Gender stereotypes remain a challenge for women who seek to rise among the ranks of business owners. (Photo : www.chinadaily.com.cn)
According to a survey, traditional gender stereotypes remain a challenge for women who seek to rise among the ranks of business owners.
Nearly 60 percent of entrepreneurial women in China's Guangdong business community prefer to assist their husbands in business development rather than pursuing their individual project.
Perhaps if there are more capital resources to fund such their own business ventures, women wouldn't be hesitant to step up in their roles as entrepreneurs.
According to a survey by the Guangdong Association of Women Entrepreneurs released on Aug. 31, businesswomen in the southern province typically have higher levels of education--approximately 69 percent hold degrees from junior college or above.
The survey further shows that 79 percent of them pursue post-graduate studies, and although 98 percent of women in the province recognize the independence of each individual in the relationship, 58 percent prioritize the assistance of their husbands.
According to analysts, this is the result of their implied awareness that men and women are not equal in reality.
The respondents came from differing sectors, but the survey sample mostly consisted of women in the manufacturing, wholesale, retail and domestic services sector.
Finance and IT sectors comprised a meager 5.6 percent.
Their average age is 45 years old, ranging from 23 to 68 years old, with nearly 80 percent of them being involved in private enterprises while 90 percent manage small businesses.
Over a half of them have a clear position and development plan for their companies, as 73 percent have built new brand names while 66 percent possess trademarks.
Some Chinese women are also actively engaged in political affairs, with 25 percent of the respondents participating as members of the Communist Party, an increase by 21 percent from the 2004 figure.
Around 25 percent of women, on the other hand, serve important functions in local or national committees such as the Chinese People's Political Consultative Congress.
