acase@tulane.edu / Abstract This research seeks to further the understanding of female microentrepreneurship as it is conceptualized and applied to initiatives that supporting women’s economic and social empowerment. Social norms, institutional discrimination, and gender constraints define the activities and persons that are entrepreneurial, thereby affecting female microenterprise motivations, characteristics, and success. In addition, contemporary microenterprise initiatives draw on women’s stereotypical caret-taking roles to justify their economic development, while female microenterprises remain distinguishable by their informality, small size, and low returns. The enterprises created through resource allocation programs, such as microcredit, are largely informal and home-based subsistence enterprises that offer a low-quality employment option to women and fail to challenge or expand existing gender constraints. Data from focus group participants and analysis of survey responses from 487 female microentrepreneurs in Kandy, Sri Lanka are used to compare female microentrepreneurial success in terms of both financial and empowerment outcomes. A novel conceptualization of the capabilities approach is presented and utilized to build an original analytical framework that redefines success in terms of women’s capabilities: whether female microentrepreneurship expands what they can be and do. An iterative approach to defining success outcomes establishes that adding empowerment indicators to definitions of success highlight different gender constraints to female microentrepreneurship than purely financial measures. Group differences provide an analysis of the gender constraints that are more prevalent among those meeting compound definitions of success and those who do not. A logistic regression of gender constraints, including personal household, and business characteristics, and women’s capabilities (as a proxy for empowerment), determines the impact of each constraint on the likelihood of being successful. The results suggest that, at the microenterprise level, female entrepreneurs are constrained by social and household norms that reduce their capabilities and enterprise success. Women’s hybrid entrepreneurial motivations, driven by their own economic and household considerations rather than outcomes desired by development initiatives, are established as offering fertile ground for future research, specifically regarding the impact of the household context. It is suggested that the motivations are distinct from those of women operating larger SMEs and require specific attention / 1 / Melissa E Langworthy

nÃo hà / Em diversos setores, crescentemente tem ocorrido a adoÃÃo de prÃticas intra-empreendedoras por parte de empresas que buscam inovaÃÃo. Nem sempre, contudo, tais prÃticas tornam-se sistemÃticas. Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo investigar como ocorre o processo de institucionalizaÃÃo das prÃticas intra-empreendedoras em empresas de tecnologia da informaÃÃo (TI) do CearÃ. A compreensÃo do intra-empreendedorismo remete aos elementos do empreendedorismo e da inovaÃÃo, os quais sÃo analisados no Ãmbito de organizaÃÃes que produzem produtos e serviÃos de TI, surgindo como motores de uma nova economia baseada na tecnologia e no conhecimento. Esse entendimento torna-se de grande relevÃncia para a literatura em administraÃÃo, à medida que se demonstra a importÃncia para as organizaÃÃes em se investir em processos que possibilitem a crescente ocorrÃncia de prÃticas intra-empreendedoras e a inovaÃÃo. Foram utilizados como referencial teÃrico os conceitos relativos ao intra-empreendedorismo (PINCHOT, 1999), empreendedorismo (DRUCKER, 1986), inovaÃÃo (SCHUMPETER, 1982), tecnologia (ROBERTS; GRABOWSKI, 2004) e as contribuiÃÃes da Teoria Institucional, sendo o modelo teÃrico de Tolbert e Zucker (1999) utilizado como base para identificar o estÃgio de solidificaÃÃo de prÃticas e estruturas inovadoras dentro das organizaÃÃes. Quanto aos objetivos da pesquisa, trata-se de um estudo exploratÃrio e descritivo, de natureza qualitativa, viabilizado mediante uma pesquisa de campo com as empresas mais representativas do setor de TI do CearÃ. Para a obtenÃÃo dos dados, aplicou-se um questionÃrio estruturado com uma amostra de 43 profissionais, utilizando-se uma escala do tipo Likert e, para aprofundar a compreensÃo das questÃes do estudo, foram realizadas entrevistas com sete gestores das empresas que compÃem a amostra. Os dados do questionÃrio foram analisados por meio de alguns elementos da estatÃstica descritiva. Para a anÃlise dos dados das entrevistas, foi desenvolvida uma anÃlise de conteÃdo, com a divisÃo das categorias previamente identificadas a partir do referencial teÃrico. Os resultados demonstraram a existÃncia de diversas prÃticas intra-empreendedoras no campo organizacional em foco, sendo algumas mais planejadas e sistematizadas em determinadas empresas. Os fatores atuantes nos trÃs estÃgios do processo de institucionalizaÃÃo tambÃm foram verificados e hà similaridades nas estruturas adotadas pelas organizaÃÃes, havendo evidÃncias de 6 uma relaÃÃo positiva entre a adoÃÃo das estruturas que estimulam a inovaÃÃo e os resultados finais. / In various sectors, increasingly it has been the adoption of intrapreneurial practices by companies seeking innovation. Not always, however, such practices become systemic. This research aims to investigate how is the process of institutionalization of intrapreneurial practices in information technology (IT) companies of CearÃ. The understanding of intrapreneurship refers to the elements of entrepreneurship and innovation, which are discussed within organizations that produce products and IT services, emerging as engines of a new economy based on technology and knowledge. This understanding becomes highly relevant to literature in administration, as it demonstrates the importance for organizations to invest in processes that enable the increasing occurrence of intrapreneurial practice and innovation. They were used as theoretical concepts related to intrapreneurship (Pinchot, 1999), entrepreneurship (Drucker, 1986), innovation (Schumpeter, 1982), technology (ROBERTS; GRABOWSKI, 2004) and the contributions of institutional theory, with the model theorist Tolbert and Zucker (1999) used as a basis to identify the stage of solidification practices and innovative structures within organizations. As for the research objectives, it is an exploratory and descriptive study, of qualitative nature, made possible by a field research with the most representative companies of Cearà IT industry. To obtain the data, we applied a structured questionnaire with a sample of 43 professionals, using a Likert scale, and to deepen understanding of survey questions, interviews were conducted with seven managers of the companies in the sample . The questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of some elements. For the analysis of the interview data, a content analysis was developed, with the division of the categories previously identified from the theoretical framework. The results demonstrated the existence of a number of intrapreneurial practices in organizational field in focus, with a few more planned and systematic in certain companies. The active factors in the three stages of the institutionalization process were also checked and there are similarities in the structures adopted by organizations, with evidence 6 a positive relationship between the adoption of the structures that foster innovation and the final results.

