Gendered Informality: An Assessment of Operational Attributes and Entrepreneurial Performance of Female-Owned Enterprises in Jharkhand

The present study utilises the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO)’s 73rd round unincorporated non-agricultural enterprise data to analyse diverse operational and economic attributes of female-owned enterprises and their influence on enterprise performance with regard to enterprises’ gross value added (GVA) in the state of Jharkhand. The study additionally endeavours to ascertain the correlation amidst the operational attributes and the type of enterprise owned (established or own account) in the state. From a methodological standpoint, the current inquiry incorporates exploratory and regression analysis to give a comprehensive understanding of female entrepreneurship in Jharkhand and its gender differentials. The study findings indicate that specific attributes such as enterprise registration, account maintenance, enterprise locating outside the household premises, expanding and perennial status have a positive association with the GVA of the female-owned enterprise. It further highlights that female entrepreneurs, especially from marginalised backgrounds, view entrepreneurship as a necessity rather than a choice. There exists a notable gender disparity, with majority of enterprises owned by females predominantly operating within residential premises. Moreover, female involvement in a well-established enterprise is substantially lower compared to male workers, thus indicating an inverse correlation between the nature of the enterprise and its employment framework.