepreneurship: Productive, unproductive, and destructive," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 3-22, January.
    17. Jonathan David Ostry & Jorge Alvarez & Raphael A Espinoza & Chris Papageorgiou, 2018. "Economic Gains From Gender Inclusion; New Mechanisms, New Evidence," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 18/06, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Ms. Christine Dieterich & Anni Huang & Mr. Alun H. Thomas, 2016. "Women’s Opportunities and Challenges in Sub-Saharan African Job Markets," IMF Working Papers 2016/118, International Monetary Fund.
    19. Brixiova, Zuzana & Kiyotaki, Nobuhiro, 1997. "Private sector development in transition economies," Carnegie-Rochester Conference Series on Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 241-279, June.
    20. Stein Kristiansen, 2004. "Social Networks and Business Success," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 63(5), pages 1149-1171, November.
    21. Andrews,Donald W. K. & Stock,James H. (ed.), 2005. "Identification and Inference for Econometric Models," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521844413, October.
    22. Kanbur, S M Ravi, 1982. "Entrepreneurial Risk Taking, Inequality, and Public Policy: An Application of Inequality Decomposition Analysis to the General Equilibrium Effects of Progressive Taxation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(1), pages 1-21, February.
    23. Armanda Cetrulo & Valeria Cirillo & Dario Guarascio, 2019. "Weaker jobs, weaker innovation. Exploring the effects of temporary employment on new products," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(59), pages 6350-6375, December.
    24. Kihlstrom, Richard E & Laffont, Jean-Jacques, 1979. "A General Equilibrium Entrepreneurial Theory of Firm Formation Based on Risk Aversion," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 87(4), pages 719-748, August.
    25. Hloniphile Y. Simelane, 2014. "The Disjuncture between Gendered Legislation and the Practice of Urban Planning: A Case Study of the Swaziland Urban Development Project," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 45(2-3), pages 83-94, March.
    26. S. M. Kanbur, 1980. "A Note on Risk Taking, Entrepreneurship, and Schumpeter," History of Political Economy, Duke University Press, vol. 12(4), pages 489-498, Winter.
    27. Mina Baliamoune-Lutz & Zuzana Brixiov?? & L??once Ndikumana, 2011. "Credit Constraints & Productive Entrepreneurship in Africa," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp1025, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    28. Wenli Li, 1998. "Government loan, guarantee, and grant programs: an evaluation," Economic Quarterly, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, issue Fall, pages 25-52.
    29. Verheul, Ingrid & Thurik, Roy, 2001. "Start-Up Capital: "Does Gender Matter?"," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 329-345, June.
    30. Elizabeth Francis, 2002. "Gender, Migration and Multiple Livelihoods: Cases from Eastern and Southern Africa," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(5), pages 167-190.
    31. Otrude Moyo & Saliwe Kawewe, 2002. "The Dynamics of a Racialized, Gendered, Ethnicized, and Economically Stratified Society: Understanding the Socio-Economic Status of Women in Zimbabwe," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 163-181.
    32. Pooran Wynarczyk & Robert Watson, 2005. "Firm Growth and Supply Chain Partnerships: An Empirical Analysis of U.K. SME Subcontractors," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 39-51, February.
    33. Mary Hallward-Driemeier, 2013. "Enterprising Women : Expanding Economic Opportunities in Africa," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13785.
    34. Elizabeth Asiedu & Isaac Kalonda-Kanyama & Leonce Ndikumana & Akwasi Nti-Addae, 2013. "Access to Credit by Firms in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Relevant Is Gender?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(3), pages 293-297, May.
    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. Tesfaye T. Lemma & Tendai Gwatidzo & Mthokozisi Mlilo, 2023. "Gender differences in business performance: evidence from Kenya and South Africa," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 591-614, February.
    2. Said Muhammad & Kong Ximei & Shahab E. Saqib & Nicholas J. Beutell, 2021. "Women’s Home-Based Entrepreneurship and Family Financial Position in Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Mikyla A. Callaghan & Dédé Watchiba & Eva Purkey & Colleen M. Davison & Heather M. Aldersey & Susan A. Bartels, 2021. "“I Don’t Know Where I Have to Knock for Support”: A Mixed-Methods Study on Perceptions and Experiences of Single Mothers Raising Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-25, October.
    4. Sofiane Boudalia & Mahilet Dawit Teweldebirhan & Thaddaeus Obaji Ariom & Ndèye Seynabou Diouf & Eva Nambeye & Therese Mwatitha Gondwe & Michele Mbo’o-Tchouawou & Sheila A. Okoth & Sophia Huyer, 2024. "Gendered Gaps in the Adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa and How to Overcome Them," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-18, June.
