Determinants of Women Entrepreneurship Success in Myanmar: The Role of Personal, Socio-Economic, and Motivational Factors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/ijmhs.2026.v10i01.007Abstract
Background: Women entrepreneurship is significant to emerging economies such as Myanmar for economic development. Nevertheless, there is little empirical evidence on the key determinants of women entrepreneurship success in Myanmar. Objectives: This paper focuses on how personal factors, socio-economic and cultural factors, and motivational factors affect the success of women in entrepreneurship in Yangon. Methods: Structured questionnaires were used as a research design and administered to 228 women in business. Data analysis was performed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression were employed. The regression analysis was conducted to test the direct influence of Personal Factors (PF), Socio-Economic and Cultural Factors (SECF), and Motivational Factors (MF) on the success of Women Entrepreneurship (WES) at a 0.05 significance level. Results: The findings reveal that personal, socio-economic, and motivational factors all significantly influence women entrepreneurship success, with motivational factors emerging as the most influential. All three hypotheses were confirmed. Conclusion: The results suggest that intrinsic motivation is the most important factor in the success of women entrepreneurship in Myanmar, with personal capability and environmental conditions providing support. The research offers empirical support to policymakers in developing motivation-oriented entrepreneurship initiatives for women in emerging economies.
Keywords:
Emerging Economy, Motivational Factors, Myanmar, Women EntrepreneurshipDownloads
References
Abebe, A., & Kegne, M. (2023). The role of microfinance on women’s entrepreneurship development in Western Ethiopia evidence from a structural equation modeling: Non-financial service is the way forward. Cogent Business & Management, 10(3), 2256079. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2023.2256079
Ahmetaj, B., Kruja, A. D., & Hysa, E. (2023). Women Entrepreneurship: Challenges and Perspectives of an Emerging economy. Administrative Sciences, 13(4), 111. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13040111
Alam, F., Ullah, A., Khan, N. A., Saeem Khan, M., Yasir Arafat, M., & Saleem, I. (2024). Drivers of female entrepreneurship in Asian economies: a panel data analysis. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2353223. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2353223
Altaf, M., Ullah, K., & Atiq, M. (2025). Women-owned businesses and access to finance in Pakistan: a study of perceptions, experiences and behaviors. Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, 17(3), 632-660. https://doi.org/10.1108/qrfm-08-2023-0189
Asian Development Bank (ADB). (2022, April). Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2022: Mobilizing Taxes for Development. https://dx.doi.org/10.22617/FLS220141-3
Bose, T. K., Bonna, A. H., Bristy, J. F., & Moser, R. (2024). Evolving female entrepreneurship in emerging economies: clarifying the linkages between institutional forces and online venture performance. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 31(7), 1424–1454. https://doi.org/10.1108/jsbed-01-2024-0026
Brixiová, Z., Kangoye, T., & Said, M. (2019). Training, human capital, and gender gaps in entrepreneurial performance. Economic Modelling, 85, 367–380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2019.11.006
Bruton, G., Sutter, C., & Lenz, A. K. (2021). Economic inequality–Is entrepreneurship the cause or the solution? A review and research agenda for emerging economies. Journal of Business Venturing, 36(3), 106095. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2021.106095
Corrêa, V. S., De Lima, R. M., Da Silva Brito, F. R., Machado, M. C., & Nassif, V. M. J. (2022). Female entrepreneurship in emerging and developing countries: a systematic review of practical and policy implications and suggestions for new studies. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 16(2), 366–395. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeee-04-2022-0115
Ghag, N., Sonar, H., Chaubey, A., & Singh, R. K. (2025). Unpacking the factors that support women’s entrepreneurship: a critique and exploration of new avenues using a fsQCA approach. Benchmarking an International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/bij-01-2025-0004
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). (2023, November 14). GEM 2022/23 Women’s Entrepreneurship Report: Challenging Bias and Stereotypes. https://www.gemconsortium.org/report/gem-20222023-womens-entrepreneurship-challenging-bias-and-stereotypes-2
Henry, C., Coleman, S., Orser, B., & Foss, L. (2022). Women’s entrepreneurship policy and access to financial capital in different countries: an Institutional perspective. Entrepreneurship Research Journal, 12(3), 227–262. https://doi.org/10.1515/erj-2022-0234
Jayachandran, S. (2021). Social norms as a barrier to women’s employment in developing countries. IMF Economic Review, 69(3), 576–595. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41308-021-00140-w
Kawai, N., & Sibunruang, H. (2023). Identifying success factors for female entrepreneurs using the AMO framework: Empirical evidence from Japan. European Management Journal, 41(4), 499–511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2023.06.002
Kovid, R. K., Singh, N., Sharma, G. M., Gaur, P., & Pandla, K. (2024). Women entrepreneurship: investigating the influence of emotional intelligence and innovativeness on entrepreneurial success. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 17(2), 193–214. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijge-10-2023-0277
Minniti, M., & Naudé, W. (2010). What do we know about the patterns and determinants of female entrepreneurship across countries? European Journal of Development Research, 22(3), 277–293. https://doi.org/10.1057/ejdr.2010.17
Muhammad, S., Ximei, K., Saqib, S. E., & Beutell, N. J. (2021). Women’s Home-Based entrepreneurship and family financial position in Pakistan. Sustainability, 13(22), 12542. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212542
Nayak, M., Nayak, P. M., & Joshi, H. G. (2025). Determinants influencing the entrepreneurial success of MSMEs in emerging economies: a study of Indian women entrepreneurs. Cogent Economics & Finance, 13(1), 2472585. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2025.2472585
Nziku, D. M., & Henry, C. (2020). Policies for supporting women entrepreneurs in developing countries: the case of Tanzania. Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, 10(1), 38–58. https://doi.org/10.1108/jepp-09-2020-0073
Open Knowledge Repository. (2022, March 1). Women, Business and the Law 2022. World Bank Group. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1817-2
Ramaciotti, L., Muscio, A., & Rizzo, U. (2016). The impact of hard and soft policy measures on new technology-based firms. Regional Studies, 51(4), 629–642. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2016.1255319
Rharzouz, J., Bouarir, H., Moutaqi, B. E., Rizqi, N., & Boubker, O. (2024). Factors Influencing Women’s Entrepreneurial Success in a Patriarchal Society: Empirical Evidence from Morocco. Societies, 14(8), 151. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14080151
Sallah, C. A., & Caesar, L. D. (2020). Intangible resources and the growth of women businesses. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 12(3), 329–355. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeee-05-2019-0070
Schröder, L., Bobek, V., & Horvat, T. (2021). Determinants of success of businesses of female entrepreneurs in Taiwan. Sustainability, 13(9), 4842. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13094842
Simba, A., Dabic, M., Adegbile, A., & Ogundana, O. M. (2024). Financing women entrepreneurship in the developing world: An fsQCA analysis of informal financing schemes. Journal of Small Business Management, 63(5), 2043–2078. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2024.2418029
Tanzeela, Kumar, D., & Mehraj, D. (2024). Determinants of Success for Women Entrepreneurs: An Examination of Small and Medium‐Sized Women‐Led Businesses in India's Emerging Market. Business Strategy & Development, 7(4), e70053. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsd2.70053
Xheneti, M. (2016). Contexts of enterprise policy-making – an institutional perspective. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 29(3-4), 317–339. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2016.1271021
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Management and Human Science (IJMHS)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.















