Health-safety inspection and organisational performance of female-owned enterprises in China

This study examines the impact of health and safety inspections on the organizational performance of female-owned enterprises in China, utilizing data from the "Health Safety and Inspection - China - 2023" dataset. The research addresses three key objectives: assessing the prevalence and outcomes of health and safety inspections among female-owned firms, analysing the average performance and sales growth, and evaluating the performance differences between inspected and non-inspected firms. The study applied descriptive analysis comprising graphs. Findings reveal that a significant majority (94.5%) of female-owned firms undergo inspections, with over half receiving formal reports. The analysis shows variable short-term performance with an average annual sales figure of 31,600,000 Chinese yuan (¥), but a positive long-term growth trend of 3% over three years. Firms subjected to health and safety inspections demonstrate better performance compared to non-inspected counterparts, with increasingly pronounced benefits over time. The study concludes that health and safety inspections positively impact long-term organizational performance. We recommend policies for increasing the frequency and quality of inspections, providing targeted support for female entrepreneurs, and conducting longitudinal and sector-specific studies to further understand the sustained effects of inspections.