Lived experiences of female social-housing residents: Stories examining entrepreneurship support needs

Hussain, S. and Carey, Charlotte (2019) Lived experiences of female social-housing residents: Stories examining entrepreneurship support needs. In: isbe 2019 Conference, 18-19 November 2019, Newcastle.

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Abstract

Aim: This paper presents the ‘lived experiences’ of a socially disadvantaged group of women. It examines how they could be supported into entrepreneurship. This work presents stories of unemployed, female, social-housing residents residing in one of Birmingham’s most deprived neighbourhoods: Balsall Heath (BCC, 2015; Russell, 2018). These findings examine the entrepreneurship support needs and barriers of social-housing residents.
Context: This work stemmed from a Birmingham-based housing association who recognised the potential of entrepreneurship as a means of economic empowerment for their female housing residents (Rafiq, 2014). In addition, a need to examine female entrepreneurs in the context of entrepreneurship education and training programmes had been identified (Bullough et al., 2015) as most entrepreneurship education studies focus on academic and higher education environments (Rae, 2003, 2005; Galloway et al., 2015; Scott et al., 2016). Therefore, this work co-creates knowledge with a critical lead partner in which it was envisioned that an entrepreneurship support programme inclusive of training and education could be developed for this female demographic.
Method: Five data sets informed the results of this work; a local Housing Association (a critical lead partner) through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, female social-housing residents’ stories, a freelance Virtual Assistant housing association resident, stakeholders in the form of five local community organisations and researcher observations and insider perspective. Stories were collected from these data sets, as people are naturally narrative thinkers by which they arrange their lived experiences through stories (Graham et al., 2015). The methodology is presented as a multiple method case study which draws a boundary upon the data sets and context. Grounded theory analysis drew out the core themes prevalent within the data to derive theory using Rae’s practice-based theory (2004a). In particular, constructionist grounded theory was used as it enabled the researcher to acknowledge preconceived conceptions during research (Charmaz, 2008). This interpretive philosophy provided an exploration of lived experiences and social-housing residents’ interpretations of their social realities and structures (Saunders et al., 2016).
Findings: An emergent model termed as ‘Lived Experiences’ is presented which categorises three variables; tangible experiences, capabilities and support. This conceptual framework seeks to define the lived experience barriers and challenges faced by socially disadvantaged groups such as female social-housing residents, whilst suggesting other sources and channels of entrepreneurship support.
Value: There appears to be few entrepreneurship studies examining housing residents. This work contributes to knowledge on housing association residents and their entrepreneurial potential within the context of local-level entrepreneurship education targeting adults outside of academic environments (Rae, 2005b; Alberti et al., 2004). This paper contributes on a micro level to entrepreneurship and meso level, through entrepreneurship support providers, trainers and housing associations looking to diversify their residents’ capabilities through entrepreneurship. Finally, to entrepreneurship and context research (de Bruin et al., 2007; Zahra, 2007; Welter, 2011; Gaddefors and Anderson, 2017).

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Additional Information: ISBN 9781900862325
Dates:
DateEvent
18 October 2019Accepted
14 November 2019Published
Subjects: CAH17 - business and management > CAH17-01 - business and management > CAH17-01-04 - management studies
Divisions: Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > Birmingham City Business School
Depositing User: Charlotte Carey
Date Deposited: 28 Jan 2020 11:09
Last Modified: 22 Mar 2023 11:49
URI: https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/8608

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