ABSTRACT
This study seeks to evaluate the impact of entrepreneurship on the economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States of Nigeria.  The objectives of this study are: to establish the impact of entrepreneurship on the economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies, to determine the extent that the government has gone in promoting entrepreneurship for  economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative  societies, to  find  out the extent to socio-cultural  barriers  pose challenges on entrepreneurship  for the  economic  empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies, to ascertain the extent to which  undergoing a training on entrepreneurship  before starting a business would help the rural women  co-operatives  societies.  In  line  with  the  above  objectives,  four hypotheses  were formulated  to act as a guide to the study. The study was carried out using survey design. The population of the study was 1200 from thirty co-operative societies in the three states under studied.  A sample of 300 was determined from the population using Taro Yamane’s sample size determination method.   The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire structured in a Likert five point scale which was validated with content validity.  Findings indicate that entrepreneurship had a positive impact on  the economic  empowerment  of the rural  women  co-operative  societies; government to a large extent has promoted entrepreneurship for the economic empowerment  of the  rural  women  co-operative  societies;  the challenges  in using entrepreneurship to empower the rural women co-operative societies economically were socio-cultural barriers; undergoing a training in entrepreneurship before starting their business would guide the women.  The study recommends that rural women in co-operative societies should use entrepreneurship as a tool to enhance their economic empowerment by taking part in various economic activities; government should build enabling environment  for  entrepreneurship  to  thrive;  government  officials  in  the ministry in-charge  should,  as  a matter  of  urgency,  take  continual  steps  to encourage  entrepreneurship  for  the  economic  empowerment  of the  rural women.   Gender  discrimination  should  be eliminated  and  there  should  be balance  of  power  between  men  and  women;  prospective  rural  women entrepreneurs should undergo a training before starting their business to get the necessary entrepreneurial skills.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Today, Nigerian women are generally considered to be at the lowest rung of poverty ladder the reason being that women’s access to credit is blocked usually through practices that are justified as cultural discriminatory customary laws concerning women’s right that impede their rights to own property. Male supremacist structures of authority, whether in kinship structures or traditional rulers, often act to marginalize women systematically from access and control over land and economic enterprises. The significance of such access and control is located in the relationship between land rights, property rights and the sustainability of livelihood.
However, entrepreneurship is the powerful instrument that will alleviate poverty as well as empower the rural women economically. Traditional or tribal society in Nigeria expected women to be significant wage earners in the family. They labour in farming, fishing, herding, and commerce alongside Nigerian men.
Creation of self- employment by the entrepreneurs has helped to reduce the problem of unemployment and other social vices (Enebe and Ohaegbulam
2007:5) Entrepreneurs help in the production of goods and services that are very vital to the wellbeing and comfort of members of the society. Entrepreneurship stimulates rural, economic and industrial development. They contribute to the development of rural and less developed areas.
Entrepreneurship is the force that mobilizes other resources to meet unmet market demand, the ability to create and build something from practically nothing, the process of creating value by pulling together a unique package of resources to exploit an opportunity (Jones and Sakong, 1980; Timmons, 1989; Stevenson, et al, 1985). Entrepreneurship in rural areas is finding a unique blend of resources, either inside or outside of agriculture and it is usually
community based, has strong extended family linkages and a relatively large impact on rural community. This is why entrepreneurship is considered as a prime mover in development.
As a result of this, it becomes very important to empower the women in the rural areas through entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is the only panacea to the growing unemployment among the rural women (Petrin 1992). Rural development is more than ever before linked to entrepreneurship. The government, institutions and individuals promoting rural development now see entrepreneurship as a strategic development intervention that could accelerate the rural development process (Petrin, 1991). By and large, entrepreneurship has to do with economic development task, the initiation of change, the development of innovative and creative abilities and the creation of enterprise for successful self-employment.
Entrepreneurship is a vehicle to improve the quality of the life for individuals, families and communities and to sustain a healthy economy and environment. The entrepreneurial orientation to rural development, Petrin accepts entrepreneurship as the central force of economic growth and development as well as the instrument for combating poverty particularly in the lives of the rural women (Petrin, 1992). Entrepreneurship is the key to create new enterprises that energize and rejuvenate the economy. It plays a role in economic development. To accelerate economic development in rural areas as well as empower the rural women under the study economically, it is necessary to continuously promote entrepreneurship in these areas.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Rural women have a unique role in the society. Real development cannot take place if it bypasses women, who not only represent one half of the country’s population but also the kernels around which societal revolution take place. Entrepreneurship enhances the financial dependence and self esteem of the rural women. Unfortunately these rural women face formidable challenges
which are created by socio-cultural barriers, their family status, socio-economic hardship, lack of education, male dominance over women inside and outside the family – gender issues, ethnic and cultural tradition. Sadly, the above listed ills hinder the rural women from having self- confidence in themselves, economic security and taking decisions. Thus the study focuses on the impact of entrepreneurship on economic empowerment of rural women.
