Women entrepreneurial activities in developing economies: Ghana as a case study

This paper examines the personal and business profiles of Ghanaian women entrepreneurs. Ghanaian women engaged in diverse economic ventures but lack of research regarding their activities has resulted in underestimation of their socio-economic ventures but lack of research regarding their activities has resulted in underestimation of their socio-economic contributions. Data was obtained from a survey of 216 Ghanaian women entrepreneurs and interviews with 20 of these women. According to the findings, Ghanaian women entrepreneurs exhibited many similarities with their counterparts in other countries in terms of their personality traits. However, they differed in other aspects such as their educational backgrounds and modes of entrepreneurial skills acquisition. Through their entrepreneurial activities the women have made substantial contributions to the economic growth of Ghana in terms of innovation, job creation, and reduction in poverty and unemployment. Women's entrepreneurship, properly harnessed, has great potential as a tool for transforming developing economies.