Abstract:
Women constitute more than half of the population of Kenya and make a significant contribution to the economy accounting for about 48% of all micro, small, and medium sized enterprises contributing about 20% to Kenya's Gross Domestic Product. Studies have revealed that, Kenyan women are competing with their male counterparts in starting businesses in previously male dominated sectors of the economy. This study aimed at establishing whether demographic factors, social networks, access to finance and legal and regulatory environment influence women entrepreneurs to start enterprises in male dominated sectors. Social learning theory, Sociological theory, Network affiliation theory, Human capital theory and financial capital theory were adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. Descriptive and exploratory research designs were used. Data was collected using a questionnaire, analysed using SPSS and presented by the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. The study established that demographic factors and social networks influenced women entrepreneurs to start enterprises in male dominated sectors while access to finance and legal and regulatory environment did not influence women to start enterprises in male dominated sectors. The study recommended the need to introduce concepts related to women entrepreneurship in schools colleges and university curricula to demystify entrepreneurship as a male vocation and provide proper networking amongst women entrepreneurs with affiliations at national level for dissemination of information, financing, facilitating technology transfer and monitoring
