Women's Business Potential from the Western Part of Romania
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Proceedings of the 5th WSEAS International Conference on Economy and Management Transformation (Volume II) Women's Business Potential from the Western Part of Romania ELENA BOTEZAT Department of Management-Marketing University of Oradea 1, Universitatii Str., 410087Oradea ROMANIA [email protected] http://steconomice.uoradea.ro Abstract: The goal of this paper is to evaluate the women’s business potential from the western part of Romania. The elements that have been considered are the business plans elaborated by the 576 graduates of the Entrepreneurial Business School at a Local Level organized under the project AntrES and the data collected through questionnaire administered at the start and end of the courses relieves: the self-confidance of women compose the two target-groups in their chances to start a business; the reasons for women to begin a business; the opinions related to the main abilities necessary for a business women. The study regards a limited area determined by the following counties: Bihor, Timiş, Arad, Maramureş, Caraş-Severin, SatuMare. Key-Words: women’s business potential, business plan, self-confidance, abilities 1 General Considerations and Study It is noticed that in practice women’s wage in Romania Framework records, in media, 82% from men’s wage, even though it was not noticed by the labour inspectors gender The idea of a woman who has her own business is not so discriminations in setting the salaries in any economical popular in Romania, but there are real chances this will activity. The reason is represented by the fact that happen. Our opinion formed itself by knowing and women work in sectors of economy with low wages. working with women, from the Western part of Romania Despite the promotional efforts towards equal payment in particular, in the most direct way via AntrES Project - for equal labour, a man earns an euro for the work a Entrepreneurship and Equal Opportunities. An woman does for 85 cents. Salary differences between interregional model of entrepreneurial school for men and women can reach 15 %, according to the women, run by the Faculty of Economics, University of European Comission Annual Report on equal chances Oradea in partnership with five universities, namely: between men and women – 2007. Almost 40% of West University of Timişoara, University "Aurel Vlaicu" women work in the health sector, education and public of Arad, North University of Baia-Mare, University administration, in comparison with men who represent "Eftimie Murgu" ReşiŃa, "Commercial Academy" only 20%. In addition, women work in general as Fundation Satu Mare. administrative assistants, as sales-women or low Tradition and stereotypes influence, for example, the qualified workers, these jobs representing almost half of choice of educational way, the evaluation and the female labour. [2] classification of jobs, but also the involvement on the On the other hand, in the EU organisations, only a third labour market, women being more open to obtaining a of the personnel are women. In the last decade part-time job. modifications were registered in the ratio between men Focused on how work flexibility affects individuals and and women’s salaries, on sectors of activity, some with their particularly ability to combine family and work life, increasing trends, like the financial sector – banks and the study realized by Cousins Ch. and Tang N. (2003) insurance, in which women are predominant, some with reveals that Romanian society is still strong on decreasing trends, for example the public administration traditional domestic division of labour, which suggests sector. Despite the measures undertaken at the European that for working women there is a heavy double burden level for eliminating discrimination, there are many of paid and unpaid work. In conclusion Romanian things yet to be done. Two thirds of the Europeans women take the overwhelming responsibility for believe that the minorities and women are discriminated childcare and domestic task, so the conservative gender and that the number of women is preponderently in the ideology persisted.[1] area of low salaries. [2] ISSN: 1792-5983 597 ISBN: 978-960-474-241-7 Proceedings of the 5th WSEAS International Conference on Economy and Management Transformation (Volume II) What makes a woman self-sufficient? In our view, developing a business plan is a first step Is it money, education, a sense that she knows where towards success in business because in its development, she’s going in life? Is it her ability to stand on her own in the entrepreneur will have to find answers to many any situation and appear calm no matter what? Or is it different questions that will allow better understanding her power to start with nothing and still build a life? of the business. Focused effort towards this goal changes Perhaps it is her ability to face any challenge that comes the entrepreneur who is able to avoid some mistakes her way and not ignore the opportunity which arises in because she has already anticipated them