BREAKING BARRIERS OR BUILDING BRIDGES? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SMES WITHIN EMERGING ECONOMIES

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Published: 2025-10-30
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46281/ijsmes.v8i1.2654
Keywords:
Women Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Emerging Economies, Finance, Gender Norms, Institutional Theory, RBV, Social Capital, Feminist Perspectives

Main Article Content

Olusola Sam-Sorungbe
Senior Lecturer, London School of Science and Technology: Birmingham, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6572-1034
Ishtiaque Mahmood
Lecturer, London School of Science and Technology: Birmingham, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7418-6327
Evwiekpamare Olori
Lecturer, Global Banking School: Birmingham, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4964-6545
Mahmuda Begum
Senior Lecturer, London School of Science and Technology, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5381-3515

Abstract

Women entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies play a critical role in employment generation, community development, and inclusive growth. However, their entrepreneurial journeys are shaped by structural finance gaps, gendered cultural norms, and institutional constraints that limit opportunities for enterprise development. This study examines the dual reality of "barriers" and "bridges" influencing women-led SMEs in emerging economies. The purpose of this research is to synthesise existing empirical evidence to understand how women both encounter and respond to these constraints. The study employs a systematic review of 17 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2000 and 2024. Articles were identified through searches conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and ResearchRabbit, following PRISMA 2020 screening and eligibility procedures that reduced an initial dataset of 154 records to 17 that met inclusion criteria. The results show that barriers cluster around four dominant themes: restricted access to finance, gender norms shaping entrepreneurial identity and choices, institutional voids in regulatory and market systems, and exclusion from formal entrepreneurial networks. Conversely, enablers or "bridges" include microfinance and informal credit channels, digital platforms supporting market access, women-led cooperatives and associations, and psychological resilience and agency among women entrepreneurs. The major findings of the review indicate that women entrepreneurs are not only constrained by structural factors but also act as institutional actors, developing adaptive strategies that reshape entrepreneurial ecosystems in their contexts.


JEL Classification Codes: L26, M13, O14, O17, J16.

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Article Details

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2025): January-December [In Progress]

Section

Research Paper/Theoretical Paper/Review Paper/Short Communication Paper
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Olusola Sam-Sorungbe, Senior Lecturer, London School of Science and Technology: Birmingham, United Kingdom

Olusola Sam-Sorungbe is a Senior Lecturer in Business and Module Leader for International Marketing Management at a UK higher education institution. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), a Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE), and a member of the British Academy of Management. His teaching and research interests include entrepreneurship, e-business, sustainability, and curriculum innovation in business education. He is currently pursuing doctoral research exploring value creation and stakeholder engagement in social enterprises in Southwest Nigeria, with a focus on women-led enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Olusola is also the author of several acclaimed books, including The Business Side of Your Passion, The Art of Failing Forward, and The Unemployable Mind. His work seeks to advance inclusive entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and sustainable enterprise development in emerging economies.

Ishtiaque Mahmood, Lecturer, London School of Science and Technology: Birmingham, United Kingdom

Ishtiaque Mahmood is a Business and Management academic with over 25 years of experience across the UK and Asia-Pacific. He specialises in Strategic Management, Digital Transformation, Marketing, and Innovation, integrating industry practice with inclusive, research-informed pedagogy. He holds a Professional Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), a Master of IT Management, an MBA in MIS, and multiple postgraduate qualifications, including a PGCHE and CMI Level 7 Diploma. A Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE) and Foundation Chartered Manager (fCMgr), he is also an aspiring Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, currently under panel review. Mahmood has led curriculum design, academic quality assurance, and course coordination across UK and Australian institutions. His research spans digital technologies, sustainability-oriented innovation, and SME development, with publications in Q1–Q3 journals. He is committed to enhancing student engagement, graduate employability, and interdisciplinary collaboration, contributing to academic cultures that value applied learning, sectoral impact, and global citizenship.

