Woman owned business
A woman-owned business is a specific designation used by American government agencies and industry associations to set aside special programs to encourage and empower female business owners. Most definitions of this term involve a practical look at the legal and ownership structure, as well as the issue of control of the day-to-day operations of a business. The consideration of control of a business is meant to discourage the unethical practice of men placing wives, daughters, or low-level female employees in positions of ownership, when in fact she may have little to do with the day-to-day management of the company, for the sake of receiving some government benefits or other consideration.
A Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) is defined as one that is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled on a daily basis by one or more female American citizens. WBEs are typically certified by a third-party, city, state or federal agency.[1] The Small Business Administration offers a similar definition of a Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) as a small business that is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled on a daily basis by one or more (in combination) female American citizens[2]. The SBA's WOSB definition differentiates from the WBE definition, as it looks at the size of the business according to the specific industry standards table.[3]
Support for Women Business Owners
Research shows that in most countries there are significant challenges for women business owners in comparison to men business owners.[4][5] These challenges stem from many sources, including social and cultural stigmas, family and child-rearing responsibilities, maternity needs, educational background, career experience, and community support.[6] Depending on the country in which a woman resides and/or is a citizen, there may be government or non-profit support for female business owners.
There are several US organizations that provide third-party women-owned certifications and support including: U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce,[7] Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)[8], California Public Utilities Commission[9][10] and National Women Business Owners Corporation.[11]. In India, supporting groups include WeConnect[12], WEI,[13] and some specific bank-sponsored loan schemes.[14] In Europe, the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan is aimed at supporting women business owners, among other initiatives.[15]
US Federal Contracts
There are specific set-aside programs for certain NAICS codes in which certified WOSBs (or in some cases Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Businesses (EDWOSB), a subcategory of WOSB) may receive special consideration in a US government contract.[16] According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the Federal government of the United States gave $25.4 billion in federal contracts to women-owned businesses in 2017, this was 5 percent of the total budget in the fiscal year. This was up from 3.25 percent of contracts in fiscal year 2008.[17]
See also
References
- Small Business Administration WOSB Program
- "Small Business Administration". Small Business Administration. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- "Small Business Administration". Small Business Administration. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- Stockton, Gary (29 January 2018). "Statistics and Obstacles Facing Women Entrepreneurs". Small Business Matters. Experian.
- Fernandes, Paula (August 27, 2018). "7 Challenges Faced by Female Entrepreneurs". www.businessnewsdaily.com. Business News Daily.
- "The Global State of Women-Owned Small Business Enterprises". business.com. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce
- Women's Business Enterprise National Council
- "IC System Renews Certification as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise".
- "Certification".
- National Women Business Owner Corporation
- "eMERG India". www.emergindia.org. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- "Women Entrepreneurs India|Women Entrepreneurs|Support for Women Entrepreneurs|Women in Business". www.womenentrepreneursindia.com. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- "9 Schemes For Women Entrepreneurs In India". News18. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- "Female entrepreneurs - Growth - European Commission". Growth. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- Kim, Amy. "SBA Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract Program" (PDF). US Office of Small Business Programs, Department of Defense. Retrieved 2018-09-04.
- Janetsky, Megan (2018-04-13). "Women- and minority-owned businesses receive only a small fraction of federal contracts". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics.