FOR WOMEN, OF WOMEN AND BY WOMEN: STUDYING BUSINESS FROM A MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD TO DRIVER OF SOCIAL CHANGE FROM A POSTCOLONIAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Entrepreneurship has traditionally been viewed as an economic activity driven by market forces and individual interests. However, recent research has highlighted entrepreneurship's dynamic, contextual, and multilevel nature, mainly when carried out by women, and the potential for entrepreneurship to challenge gender-based stereotypes and biases against women. This issue is particularly relevant in the post-colonial context of Kazakhstan, where a pervasive "glass ceiling" effect hinders women's participation in public spaces. This study examines the lived experiences of 10 women entrepreneurs in Astana, ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to the leaders of large corporations supporting other women in entrepreneurship. Through a qualitative research method, the study analyzes the "gendered" normative expectations in the Kazakh culture, the motivations of women entrepreneurs to start and support other women, and the challenges and changes. Additionally, the study analyzes government site statistics, indicating that the number of women entrepreneurs has doubled in the last decade. The findings suggest that entrepreneurship not only serves as an "economic panacea" but also has the potential to challenge various gendered roles and expectations, providing women with the freedom of choice, flexibility, and agency they need to challenge patriarchal power and gender inequality. This research emphasizes the importance of women's solidarity in fighting gender discrimination and highlights the shared responsibility for the lives of others that women entrepreneurs can embody. Overall, the study demonstrates the potential of women's entrepreneurship as a means of challenging gender-based biases and stereotypes, providing new opportunities for women to take control of their economic and social lives, and contributing to the broader goal of gender equality in society.