%0 Journal Article
%T Polish Women Micro-Entrepreneurs from the Mazovia Province: Pursued Goals, Adopted Business Strategy, and Firm Characteristics
%A Leszczyński, Dariusz
%J International Journal of Contemporary Management
%V 2016
%R 10.4467/24498939IJCM.16.028.6709
%N Issue 15(4)
%P 135-156
%K business goal, business strategy, micro-enterprise, Poland, woman micro-entrepreneur
%@ 2449-8920
%D 2017
%U https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/international-journal-of-contemporary-management/article/polish-women-micro-entrepreneurs-from-the-mazovia-province-pursued-goals-adopted-business-strategy-and-firm-characteristics
%X 
	Background. Women-owned businesses are important contributors to the job and wealth creation in many countries around the world. However, they are significantly understudied within transition economies from Central and Eastern Europe.

	Research aims. The primary objective was to determine the socio-demographic profile of women micro-entrepreneurs from Poland’s Mazovia Province. The secondary objective was to describe the possessed resources and the characteristic features of their businesses.

	Methodology. A survey was carried out using an Internet-based self-administered questionnaire. The data collection process was outsourced to a professional research company to ensure its validity and reliability. Univariate statistical techniques were employed to explore and analyse the 309 valid questionnaires.

	Key findings. Women micro-entrepreneurs prefer to operate as sole proprietors and are predominately active in the services sector. They mainly use their own financial resources to fund business operations. Female business owners tend to pursue personal type goals (e.g. “realisation of personal objectives or life passions”). They adopt an informal business strategy to achieve a competitive advantage over their competitors. It involves product/service differentiation, improvement of service quality, or a specific customer segment focus. However, the business strategies used by women rarely concentrate on long-term firm growth.