Evwiekpamare Olori, Lecturer, Global Banking School: Birmingham, United Kingdom

Dr. Evwiekpamare Fidelis Olori, FHEA, CMBE, is a distinguished academic, administrator, and financial manager with a robust interdisciplinary background spanning political science, public administration, business management, and higher education. Currently serving as a Lecturer at the Global Banking School in the UK, Dr. Olori contributes to academic programs in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, Leeds Trinity University, and Plymouth Marjon University, delivering modules in finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, and business strategy.

He holds a PhD in Political Science and Public Administration from Igbinedion University, Nigeria, alongside multiple master’s degrees in public administration, Business Administration, Energy Economics, and Management with HRM at the University of Sunderland. His academic journey is complemented by a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education from Falmouth University.

Dr. Olori’s research interests include public policy analysis, governance, entrepreneurship, Development Studies, and Business Management. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, addressing themes such as business process reengineering, ICT in public service delivery, and electoral violence.

His professional affiliations include Fellowship of Advance HE (FHEA), Certified Management and Business Educator (CMBE) and Associate Membership of the Nigerian Institute of Management.

Dr. Olori is known for his dynamic teaching style, commitment to student success, and ability to simplify complex concepts for diverse audiences. His career reflects a deep dedication to lifelong learning, academic excellence, and impactful public service.

Mahmuda Begum , Senior Lecturer, London School of Science and Technology, United Kingdom

Dr Mahmuda Begum is a highly skilled academic, over 17 years of teaching experience at Higher Education, currently teaching as a Senior Lecturer of Business Management at London School of Science and Technology LSST, UK which is accredited by De Montfort University. She is also an ‘Associate professor’ acting as Head of the Management Department’ at National University, Bangladesh. Before that, she was a Lecturer at Business and entrepreneurship at Greenwich School of Management and University of Wales and Trinity Saint David. 

She is currently working as a volunteer ‘Peer Reviewer’ for British Academy of Management (BAM) and British Educational Research Association (BERA) She is both quantitative and qualitative approach researcher in line with strong academic background, engaged in voluntary work as ‘Peer Reviewer’ for BAM conference from 2022 to date and ‘Abstract Reviewer’ for BERA conference from 2022 to date. 

She also actively participates as a ‘Session Chair’ for a strategy track session at BAM 2024, and Leadership Development track session at BAM 2025 respectively. Her recent research work on the emergence of dark leadership awarded best full research paper in BAM 2025. 

She is extensive experienced within academia, particularly her research interest in Management, SMEs, strategic management, sustainability, entrepreneur and entrepreneurship, digital transformation, innovation and creativity, leadership and management pedagogies research. She is actively collaborating with colleagues in LSST to publish high impact journals. 

Her recent interest in and expertise to support meaningful collaboration for the Interdisciplinary Research Approach in which she could link the AI, Digital transformation, Technological Innovation with the other discipline like Business Management, Social science such as Education etc. Recently, she developed her interest in interdisciplinary research work with other external bodies, and she started communicating to work collaboratively based on interdisciplinary research approach with external bodies.

She is a member of LSST Research Ethics Committee. As a member of Research Ethics Committee, she also helps the University grow their research community and enhance their research culture. She is also a recognised researcher with a strong academic background, and she is actively involved in organising the annual LSST symposium. She has significantly improved her professional practice by involved in high quality teaching practice, actively engaged in research conferences, seminars, workshops and CPD. She plans to continue publish and keeps herself up to date in her area of expertise. She contributes a wider research word in business management and to create a sustainable future not only for herself but also stakeholder. 

 

How to Cite

Sam-Sorungbe, O., Mahmood, I. ., Olori, E. ., & Begum , M. (2025). BREAKING BARRIERS OR BUILDING BRIDGES? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SMES WITHIN EMERGING ECONOMIES. International Journal of Small and Medium Enterprises, 8(1), 14-26. https://doi.org/10.46281/ijsmes.v8i1.2654

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