    5. Kara, Alper & Zhou, Haoyong & Zhou, Yifan, 2021. "Achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goals through financial inclusion: A systematic literature review of access to finance across the globe," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    6. Amorn Pochanasomboon & Witsanu Attavanich & Akaranant Kidsom, 2020. "Impacts of Land Ownership on the Economic Performance and Viability of Rice Farming in Thailand," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-18, March.

    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. Zuzana Brixiová & Thierry Kangoye, 2016. "Start-Up Capital and Women's Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Swaziland," SALDRU Working Papers 192, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    2. Zuzana Brixiová & Thierry Kangoye, 2019. "Networks, start-up capital and women's entrepreneurial performance in Africa: Evidence from Eswatini," SALDRU Working Papers 257, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    3. Brixiová, Zuzana & Kangoye, Thierry & Yogo, Thierry Urbain, 2020. "Access to finance among small and medium-sized enterprises and job creation in Africa," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 177-189.
    4. Brixiova, Zuzana & Kangoye, Thierry, 2016. "Gender Disparities in Employment and Earnings in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Swaziland," IZA Discussion Papers 10455, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Brixiová, Zuzana & Ncube, Mthuli & Bicaba, Zorobabel, 2015. "Skills and Youth Entrepreneurship in Africa: Analysis with Evidence from Swaziland," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 11-26.
    6. Brixiová, Zuzana & Kangoye, Thierry & Said, Mona, 2020. "Training, human capital, and gender gaps in entrepreneurial performance," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 367-380.
    7. Brixiová, Zuzana & Kangoye, Thierry, 2016. "Gender and constraints to entrepreneurship in Africa: New evidence from Swaziland," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 5(C), pages 1-8.
    8. Brixiová, Zuzana & Ncube, Mthuli & Bicaba, Zorobabel, 2015. "Skills and Youth Entrepreneurship in Africa: Analysis with Evidence from Swaziland," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 11-26.
    9. Zuzana Brixiová Schwidrowski & Susumu Imai & Thierry Kangoye & Nadege Desiree Yameogo, 2021. "Assessing gender gaps in employment and earnings in Africa: The case of Eswatini," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(4), pages 643-663, July.
    10. Adem Yavuz Elveren & Hale Kirmizioglu, 2022. "Financial Development and Female Labor Income Share: Evidence from Global Data," World Journal of Applied Economics, WERI-World Economic Research Institute, vol. 8(1), pages 35-49, June.
    11. Zuzana Brixiova & Mthuli Ncube, 2014. "Working Paper 204 - Skills and Youth Entrepreneurship in Africa: Analysis with Evidence from Swaziland," Working Paper Series 2136, African Development Bank.
    12. Bo Carlsson & Pontus Braunerhjelm & Maureen McKelvey & Christer Olofsson & Lars Persson & Håkan Ylinenpää, 2013. "The evolving domain of entrepreneurship research," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 913-930, December.
    13. Landström, Hans & Harirchi, Gouya & Åström, Fredrik, 2012. "Entrepreneurship: Exploring the knowledge base," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(7), pages 1154-1181.
    14. Orkhan Nadirov & Bruce Dehning, 2020. "Tax Progressivity and Entrepreneurial Dynamics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-21, April.
    15. Caliendo, Marco & Kritikos, Alexander S., 2011. "Searching for the Entrepreneurial Personality: New Evidence and Avenues for Further Research," IZA Discussion Papers 5790, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Mina Baliamoune-Lutz & Pierre Garello, 2014. "Tax structure and entrepreneurship," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 165-190, January.
    17. Ross Levine & Yona Rubinstein, 2017. "Smart and Illicit: Who Becomes an Entrepreneur and Do They Earn More?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 132(2), pages 963-1018.
    18. Daniela Grieco, 2007. "The entrepreneurial decision: Theories, determinants and constraints," KITeS Working Papers 200, KITeS, Centre for Knowledge, Internationalization and Technology Studies, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy, revised May 2007.
    19. Marco Vivarelli, 2013. "Is entrepreneurship necessarily good? Microeconomic evidence from developed and developing countries," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 22(6), pages 1453-1495, December.
    20. Pourya Darnihamedani & Siri Terjesen, 2022. "Male and female entrepreneurs’ employment growth ambitions: the contingent role of regulatory efficiency," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(1), pages 185-204, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    entrepreneurial sales; innovation; credit; land; gender; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:zbw:glodps:457. 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: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/glabode.html .

    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.