Determinants of Women Entrepreneurs’ Attitude Towards Management of the Enterprise During Pandemic Period: A Study from Odisha, India

Women’s entrepreneurship is important for achieving faster and more inclusive growth. However, women’s journey to becoming entrepreneurs is not smooth, as they face many societal, economic and organisational challenges. Additionally, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in general and women-owned MSMEs in particular. So, this study has attempted to figure out the determinants that influence women entrepreneurs’ attitudes towards managing the enterprise during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and also highlighted various measures adopted by these entrepreneurs to overcome the mental stress caused by the pandemic. Using a structured interview schedule, 256 sample women entrepreneurs have been surveyed from five different parts of Odisha state for the study. Results are analysed using descriptive statistics and an econometric tool, namely ordered probit model. Various social, financial and operational factors have been taken as predictors and women entrepreneurs’ attitudes towards enterprise management during the pandemic (women entrepreneurs’ attitude) have been taken as the response variable in the study. Findings of the ordered probit model show that predictors like enterprise’s loan status (Loanstat), credit management status (Cremngt), operational status (Entoper), availability of raw materials (Rawmat), internet access (internet) and entrepreneurial skill (Bussiskill) have influenced the response variable. Marginal effects of the predictors on the response variable with different categories have also been estimated. However, based on the findings, the study suggested certain policies that may guide non-governmental organisations (NGOs), development practitioners and the government while framing any policy for incentivising women entrepreneurs, mostly during difficult times.