Female small business owners are being given the opportunity to have their say in the country’s first national research project that specifically addresses the concerns of women in business.
The Women in Business Poll is being launched today by the Australian Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI).
The 700,000 women currently running small businesses are strongly encouraged to take part due to the important role they play in the Australian economy. This contribution is rarely recognised, and the AWCCI believe governments and industry must have a clear understanding of women in business to ensure the future prosperity and growth of the economy.
AWCCI CEO Yolanda Vega said that significant data was available on women in leadership and management roles, but little research has been done on the hundreds of thousands of women running small to medium-sized businesses.
The poll “will provide a better understanding of the challenges, rewards and opportunities for women running a business in both regional and metro Australia. It will explore how and why women start businesses, in what industries, where the businesses operate, revenue and wages, procurement of contracts, superannuation, childcare issues and more,” Vega saod.
“Women need to get involved if they want changes to take place; they can no longer afford to stay silent because their community and the economy rely on them.”
The research will highlight areas of disadvantage, challenges and opportunities that arise for women in regional areas and provide a state-by-state breakdown on what issues women face in the running of their business.
AWCCI Advisory Board Member, Ita Buttrose said on an international scale women are found to be a strong investment.
“Reports from the World Bank and the OECD say that women are a ‘failsafe investment’ and that they have a higher ‘return on investment’ than their male counterparts. Women are the biggest consumers in the world and in Australia represent 70 percent of buying power.”
The survey can be accessed at www.awcci.org.au, will take about ten minutes to complete and can be done anonymously if desired.
“If you know a woman in business, please tell her to raise her voice, because Australia needs to know what women in business need and want,” Vega added.
