Woman Economic Empowerment Strategies: A Study of Informal Enterprise in Thailand's Southern Region

Abstract

Purpose: The study aims at to investigate roles of women in socioeconomic development and to identify the current management issues and women economic empowerment strategies in female informal enterprises. Methodology: The researchers collect data from 62 respondents- 36 membered women of the informal enterprises (MemW), 12 leaders (L) and 14 non-membered women (GenW) using snowball sampling through semi structured interview, structured questionnaires and open-ended question interview. Thematic and inferential data analysis technique in the qualitative research approach are used to analyze the data and SPSS and Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for quantitative data. Findings: The researchers find that membered women, general women and leaders have the great contribution in socio economic structure. Furthermore, the management issues such as the value, development opportunities, participation of female informal enterprises result in the perception of membered women, general women and leaders. Finally, the researcher identifies the eight needs that have the impact on empowering the women economically in female informal enterprises. Implications: The logistic supports, the development programs and the financial supports are not adequate and available in the female informal enterprises for the improvement of the women. Paying attention to these phenomena by the authorities helps to improve them.