FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RURAL AREAS (EXAMPLE OF THE WIELKOPOLSKIE VOIVODSHIP)

The purpose of the study presented in this paper is to indicate the conditions for, determinants of and barriers to female entrepreneurship. To meet the objective defined above, the author relied on the findings from her own survey conducted in 2019 with a sample of 213 women engaged in economic activity in rural areas of the Wielkopolskie Voivodship. In the group surveyed, most people offered trade-related services. Hairdressing and beauty services are another highly popular activity among the women covered by this study. Once collected from the respondents, the information was analyzed and described with the use of descriptive statistics methods. According to the respondents, the group of key conditions that promote entrepreneurship includes the availability of capital (funds for new and developing companies) and thoughtfully prepared educational and developmental programmes encouraging people to start their own business, as well as public policy for taxes etc. Other important conditions include adequate access to entrepreneurial instruments and measures, and adequate access to technical infrastructure. The interviewees believe that the greatest barrier faced when running a business is the complicated administrative procedure and a lack of startup funds