Authors: Dr. Pooja Talwar, Dr. Gautam Agrawal, Dr. Ritika Chaudhary, and Dr. Swati Singh

ISBN: 978-81-997985-1-9

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59646/590

Date of Publication: February 09, 2026

Preface

Women Entrepreneurship: Empowerment, Enterprise and Economic Growth is conceived as a comprehensive and multidimensional exploration of the expanding landscape of women-led enterprises and their transformative impact on economies and societies. In recent decades, women entrepreneurship has emerged not merely as a development theme but as a strategic pillar of inclusive growth, social justice, innovation, and sustainable progress. This book systematically examines the foundations of women entrepreneurship by tracing its conceptual evolution, theoretical underpinnings, socio-cultural dynamics, and global trajectories, with particular attention to the Indian context. It situates women’s entrepreneurial journeys within broader structural realities—gender norms, institutional frameworks, economic reforms, digital transformation, and globalization—while recognizing the agency, resilience, and leadership that women bring to enterprise creation and management. Structured across eight comprehensive units, the book integrates theory with practice. It explores empowerment in its economic, social, political, and psychological dimensions; examines entrepreneurial motivation, leadership, self-efficacy, and capacity building; and analyzes enterprise development processes ranging from opportunity identification and business modeling to scaling strategies and innovation management. Dedicated sections address access to finance, microfinance, venture capital, fintech, digital marketing, global market access, supply chain integration, and customer relationship management. The text further evaluates policy frameworks, institutional support systems, public–private partnerships, and national and international initiatives that shape entrepreneurial ecosystems. Emphasizing sustainability, green and social entrepreneurship, technology adoption, and gender-responsive value chains, the book underscores the role of women entrepreneurs in poverty alleviation, rural development, and long-term socio-economic transformation. Through carefully selected case studies of distinguished women entrepreneurs from India and across the globe, the book presents real-world insights into leadership, strategic decision-making, innovation, and resilience in the face of structural, financial, and cultural barriers. Designed for students, scholars, policymakers, development practitioners, and aspiring entrepreneurs, this text aims to serve as both an academic resource and a practical guide. Ultimately, it envisions women-led enterprises as dynamic engines of inclusive and sustainable economic growth and calls for collective commitment toward building enabling ecosystems that empower women entrepreneurs to lead the journey toward Vision 2035 and beyond.