Filling the Gap? Female Entrepreneurs in Szeklerland, Romania

In Romania the macro social structural fluctuation after the change of regime in 1989 induced several social variations having the effect that the degradation of the state public sector became untenable. The secession from the state sectors, the evolution of private sectors started slowly and manifests itself as a slow process even nowadays. This paper presents some facts and results of a research made among Hungarian women from a rural region, named Szeklerland (Harghita and Covasna county, Romania), women who are running their own micro, small or medium sized business. The empirical background is provided by interviews and a survey made among more than five hundred female entrepreneurs. In this rural area the division of social roles between men and women is still following – mainly – the old traditions. In this context we can consider that it is appropriate to analyze how women can succeed in developing a significantly different role-structure. For people living in this rural region the setting up and running a business by a woman could be even perceived as a challenge. And nevertheless starting a business by women can be considered as a very positive economic phenomenon: a “job-creator” strategy against unemployment and low family income, and in the same time an innovative labor market response to the economic changes and poor job opportunities. And it could have key role in local development and prosperity-growth of the small local communities