Multi-level policy framework for women's entrepreneurship
| Level of analysis | Contextual challenges | Women's response | Policy direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro | Psychological strain, caregiving burden and lack of skills | Crisis-led and kin-focused entrepreneurship, self-learning and emotional resilience | Provide targeted emotional and psychological support programs (Emami et al., 2023); expand accessible skills development and entrepreneurship training tailored to women's needs (Sullivan and Meek, 2012) |
| Meso | Institutional failure, rigid systems and absence of support | Learning through others, informal adaptation and support and reliance on informal networks (families and communities) | Implement inclusive HR policies (flexible hours, maternity leave); improve access to gender-responsive finance (Carter et al., 2007); establish peer mentoring, training programs and professional networks (Byrne et al., 2014; McGowan et al., 2012; Sidani and Thornberry, 2010); streamline business registration (Thapa Karki et al., 2021); empower women leaders (Tlaiss and Kauser, 2019); strengthen family and community support initiatives (Naguib and Barbar, 2025; Naguib and Jamali, 2015) |
| Macro | Financial collapse and political upheavals, policy neglect, legal inequities and patriarchal norms | Withdrawal from formal systems, reliance on informal economy | Enforce gender-equitable laws and regulations (Terjesen et al., 2016); invest in public infrastructure supporting women entrepreneurs (Khabbaz and Kuran, 2024); promote gender-sensitive governance and institutional reforms to dismantle patriarchal barriers (Naguib, 2024; Barbar et al., 2023, 2021) |
| Level of analysis | Contextual challenges | Women's response | Policy direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro | Psychological strain, caregiving burden and lack of skills | Crisis-led and kin-focused entrepreneurship, self-learning and emotional resilience | Provide targeted emotional and psychological support programs ( |
| Meso | Institutional failure, rigid systems and absence of support | Learning through others, informal adaptation and support and reliance on informal networks (families and communities) | Implement inclusive HR policies (flexible hours, maternity leave); improve access to gender-responsive finance ( |
| Macro | Financial collapse and political upheavals, policy neglect, legal inequities and patriarchal norms | Withdrawal from formal systems, reliance on informal economy | Enforce gender-equitable laws and regulations ( |
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