It’s often said the people around us are instrumental in shaping who we are, however, for female entrepreneurs living in rural and regional Australia, it could be a concept that’s creating unnecessary and damaging barriers.
UNE Master of Philosophy in Entrepreneurship and Innovation student Angelo Saavedra is studying the barriers and challenges faced by rural and regional women in business, and he says his findings so far are troubling.
Over the past three years, Angelo has interviewed entrepreneurs working in industries such as agriculture, health and information technology to better understand their perspectives, and while their business backgrounds were diverse, he says their experiences at the top of the ladder were surprisingly similar.
False perceptions
In addition to the challenges that rural and regional businesswomen face that have already been identified in literature, such as lack of business, monetary and leadership skills, the most surprising finding was that many of them felt they were limited by how they perceived themselves based on their gender.
“At the beginning of my interviews, the answers were more what they thought I wanted to hear, for example, they wanted to portray themselves as strong, forward-thinking and progressive, however, as I went more in depth in the conversation and developed that relationship with the interviewees, I realised that it wasn’t actually the case," says Angelo.
"For example, some of my participants believed that they are supporters, not providers. They said they were supporters of their families and communities, with one specifically saying it wasn’t in her DNA to be a provider.
“Another common issue was that they felt ashamed to talk about their business and even personal concerns with their husbands, demonstrating how the male role is perceived. This wasn’t just one person, this was a recurring pattern.”
Angelo says this demonstrates a narrative that has been constructed in parts of regional and rural Australia that is putting limitations on women by reinforcing traditional gender stereotypes.
This is something that happens over a period of time, so for example, in Armidale, the narrative has been built over hundreds of years, and the stories that people tell have reinforced particular viewpoints.
"The way people define who they are is based on the social constructs around them," he says.
“It’s going to be based on the narratives and stories that people tell, that institutions tell, that high schools and universities tell, and all of these are going to influence how people perceive themselves and the role that they need to fulfil to belong and to be accepted in their community," he says.
“This is something that happens over a period of time, so for example, in Armidale, the narrative has been built over hundreds of years, and the stories that people tell have reinforced particular viewpoints.”
A need for progression
While our society as a whole appears to be starting to slowly break down gender stereotypes, Angelo says his research shows there is still a long way to go for those living in regional and rural Australia.
He says the longer the issue is left unaddressed, the economic prosperity of the regions falls further into jeopardy.
By increasing the participation of women in rural economies, we can better leverage the capacity of our regions, increasing our contribution to the national economy.
“The representation of women in business in rural Australia is approximately only 35 percent, which shows that women are very under-represented in these communities,” he says.
“By increasing the participation of women in rural economies, we can better leverage the capacity of our regions, increasing our contribution to the national economy.
“It will also diversify the kinds of products and services that are available in particular regions, and in doing so, we will become more resilient.”
What's next?
The final version of Angelo’s thesis will be submitted in March, however, his efforts in this space have already received recognition after he was recently awarded Best Student Paper for presenting his research at the recent Small Enterprise Association of Australia and New Zealand Online Symposium.
Angelo hopes that drawing attention to this important issue will be a catalyst for change.
Whether it’s through my research or through my teaching, I want to help construct a new narrative that can help change the situation for female entrepreneurs in regional and rural Australia.
“The first step is to raise awareness; this isn’t’ just for government, it’s for all of us,” he says.
“Whether it’s through my research or through my teaching, I want to help construct a new narrative that can help change the situation for female entrepreneurs in regional and rural Australia.”
Once his thesis is submitted, Angelo plans to continue his doctoral studies to find ways to contribute to the socioeconomic development of regional and rural Australia.
You can keep up to date with Angelo’s work via his LinkedIn.