1.3 THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The specific objectives of the study include:
1. To determine the impact of entrepreneurship on economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies.
2. To evaluate the extent to which government has gone in promoting entrepreneurship for economic empowerment of the rural women co- operative societies.
3. To find out the extent to which socio-cultural barriers pose challenges on economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies.
4. To ascertain the extent to which undergoing a training on entrepreneurship before starting a business would help the rural women co-operative societies.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
For this study to accomplish the stated objectives, the following research questions were formulated.
1. What is the impact of entrepreneurship on economic empowerment of the rural women co-operatives?
2. To what extent has government promoted entrepreneurship for economic empowerment of the rural women co-operatives?
3. To what extent do socio-cultural barriers pose challenges on economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies?
4. To what extent does undergoing a training on entrepreneurship before starting a business would help the women co-operative societies?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following are the research hypotheses for the study:
(1) HO: Entrepreneurship has negative impact on the economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies.
H1: Entrepreneurship has positive impact on the economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies.
(2) HO: The government to a large extent has not promoted entrepreneurship for economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies.
H1: The government to a large extent has promoted entrepreneurship for the economic empowerment of the rural women co- operative societies.
(3) HO: Socio-cultural barriers to a large extent do not pose challenges on entrepreneurship and economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies.
H1: Socio-cultural barriers to a large extent pose challenges on entrepreneurship and economic empowerment of the rural women co-operative societies.
(4) HO: Undergoing training on entrepreneurship before starting business
to a
large extent would not help the rural women co-operatives societies.
H1: Undergoing training on entrepreneurship before starting business to a large extent help the rural women co-operative societies.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of this study cannot be over-emphasized. It can be viewed from the following perspectives.
(1) It is significant in the sense that its findings will serve as a base and
frame work for future researchers to carry out further studies.
(2) The report will be a valuable document to stakeholders and agencies in Nigeria. This will make them to have serious commitment towards rural women economic empowerment.
(3) Rural women are the most beneficiaries of this research because it will bring to bare the constraints that affect their economic empowerment which will cause the government to create enabling environment for improvement on the economic empowerment
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The researcher reviewed the literature based on these headings; Poverty and Women; Rural Poverty in Nigeria; Entrepreneurship Potential and Economic Development ; Role of Entrepreneurship in an Economy; Development of Women Entrepreneurs; The Current Status of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in Nigeria; Promoting and Implementing an Integrated Approach to Rural Development; Strategic challenges of Rural Women Empowerment ; Some Programmes introduced by the past governments to eradicate poverty in Nigeria; Theoretical Framework of Women Economic Empowerment; and Model of Women Economic Empowerment. The scope of the study covers only women that are organized as members of cooperatives – which are registered to engender entrepreneurship, are included in the study. These rural women are within the selected three states of the South Eastern part of Nigeria that are under study.
1.8 LIMITATIONS
Certain Limitations were encountered in the course of this study. Key among these includes:
Time: As a result of limited time for the study the researcher could not get all the required information necessary for the study.
Funds: the researcher was not financially buoyant to carry out the study throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria even though there are
concentrations of rural women co-operatives in some other States of Nigeria. As a result, the study focused largely on rural women co-operatives in Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States.
Attitude of the Respondents: The researcher was also limited by the reluctance of some respondents to complete the questionnaire promptly.
However, these constraints not withstanding, the researcher was able to carry out the work to a successful conclusion.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Entrepreneurship:  Entrepreneurship is the process of doing something new or something different to create wealth for oneself and to add value to society. Empowerment:   It is the result of the process whereby the powerless or less powerful members of a society gain greater access and control over material and  knowledge  resources,  challenges  and  ideologies  of  discrimination  and subordination  and  transforms  the  institutions  and  structure  through  which unequal access and control over resources is sustained and perpetuated (David, 2008:20).
Women Empowerment: This is a process whereby women, individually and collectively, become aware of how power relations operate in their lives and gain the self-confidence and strength to challenge gender inequalities (Oxaal and Baden, 1997:3).
Rural Women: Women that live in the rural areas who do not have access to the facilities that are available in the urban areas.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
THE IMPACT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP ON THE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF RURAL WOMEN
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