Differences Between Women-Owned Home-Based & Office-Based Businesses: An Exploratory Study

Authors

  • Stephanie Bardwell Christopher Newport University
  • Lisa D. Spiller Christopher Newport University
  • John E. Anderson Christopher Newport University

Abstract

In this paper, the differences between women-owned home-based and office-based businesses are explored through an empirical study of 150 attendees of small business workshops and conferences.  Home-based  and office-based  business  locations  are compared  based  on  an analysis of the following  variables: prior industry and managerial experience, business plan development, length of time spent planning the business, adequacy of starting capital, income level, self-reported  success  rating ,    and financial   and personal   satisfaction  levels.    Frequency data  were  assembled   and  characteristics   identified.   Cross-tabulations   and  Chi  Square analysis  of  expected  and  actual  related factors   was  performed   with  significant  factors identified. Results of this exploratory study suggest that women entrepreneurs with home­ based businesses have less employees, work fewer  hours, are more likely to hold second jobs, are not involved in international business activity, and are most often located in suburban and rural geographical  areas.   Although  there were no significant  differences  in the business planning  activities  between  home-based  and  office-based  women  entrepreneurs,  the study results indicate that home-based businesses generate  less income, are not perceived  to be as successful, and  are not as financially  satisfying  to the entrepreneur  as are office-based businesses.

References

Bertagnoli, L. (2004). Neighborhood draws female entrepreneurs. Crains Chicago Business, 27( 2), SB4.

Birritteri, A. (2003). The business plan in the 21" century. New Jersey Business, 49( 5), 68. Buttner H.E. & Moore, D.P. (1997). Women's organizational exodus to entrepreneurship: self-reported motivations and correlates with success. Journal of Small Business Management, 35( 1 ), 34-47.

Corman, J. & Lussier, R. (1991 ). Reasons businesses fail in New England: A survey study. Business Journal, 8( 1 ), 21-27.

Dun & Bradstreet, May, 2000.

Edwards, L.N. & Field-Hendrey, E.F. (2002). Home-based work and women's labor force decisions. Journal of labor Economics, 20( I ), 170.

Fraser, J.A. (1999). Home Grown. Inc., 21( 1 8), 92.

George, J.& Lyon, T. ( 2000). The intuitive businesswoman: Achieve success through the power of your personality. New York: Clarkson Potter.

Gundry, L.K., Ben-Yoseph, M. & Posig, M. (2002). The status of women's entrepreneurship: Pathways to future entrepreneurship development and education. New England Journal of Entrepreneurship, 5( I ), 39-50.

Hisrich, R.D., Brush, C., Good, D. & DeSouza, G. (1997). Some preliminary findings on performance in entrepreneurial ventures: does gender matter? In Reynolds, et al.(eds), Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research, (pp. 238-239) Babson College, Wellesley, MA.

Hormozi, A.M., Sutton, G.S., McMinn, R.D., & Lucio, W. (2002). Business plans for new or small businesses: Paving the path to success. Management Decision, 40(7/8), 755- 763.

Kroll, L. (1998). Entrepreneur moms. Forbes. 161(10), 84-90.

Laurie, C. ( 1998). No place like home. Franchising World, 30( 2), 23-26.

Lombard, K.V. (2001). Female self-employment and demand for flexible, nonstandard work schedules. Economic Inquiry, 39( 2), 214-237.

Love, T. (1998). What leads to success in a home-based business? Nation's Business, 86( 10), 11.

Lussier, R.N. (1995). A nonfinancial business success versus failure prediction model for young firms. Journal of Small Business Management, 33( I ), 8-20.

Lussier, R. & Pfiefer, (200 I ). A cross-national prediction model for business success. Journal of Small Business Management, 39(3), 228-239.

McKay, R. (2001). Women entrepreneurs: Moving beyond family and flexibility. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 7(4), 148-165.

Mueller, C. & Naffziger, D. (1999). Strategic planning in small firms: Activity and process realities. Journal of Small Business Strategy, I 0( I ). 78-85.

NFWBO (National Foundation for Women Business Owners) (1995). Women owned businesses: Breaking the boundaries-Progress and achievement of women owned enterprises, 1992 Data Report, NFWBO, Silver Spring, MD.

Orban, M. & Scott, D. (2001). Why women enter into entrepreneurship: An explanatory model. Women in Management Review, 16( 5), 232-243.

Perry, S.C. (2001). The relationship between written business plans and the failure of small businesses in the U.S. Journal of Small Business Management, 39( 3), 201- 208.

Phillips, B.D. (2002). Home-based firms, E-Comrnerce and high-technology small firms: Are they related? Economic Development Quarterly, 16(1), 39-48.

Robinson, S. (2001). An examination of entrepreneurial motives and their influence on the way rural women small business owners manage their employees. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurs/rip, 6( 2), 151-167.

Soldressen, L.S., Fiorito, S., & He, Y. (1998). An exploration into home-based businesses: Data from textile artists. Journal of Small Business Management, 36( 2), 34-44.

Still, L.V. & Timms, W. (2000). Making a difference: The values, motivations and satisfaction, measures of success, operating principles and contributions of women small business owners. Centre for Women and Business, discussion paper series, The University of Western Australia: Perth. Vol. 1, 3-18.

Van Auken, H. (1999a). Obstacles to business launch. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 4( 2), 175-187.

Van Auken, H. (1999b). The business launch decision: An empirical investigation of reasons for not starting a new business. Journal of Small Business Strategy 10(2), 175-187.

Van Auken, H. (2000). The familiarity of small technology-based business owners with sources of capital: Impact of location and capitalization. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 11( 2), 33-47.

Wease, A. (2004). Top 5 states for growth in women-owned businesses in Western United States. Center for Women's Business Research.

Downloads

Published

2003-06-24

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (2003)

Section

Articles

License

The Journal of Small Business Strategy (the “Publisher”) and the Author(s) agree as follows:
 
1.Author(s) hereby grant to Publisher all right, title, and interest in and to the Work, including copyright to all means of expression by any method now known or hereafter developed, including electronic format. If Publisher does not publish the Work within two (2) years of the Effective Date, copyright shall revert back to the Author. Publisher agrees to always credit Author(s) as the author(s) of the Work.
 
2.Publisher hereby grants Author a royalty-free, limited license for the following purposes, provided the Work is always identified as having first been published by Publisher.
    •The right to make and distribute copies of all or part of the Work for use in teaching;
    •The right to use all or part of the material contained in the Work in a book by the Author(s), or in a collection of the Author(s)’s work;
    •The right to use and distribute the Work internally at the Author(s)’s place of employment, and for promotion and any other non-commercial purposes;
    •The right to use figures and tables from the Work for any purpose;
    •The right to make presentations of material from the Work;
    •The right to use and distribute the Work on the Author(s)’s Web site and on the Author(s)’s university’s institute repository;
Such license shall be effective when the Work is first published in the Journal of Small Business Strategy.
 
3.The Author(s) represents and warrants that the Work: (a) is the Author(s)’s original work and that Author(s) has full power to enter into this agreement; (b) does not infringe the copyright or property right of another; (c) contains no materials which is obscene, libelous, defamatory or violates another’s civil right, right of privacy, or is otherwise unlawful; and (d) has not been previously published, in whole or in part. Author(s) shall indemnify and hold Publisher harmless against loss or expenses arising from breach of any such warranties.

How to Cite

Differences Between Women-Owned Home-Based & Office-Based Businesses: An Exploratory Study. (2003). Journal of Small Business Strategy (archive Only), 14(2), 58-72. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/jsbs/article/view/531