13_jwe_1-2


 

UDC: 005.961:005.914.3(049.32) ; 334.722-055.2(049.32)  JEL: B54, L26   
ID: 198564876 

 

Book Review 
 

Women and Entrepreneurship: Female Durability, 
Persistence and Intuition at Work  

 
 

 
Beatrice E Avolio Alecchi, Mirjana 

Radović-Marković  
Imprint: Ashgate Publishing Ltd, London, 

United Kingdom 
Published: September 2013, 160 p 

Women and Entrepreneurship 
comes from two authors with 
especially rich experience in this 
field of research. Embracing 
experience in a range of developed 
and developing countries and 
examining both dependent and 
independent roles, Beatrice Avolio 
and Mirjana Radović-Marković 
profile women entrepreneurs and 
consider their motivations, together 
with the obstacles and challenges that 
they face and often overcome. 

A focus on emerging forms of 
entrepreneurship leads to a 
concentration on what is happening 
in newly developing economies, with 
a major case study set in a South 
American context. The authors deal  

in particular with how rural entrepreneurship, virtual entrepreneurship, and 
project-based and home-based businesses particularly lend themselves to 
providing opportunities for women. 

The authors’ findings reveal that increased participation of women in 
business leadership has brought about completely new ways of business 
communication; new business strategies and company development models; 
and is imposing a new behavioural style on businesses. 

What is particularly encouraging is the evidence that female kinds of 
durability, persistence and intuition are producing business advantage. This 



116 Journal of Women's Entrepreneurship and Education (2013, No. 1-2, 115-116)   

means that the authors can clearly identify success factors and propose 
guidelines for the benefit of female entrepreneurs, female-led businesses, 
and business in general. 

This book will serve the needs of an academic audience of researchers 
in the growing field of studies into entrepreneurship; as well as those 
teaching or studying business or women’s studies topics. It will of course 
appeal particularly to women owning and running businesses, or aspiring to 
do so. 

Contents: Foreword; Preface; Part I Female Entrepreneurship: 
Introduction; Female entrepreneurship: why do women become 
entrepreneurs?; Typology of female entrepreneurs; Female 
entrepreneurship: obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs; Mompreneurs; 
Women and inequality problems; Women in managerial jobs. Part II Special 
Topics on Entrepreneurship: introduction; Rural entrepreneurship; Virtual 
entrepreneurship; Project-based firms; Home-based firms; Index. 

„Your book is authored, whereas the other two I mention 
were contributed. One was differentiated by its focus on 
migration and was the outcome of a single research 
project. The other is arranged country- by-country, but in 
terms of individual topics is quite an eclectic mix. We 
think your proposed book differs from both of these and 
looks academically rigorous, comprehensive, and 
distinctive by virtue of its emphasis on female 
entrepreneurship in different environments (rural, virtual 
etc.). Beatrice’s and Mirjana’s qualifications and 
credentials are impressive and your own connections and 
memberships should provide access to sales channels“. 

 
Dr Martin West 

Commissioning Editor, Gower Applied Research