| Research on the success of women's entrepreneurship in developing nations is limited. The paucity of information is particularly pronounced in studies related to women-led ventures in conflict and post-conflict economies. Moreover, very little is known about entrepreneurship "best practices" in women-led ventures in Afghanistan. War-torn societies often have minimal employment opportunities as population, demand for jobs, goods, services and, in most instances, survival, grow faster than formal job creation. In these contexts, women frequently face discriminatory practices, and self-employment may be the only means by which they can create work and generate income. This study was conducted in Kabul, Afghanistan between August and October 2013, and aims to understand how Afghan women business owners create and sustain successful enterprises in a war-ridden society. Using a qualitative method of inquiry, the study identified ways in which Afghan women business owners made their business operational and successful. Research participants could speak English, were fluent in the Dari language, and came from rural and urban areas representing varying ethnicities, social classes, and enterprise industries; they owned enterprise(s) which were formally registered businesses. The results of this research form the foundations for understanding women's entrepreneurship in Afghanistan, and serve to identify factors for women's business development initiatives as a benchmark within other disrupted national economies.;Keywords: Afghanistan, war-torn economies, Muslim male culture, women entrepreneurs best practices, proposed intervention model. |
