Women and exports: perspectives and experiences of women entrepreneurs in India

Purpose This study aims to investigate the motives, facilitators and barriers in export activity of women entrepreneurs and shed light upon the perception of women entrepreneurs about the opportunities international trade creates for them. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a purposive sample of 50 women entrepreneurs indulged in export activity from a cross section of enterprises in India. A qualitative methodology based upon in-depth, exploratory interviews is used, which enables the authors to arrive at a deeper understanding of lived experiences of women entrepreneurs. Findings The findings reveal that women exporters are driven by intrinsic factors such as nationalistic sentiments and urge for creativity while pursuing internationalization. The challenges cited were lack of information about various aspects of exporting and high cost of market development. More than half of respondents consider gender as challenge in getting finances, convincing clients and maintaining balance between demands from home and work. Despite the challenges, women consider trade as avenue to bypass discrimination in home market and as source of business growth and personality development. The findings refute the view that women entrepreneurs fail to make internationalization a value-generating process. Originality/value This study uncovers underexplored motives – such as patriotic and prosocial drivers – and integrates identity-based and normative perspectives into international entrepreneurship theory. The findings reframe women entrepreneurs not as passive beneficiaries but as active contributors who help internationalize India’s economic image, offering a new policy lens on export promotion. It reveals a mutually reinforcing relationship between gender and internationalization – where trade empowers women entrepreneurs, and women exporters enhance India’s global competitiveness – creating a “virtuous cycle” that deepens the conceptual understanding of gender and globalization.