in her mind, the way. Or ... the result of decisions based on what she acquire skills in business planning and long-term believes is right rather than what is popular. Whatever thinking, gain confidence in their managerial capacity to the answer, we think we can agree that an independent initiate and conduct effective business, develop skills in and confident woman projects power and energy, order to be persuasive in presenting ideas on which the motivated by its example, bring calm to chaos, business is based. This business plan becomes a perspectives on problems, solutions to crises. resource, a materialized intention. But how can we keep IRSOP Market Research & Consulting Report 2005, this up and convert it into concrete action, namely - based on a quantitative survey conducted in June 2005, starting a business. [7,8] reveals for Romanians the following values: friendly, The business plans, in number of 576 have been affectionate, value themselves high, insensitive to others, developed during JanuaryJune 2010, by the 576 behaving like followers rather than leaders, intelligent, graduates of the Entrepreneurship Local Business active, being rather disorganized, superficial and School: 144 womenmanagers who formed Target group conservative, talkative, diligent and bold. Also resulted I (ages 2066, monthly income – 2611 lei); and 472 that older people are more likely to support leader and be women who wish to start a business - Target group II more conservative of family roles. [3] These values (ages 1958, monthly income – 1197 lei), held at the 24 could explain the behavior at work places or local centers (LC) - small cities in 6counties, as follows: entrepreneur behaviors. But Romanian women are very Bihor - LC Aleşd, LC Beiu, LC Marghita, LC Salonta; lucid. The special feature is the capability to make a Timiş - LC Lugoj, LC Recaş, LC Buziaş, LC Jimbolia; realistic evaluation of their situation and to see all the Arad - LC Ineu, LC Lipova, LC Pecica, LC Chişineu time the positive part in this. This facilitates a free spirit Criş; Maramureş – LC Baia Sprie, LC Sighetu open to creativity, a main ingredient of business MarmaŃiei, LC Târgu Lăpuş, LC Seini; Caraş-Severin - potential. LC Caransebeş, LC Băile Herculane, LC Bocşa, LC Research regarding entrepreneurial intentions of women Moldova Nou; SatuMare - LC Tăşnad, LC Ardud, LC from the west part of Romania is based on psychosocial Negreşti-Oaş, LC Carei. models which show that any behaviour can be expected In the six months that were conducted business school considering the behaviour at a time. [4,5,6] courses, the 576 womengraduates developed, based on This framework is useful for understanding women’s the business idea identified and developed gradually business potential simply defined by entrepreneurial over the six issues, a business plan for starting a business intentions developed in the business plans developed by or for business development for those who had it the 576 graduates of the Entrepreneurial Business School already. Developed business plans include information at a Local Level organized under the project AntrES and on: business, products and services, marketing, sales the self-confidance of women compose the two target- strategy, customers, competitors, location, management, groups in their chances to start a business. personnel, financial issues. The general objectives of the AntrES Pproject aim on The research based on theoretical documentation, one hand, developing entrepreneurial and managerial analysis of documents prepared in the six territorial skills of women in counties located along the western centers: Bihor, Timiş, Arad, Maramureş, Caraş-Severin, border of Romania (Maramureş, SatuMare, Bihor, SatuMare and on collecting data from participants Arad, Timiş, Caraş-Severin), in order to improve current through questionnaire administered at the start and end performance and their training, to develop the spirit of of the courses has allowed the achievement of research entrepreneurship and to generate an increasing number objectives. Each woman that follows the courses was of businesses, both rural and urban, and on the other asked to fill out a short questionnaire with 13 structured hand, the promotion of equal opportunities in questions. In order to achieve our objectives we selected entrepreneurship by encouraging women's involvement the data reveals: the opportunity levels for a woman to in general, rural women in particular, the initiation and open a business in the current circumstances of the development of its business in the context of sustainable country; reasons why a women is willing to start a development of communities in the counties located business; opinions of graduates towards the main along the western border of Romania. qualities of a women who needs to open a business. ISSN: 1792-5983 598 ISBN: 978-960-474-241-7 Proceedings of the 5th WSEAS International Conference on Economy and Management Transformation (Volume II) 3 Results and conclusions From the 144 business plans developed by female 2 Research objectives managers in the six counties located on the western 2.1.