Purpose– The assumption that microcredit alone can contribute to worldwide povertyalleviation is debated, the opponents voicing the need of non-credit services in addition togive the poor access to capital. Social intermediation services are argued to be essential inmaking a difference in a time where the impact of microfinance itself has been reappraised inseveral studies. Simultaneously, the shift to commercialization of the industry due to pressureto accomplish self–sustainability is inescapable; concerns over its benefits for the poor ispronounced. Some are suggesting positive effects, others argue there being negative effectsdue to the change in focus. The purpose of this study is to generate knowledge about theinfluence MFIs have in enabling individuals to be microentrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.Design/methodology/approach– This will be accomplished through investigating theconditions and terminology used by MFIs in relation to entrepreneurship and theirrequirements of training. The findings may be used as guidance to other MFIs andstakeholders, both nationally and globally, who wish to engage in this field. The study relieson qualitative methodology where multiple case studies were analyzed and the findings basedon primary data conducted from nine semi-structured interviews. The cases have beenselected according to theoretical sampling.Findings– Based on the findings and theories applied, it can be stated that the ambition of theMFIs in Sri Lanka is to contribute to the microentrepreneurs development. This isaccomplished by giving them microcredit, training and motivation to start a sustainablebusiness and thus rise out of poverty. The findings suggest that the MFIs have an importantrole, but that the responsibility following as a result of their influence is compromised. Theconclusion is that the MFIs do not acknowledge everyone to be entrepreneurs, and are lackingin providing the most optimal training and supply of microfinance services for theirmicroentrepreneurs to succeed. This is limiting the microentrepreneurs progress and excludesan unknown part of potential microentrepreneurs.Originality/value– The findings of this study can help us to understand how MFIs in SriLanka enable or restrict the microentrepreneur because of their expectations and otherconsequences due to the market of microfinance and the fundamental assumptions whichmicrofinance is based on. Our contribution provides context on what conditions andlimitations MFIs create for microentrepreneurs in rising out of poverty with the assistance ofmicrofinance. The findings may be used as guidance to other MFIs and stakeholders, bothnationally and globally, who wish to engage in this field. / Syfte– Antagandet att enbart mikrokredit kan bidra till världsomfattande fattigdomsbekämpningär omdiskuterat. Motståndarna uttrycker behovet av icke-kredittjänster utöver attge tillgång till kapital. Icke-kredittjänster hävdas vara avgörande för att göra skillnad i en tiddå mikrofinansens inverkan har blivit omprövad i flera studier. Samtidigt är övergången tillkommersialisering av mikrofinansindustrin, på grund av påtryckningarna att uppnå finansiellhållbarhet, oundviklig; oro över konsekvenserna av detta för de fattiga är debatterad. Någraredogör för de positiva effekter kommersialisering innebär och andra poängterar de negativakonsekvenserna av att förändra fokus. Syftet med denna studie är att skapa kunskap om detinflytande som mikrofinansinstitut (MFIs) har för att möjliggöra för individer att vara mikroentreprenöreri Sri Lanka.Design/metod/tillvägagångssätt– Detta kommer att åstadkommas genom att undersökavillkoren och terminologin i förhållande till entreprenörskap och MFIs krav på träning förderas mikrolåntagare. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ metod där flera fallstudier haranalyserats och resultaten är baserade på primära data utifrån nio semistrukturerade intervjuer.Fallen har valts ändamålsenligt enligt ett teoretiskt urval.Slutsatser– Utifrån studiens resultat och teorier kan det konstateras att MFIs ambition i SriLanka är att bidra till utvecklingen av mikroentreprenörer. Det görs genom att ge demmikrokredit, utbildning och motivation för att starta en hållbar inkomstgenererande aktivitetför att ta sig ut ur fattigdom. Resultatet visar på att mikrofinansinstituten har en viktig rollmen att det ansvar som MFIs har som följd av deras inflytande är försummat. Slutsatsen är attmikrofinansinstituten begränsar mikroentreprenörernas framgång och exkluderar en okänd delav potentiella entreprenörer då de inte erkänner alla som entreprenörer. De saknar även denoptimala träningen och utbud av mikrofinanstjänster för att få sina mikroentreprenörer attlyckas.Originalitet/värde– Resultatet av denna studie skapar förståelse för hur MFIs i Sri Lankamöjliggör eller begränsar mikroentreprenörer på grund av deras förväntningar och andraförutsättningar på grund av mikrofinansmarknaden och grundläggande antaganden sommikrofinanskonceptet bygger på. Vårt resultat bidrar till att tydliggöra vilka villkor ochbegränsningar mikrofinansinstituten skapar för mikroentreprenörer i att ta sig ut ur fattigdommed hjälp av mikrokredit. Resultaten kan användas som vägledning till andra MFIs ochintressenter, både nationellt och globalt, som vill engagera sig i detta område.Uppsatsen kommer fortsättningsvis att presenteras på engelska.

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