Empreendedorismo feminino e os agentes públicos: desafios e iniciativas de apoio ao comércio em Coronel Fabriciano - MG

Abstract

Despite being a naturally challenging journey, the path of entrepreneurship carries with it a special meaning when applied by women who, despite the difficulties arising from the business and the double shift, see in entrepreneurship possibilities for personal and professional growth, which lead to satisfaction, independence and self-fulfillment through the opening of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) that operate in commerce. The benefits of entrepreneurial practice in MSEs not only impact the lives of those who decide to open the company, but also bring benefits to the region in which the business is located, generating employment and income that move the local economy. Female entrepreneurship has been the subject of several studies in the academic field, which often address the difficulties of the entrepreneurial process for women, without delving into the identification of what measures could be taken to support this class, through public or private initiatives that result in the implementation of effective support projects. In this sense, this study was carried out with the objective of proposing actions to be carried out by the municipal government that could fill the gaps identified between the already existing services for the business community and the challenges signaled, mapping the possibilities of public-private partnerships in the implementation of projects that can evolve into public policies to support female entrepreneurship, in line with three UN Sustainable Development Goals: gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and means of implementation and partnerships (SDG 17). The research was carried out through a qualitative approach, with documentary and field surveys, identifying data from the socioeconomic situation and conducting interviews with support representatives and women entrepreneurs. The findings point to the existence of 35 projects and 26 actors to support entrepreneurship among public and private organizations, with improvements to be made regarding the assertive communication of the dissemination of existing projects and gaps to be filled in the categories Personal Conflicts, Business and Sociocultural, which resulted in 15 project proposals to be discussed and implemented in the municipality.