Review article
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.24.1.07
The Beginning of Female Entrepreneurship in Scientific and Fictional Works of Croatian Authors
Ksenija Vuković
orcid.org/0000-0002-1874-8119
; Faculty of Organization and Informatics, Varaždin
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to make visible the
entrepreneurial role of women in the 19th century in Croatia
as well as to emphasize the diversity of women's experiences.
The analysis of the features of female entrepreneurship is
based on the scientific, mostly historiographic sources of
Croatian researchers, such as quantitative data (census data,
reports of chamber of trade and crafts, statistical yearbooks),
court cases, newspapers notes. This array of analytic tools is
also enriched by adding citations from fictional works of
Croatian 19th century writers. The aim of the article is to
reconstruct the image of the female entrepreneur in Croatia,
compare it with its European counterparts and transpose this
image into the Croatian socio-cultural and economic context.
The author tries to investigate if there are consistent
determinants such as culture and values that affect
entrepreneurship and economic growth in the long run. The
concentration of female entrepreneurs in "female segments"
of the economy was a way of avoiding barriers to entry.
Although they were faced with a lack of education, property
and capital that ensure business success, women conquered
the vital and dynamic segment of small businesses in the
services sector. Using the effective survival strategies, they
quietly created their own individual space and economic
independence.
Keywords
entrepreneurship; women; 19th century; Croatia; Europe
Hrčak ID:
138480
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2015.
Visits: 3.746 *