ENTERPRENEURSHIP, EMPOWERMENT AND THE IMPACT OF THE DIMENSION OF FEMALE IDENTITY ON THE WOMEN INVOLVED IN MICROCREDIT FINANCING SCHEMES: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION IN IZMIR METROPOLITAN REGION

Year 2011, Volume: 3 Issue: 2, 295 - 308, 01.12.2011

Meltem Onay Buğra Özer

Abstract

This study fundamentally aims to problematize the very nature of changes on the Turkish women, particularly, in regard to their women identity from a perspective of empowerment in the aftermath of their involvement in the microcredit projects carried out in Western Turkey, namely, the western metropolitan center, Izmir. In order to be able to realize the given objective, the work shall present the quantative and qualitative findings of an empirical work of questionnaires and one to one interviews with 300 women with previous experience and involvement in microcredit financing schemes and projects facilitated through the governorship of Izmir and with the aid of a wide variety of nongovernmental organization within the metropolitan Izmir region. The empirical findings of the study shall also be supported with a qualitative analysis of the women’s anecdotal stories in relation what micro financing credit schemes have brought about to their female identity along with other changes. Whilst carrying out the tasks, the empirical means have attempted to reveal information first on demographical and sociological background of the women involved in the sampling, subsequently in the second part, the dimensions related to the their women identity and its very relationship with the microcredit financing schemes. The third dimension of the empirical dimension has been to elaborate the factors that led these women to the entrepreneurship facilitated via microcredit financing schemes coupled with the lateral stages pursuing to shed light on how Turkish women perceive factors like risk and self perception and in what ways they come to deal with their environment. In the light of the empirical work carried out in metropolitan Izmir Region, the study shall italicize that women involvement in micro credit financing schemes brings about a strong consciousness about their female identity within a stronger sense of self perception, self confidence and cooperation with their female counterparts to solve their problems

Keywords

micro credit financing, empowerment, female identity, NGO, Izmir metropolitan region

