Abstract

MORCILLO CASAS, Verónica; CARRO SANCRISTOBAL, Luis  and  MADRIGAL TORRES, Berta Ermila. The contribution of rural women entrepreneurs to the economy: two case studies in southern Jalisco, Mexico. La ventana [online]. 2024, vol.7, n.59, pp.322-355.  Epub Apr 12, 2024. ISSN 1405-9436.  https://doi.org/10.32870/lv.v7i59.7716.

The role of women is particularly relevant for the economic and social development in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to identify the situation of eleven women entrepreneurs living in rural areas in the Southern part of the state of Jalisco, with the hope of promoting the entrepreneurship in these regions. For this purpose, two case studies were carried out using different qualitative techniques for data collection: documentary analysis, in-depth interviews and participant observation. The socio-demographic profile, the family situation, the level of education, the strategies for reconciling family and work, the characteristics of the production and/or business, the needs they had as women entrepreneurs, and the skills they had for such work, were the main variables analyzed by a data triangulation. The results show that, despite their poor educational level and low involvement in the labor market, rural women in Southern Jalisco acquired entrepreneurial abilities through observation and family experience. However, they lack other factors necessary to engage in the labor market. They themselves gave the keys to fostering rural women’s entrepreneurship in the community.

Keywords : women; rural areas; entrepreneurship; empowerment; case studies.