Determinants of Success and Barriers Faced by Women Start-Up Entrepreneurs in Kanyakumari District
Abstract
Women-led start-ups play a vital role in promoting inclusive economic development. Despite increasing participation, women entrepreneurs face multiple constraints that affect business performance and sustainability. This study examines the determinants of success and barriers faced by women start-up entrepreneurs in Kanyakumari District using statistical tools. Primary data were collected from 120 women entrepreneurs through a structured questionnaire. Statistical techniques such as Mean Score Analysis, Standard Deviation, Chi-square Test, Correlation, and Multiple Regression were applied. The findings reveal that access to finance, family support, entrepreneurial skills, and digital awareness significantly influence start-up success, while socio-cultural constraints, limited credit access, and lack of mentorship act as major barriers. The study offers policy-oriented recommendations to strengthen the women start-up ecosystem at the district level.
Citation
Jovin, R. B., & Arockia Rajasekar. (2026). Determinants of Success and Barriers Faced by Women Start-Up Entrepreneurs in Kanyakumari District. Mercovite, 1(1), 34–43.
License
© 2026 The Author(s). Published by Dr. BGR Publications .
The authors retain copyright of this article. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.
References
- Ahl, H. (2006). Why research on women entrepreneurs needs new directions. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 30(5), 595–621.
- Brush, C. G., de Bruin, A., & Welter, F. (2009). A gender-aware framework for women’s entrepreneurship. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 1(1), 8–24.
- Carter, S., & Shaw, E. (2006). Women’s Business Ownership: Recent Research and Policy Developments. Small Business Service, London.
- Das, M. (2014). Women entrepreneurs from India: Problems, motivations and success factors. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 27(4), 373–392.
- Dhaliwal, A. (2016). Role of entrepreneurship in economic development. International Journal of Scientific Research and Management, 4(6), 4262–4269.
- Goyal, M., & Prakash, J. (2011). Women entrepreneurship in India – Problems and prospects. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 1(5), 195–207.
- Hisrich, R. D., Peters, M. P., & Shepherd, D. A. (2017). Entrepreneurship (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education, New York.
- Minniti, M., & Naudé, W. (2010). What do we know about the patterns and determinants of female entrepreneurship across countries? European Journal of Development Research, 22(3), 277–293.
- Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). (2022). Annual Report. Government of India, New Delhi.
- OECD. (2020). Women at the Core of the Fight Against COVID-19 Crisis. OECD Publishing, Paris.
- Roomi, M. A., & Parrott, G. (2008). Barriers to development and progression of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. Journal of Entrepreneurship, 17(1), 59–72.
- Shane, S. (2003). A General Theory of Entrepreneurship: The Individual–Opportunity Nexus. Edward Elgar Publishing, UK.
- Singh, S., & Belwal, R. (2008). Entrepreneurship and SMEs in Ethiopia: Evaluating the role, prospects and problems faced by women. Gender in Management, 23(2), 120–136.
- Verheul, I., van Stel, A., & Thurik, R. (2006). Explaining female and male entrepreneurship at the country level. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 18(2), 151–183.