References

• Akanji, O. O. (2006). Microfinance as a strategy for poverty reduction. Central Bank of Nigeria Economic and Financial Review , 39 (4).
• Altay, A. (2007) The Challenge for Global Women Poverty: Microfinance (or Microcredit) as a Solution for Women Poverty in Turkey Papers of the Annual IUE-SUNY Cortland Conference, 2007
• Deshumukh –Ranadive, Joy & Murthy, K. Ranjani. (2005). “Introduction: Linking the Triad.” Micro-Credit, Poverty and Empowerment Linking the Triad. (pp. 31-60). Sage Publications: New Delhi.
• Ekpe et al (2010) The Effect of Microfinance Factors on Women Entrepreneurs’ Performance in Nigeria: A Conceptual Framework International Journal of Business and Social Science Vol. 1 No. 2; November 2010
• Ezasor and Ezasor.(2009) Micro -Financing Paradigms For Advancing Women’s Role in Socio Economic Development Sustainable Human Development pp. 224-241
• Gibson, Katherine. Women, identity and activism in Asian and Pacific community economies (2010) Development; Journal of the Society for International Development 45,1:74-79
• Ibru, C. (2009). Growing microfinance through new technologies. Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
• Iganiga, B. O. (2008). Much ado about nothing: The case of the Nigerian microfinance policy mesures,institutions and operations. Journal of Social Sciences , 17 (2), 89-101.
• Iheduru, N. G. (2002). Women entrepreneurship and development: The gendering of microfinance in Nigeria. 8th International Interdisplinary Congress on Women. Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
• Ikhide, S. I. & Alawode, A. A. (2001). Financial sector reforms, macroeconomic instability and the order of economic liberalization: The evidence from Nigeria. Nairobi, Kenya: African Economic Research Consortium.
• International Finance Corporation (IFC). (2007). Gender entrepreneurship markets, GEM country brief.Afghanistan: GEM.
• Kabeer, N. (1998), “Money Can’t Buy Me Love?: Re-evaluating Gender, Credit and Empowerment in Rural Bangladesh”, IDS Discussion Paper, 363.
• Kuzilwa, J. (2005). The role of credit for small business success: A study of the National Entrepreneurship Development Fund in Tanzania. The Journal of Entrepreneurship , 14 (2), 131-161.
• Lakwo, A. (2007). Microfinance, rural livelihood, and women's empowerment in Uganda. Retrieved August 3, 2009, from African Studies Center Research Report 2006
• Kabeer, N. (1998), “Money Can’t Buy Me Love?: Re-evaluating Gender, Credit and Empowerment in Rural Bangladesh”, IDS Discussion Paper, 363.
• Khandker, S. (1998), “Fighting Poverty with Microcredit: Experience in Bangladesh”, WorldBank, Washington, DC.
• Malaki, A.(2005), “Informal Institutions in Informal Finance and Microfinance in Jamaica andTrinidad-Tobago, The Democratisation of Finance - Future Directions for Microfinance, The Collegium for Development Studies, Uppsala University, Övre Slottsgatan 1, SE-753 10 Uppsala,Sweden, http://www.kus.uu.se dated May 25th, 2011
• May, N. (2007). Gender responsive entrepreneurial economy of Nigeria: Enabling women in a disabling environment. Journal of International Women’s Studies , 9 (1).
• Mayoux, L. (1998), “Participatory Learning for Women’s Empowerment in Microfinance Programmes: Negotiating Complexity, Conflict and Change”, IDS Bulletin, 29(4), 39–50
• Mayoux, L. (1999), “Questioning Virtuous Spirals: Microfinance and Women’s Empowerment in Africa”, Journal of International Development, 11(7), 957–84.
• Mayoux, Linda. (2005) “From Access to Empowerment: Gender Issues in Microfinance”, http://www.gdrc.org/icm/win/mayoux.html.
• Mayoux, Linda. (2005) “The Magic Ingredient? Microfinance & Women’s Empowerment”.http://www.gdrc.org/icm/wind/magic.html.
• Mateman, Milford (2010). Why Doesn't Microfinance Work?. Zed Books.
• Mkpado, M. & Arene, C. J. (2007). Effects of democratization of group administration on the sustainability of agricultural microcredit groups in Nigeria. International Journal of Rural Studies , 14 (2), 1-9.
• Ofreneo, R,P. (2006), “Problematizing Microfinance as an Empowerment Strategyfor Women Living in Poverty: Some Policy Directions”, Gender, Technology and Development Journal of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Thailand, 3-12.
• Okpukpara, B. (2009). Microfinance paper wrap-up: Strategies for effective loan delivery to small scale enterprises in rural Nigeria. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics , 1 (2), 41-48.
• Otero, M. (1999). Bringing development back into microfinance. Latin America: ACCION International.
• Porter, E. G. & Nagarajan, K. V. (2005). Successful women entrepreneurs as pioneers: Results from a study conducted in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship , 18 (1), 39-52.
• Roomi, M. A. & Parrot, G. (2008). Barriers to development and progression of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. The Journal of Entrepreneurship , 17 (1), 59-72. Reavley, M. A. & Lituchy, T. R. (2008). Successful women entrepreneurs: A six- country analysis of selfreported determinants of success-more than just dollars and cents. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business , 5 (3- 4), 272-296.
• Swain RJ 2007 Can Microfinance Empower Women? Self-Help Groups in India , Ada Dialogue N°37, May 2007
• Women’s World Banking. 2002. “Policies, Regulations, and Systems that Promote Sustainable Financial Services to the Poor and Poorest, ” Pathways out of Poverty. Bloomfield: Kumarian Press.
• Yunus, Muhammad. (2003). Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty. New York, New York: Public Affairs.
• Yunus, Muhammad. (2007). “The Microcredit Revolution.” Creating a World Without Poverty Social Business and the Future of Capitalism. (pp.43-75) New York, New York: Public Affairs.