Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Gender On Small Businesses: A Case Study Of Kasigau, Kenya, Leslie Abell, Jerry Daday

Sociology Faculty Presentations

Small businesses are seen as an agent of economic growth in developing countries. Recently, the idea of micro-lending has received increased attention due to its promising effects on employment and personal economic growth in rural developing areas. However, we lack an in depth understanding of how male and female business owners differ.

In the summer of 2007, our research group from Western Kentucky University spent three and a half weeks in a small rural area of Kenya, Africa. This area called Kasigau was situated at the base of Mount Kasigau in eastern Kenya. During our time there, we surveyed the …