Journals / İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Girişimcilik Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 9 Sayı: 21

A QUALİTATİVE INVESTİGATİON OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS' EXPERİENCES: ENTREPRENEURİAL JOURNEYS, MOTİVATİONS, AND CHALLENGES

KADIN GİRİŞİMCİLERİN DENEYİMLERİ ÜZERİNE NİTEL BİR ARAŞTIRMA: GİRİŞİMCİLİK ÖYKÜLERİ, MOTİVASYONLARI VE KARŞILAŞTIKLARI ZORLUKLAR

Serpil Ünal Kestane(DOKUZ EYLÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-7520-7247
Esin Candan Demirkol(DOKUZ EYLÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-6419-9990
Doğu Kayışkan(DOKUZ EYLÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-2831-5824
Esin Aslanpay(DOKUZ EYLÜL ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-5652-1361
Pages
111–130
Publication Date
2026-09-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal that women associate entrepreneurship with positive and subjective concepts such as freedom, self-confidence, perseverance, success, comfort, and the realization of personal aspirations.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:This study aims to explore the entrepreneurial experiences of women entrepreneurs operating in various sectors.
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Key Findings & Data:A qualitative research approach was adopted, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews to examine women entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial stories, motivations for entrepreneurship, the meanings they attribute to entrepreneurship, their evaluations of women’s entrepreneurship, and the challenges they encounter.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal that women associate entrepreneurship with positive and subjective concepts such as freedom, self-confidence, perseverance, success, comfort, and the realization of personal aspirations.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Kadın girişimciliği · Kadın girişimciler · Girişimcilik motivasyonu

Abstract

This study aims to explore the entrepreneurial experiences of women entrepreneurs operating in various sectors. A qualitative research approach was adopted, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews to examine women entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial stories, motivations for entrepreneurship, the meanings they attribute to entrepreneurship, their evaluations of women’s entrepreneurship, and the challenges they encounter. The data were analyzed using the MAXQDA software. The findings reveal that women associate entrepreneurship with positive and subjective concepts such as freedom, self-confidence, perseverance, success, comfort, and the realization of personal aspirations. While being a woman is perceived as an advantage in certain sectors, participants reported experiencing difficulties in gaining credibility and proving themselves in male-dominated industries. They also highlighted challenges related to business management competencies, including financial literacy. The research's unique contribution is its presentation of women's entrepreneurship as a transformative process that begins with turning points in women's lives and is shaped by the meanings of freedom, success, and identity attainment attributed to entrepreneurship.The most significant finding of the study is that women entrepreneurs perceive entrepreneurship not merely as a means of livelihood but as a strategic and opportunity-driven career choice.

Özet

Araştırma çeşitli sektörlerde faaliyet gösteren girişimci kadınların girişimcilik deneyimlerini ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu kapsamda nitel araştırma yönteminden yararlanılarak kadın girişimcilerin girişimcilik öyküleri, girişimcilik motivasyonları, girişimciliğe yükledikleri anlam, kadın girişimciliğine yönelik değerlendirmeleri ve karşılaştıkları zorluklar yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler aracılığı ile incelenmiş ve elde edilen veriler Maxqda programı kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular kadınların girişimciliği özgürlük, güven, mücadele, başarı, konfor, hayallerin gerçekleştirilmesi gibi daha pozitif ve öznel ifadelerle anlamlandırdıklarını göstermiştir. Kadın olmanın bazı sektörlerde bir avantaj sağlarken erkek egemen sektörlerde kendilerini kanıtlamak, güven vermek konularında güçlükler doğurduğunu, bunun yanında iş zekâsı, finansal okur yazarlık gibi genel olarak işletme yönetimine yönelik çeşitli konularda zorluklarla karşılaşıldığı belirtilmiştir. Araştırmanın özgün katkısı, kadın girişimciliğinin, kadınların yaşamlarındaki dönüm noktalarıyla başlayan ve girişimciliğe yüklenen özgürlük, başarı ve kimlik kazanımı anlamlarıyla şekillenen bir dönüşüm süreci olarak ortaya çıkmasıdır. Araştırmanın en dikkat çekici bulgusu ise kadınların girişimciliği yalnızca geçim kaygısıyla başlayan bir serüven değil, stratejik ve fırsat odaklı bir kariyer tercihi olarak benimsemeleridir.

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Cite This Article

Kestane, S. Ü., Demirkol, E. C., Kayışkan, D., Aslanpay, E. (2026). A QUALİTATİVE INVESTİGATİON OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS' EXPERİENCES: ENTREPRENEURİAL JOURNEYS, MOTİVATİONS, AND CHALLENGES. İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Girişimcilik Dergisi, Cilt: 9 Sayı: 21, 111–130. https://doi.org/10.55830/tje.2001146

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