Žene preduzetnice Srbije u vreme pandemije virusa korona
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS OF SERBIA DURING THE CORONARY VIRUS PANDEMIC

Author(s): Zorica Mršević, Svetlana Janković
Subject(s): Economy, Gender Studies, National Economy, Sociology, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: Институт друштвених наука
Keywords: pandemic; female entrepreneurship; case study; house of ideas of the McKinsey Global Institute; gender parity; gender diversity
Summary/Abstract: This paper analyzes functioning of women’s entrepreneurial companies in Serbia, within the context of the measures aimed at combating the Covid-19” pandemic, as well as the prospects for the continuation of their work in the near future. The global context of growing inequality is analyzed since neither the pandemics nor the measures against it affect women and men equally. Women’s jobs are affected to a higher degree by the economic effects of the pandemic crisis, due to the already long-standing gender inequality, the above-average share of women’s employment in the crisis-hit sectors, rising unpaid care burden, and disproportionate impact of the crisis on women’s entrepreneurship, including women’s micro-enterprises. The main part of the paper is dedicated to the case study of women entrepreneurs’ business and the concrete examples of obtaining support from various domestic and foreign actors. The comparative longitudinal research done in 2018 and 2020, of women entrepreneurs in Čačak, their perspectives and continuation of business is also presented. From the phase of waiting for adverse circumstances to pass (emergency situation, measures, pandemic), due to their venturous spirit, but also support of institutional and private sector, they moved on to the phase of adjusting their functioning to the new conditions. The positions contained in the Declaration of the Women’s “Platform for the Development of Serbia” are presented, which point to the necessity of applying gender-sensitive policies to support women entrepreneurs, as important economic entities in Serbia. Actual measures of governmental financial support to small and medium entreprises in Serbia are presented. The paper is concluded by citing possible initiatives from the McKinsey Global Institute’s “house of ideas” that the response to the crisis should involve globally designed measures to support gender parity and gender diversity in the field of economic relations.

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