Transitioning To Entrepreneurship: Personality Traits And Information Access Among Women Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This research investigates how personality traits and access to information shape women’s transition from domestic roles to financial independence through entrepreneurship in Kanpur District, India. Drawing on a quantitative design with 500 women entrepreneurs across retail, handicrafts, and service sectors, the analysis highlights that intrinsic factors—particularly risk orientation, decisiveness, independence, leadership, and open-mindedness—consistently outperform demographic determinants such as age, education, marital status, or experience. At the same time, systemic enablers like Internet access, legal clarity, mentorship, and training opportunities emerge as significant predictors of entrepreneurial outcomes, while general information access and funding perceptions play a lesser role. Cultural and linguistic perceptions also strongly influence performance, underscoring the importance of psychological as well as structural support. By integrating Trait Theory, Social Role Theory, the Resource-Based View, and Information Seeking Theory, this research offers a holistic framework for understanding women’s entrepreneurship in semi-urban, patriarchal contexts. Findings carry implications for evidence-based policy, emphasizing the need to couple personality development with institutional reforms to foster inclusive and sustainable women’s entrepreneurship.