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Professor Barbara Orser in discussion with Pauric McGowan, Professor of Entrepreneurship (left) and Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean, Ulster University Business School.

“Women continue to confront gender bias when it comes to starting or growing a business.”

The view from Professor Barbara Orser, entrepreneur and author who delivered the third in the SANTANDER Lecture Series at Ulster University Business School on 30th November 2016.

A champion of women entrepreneurs, Professor Orser has been named “one of the most powerful women in Canada” and is an active advisor to the Canadian federal government. In her lecture titled “Feminine Capital, Unlocking the Power of Women Entrepreneurs”, Professor Orser reviewed how women continue to lose out when it comes to their engagement in business and shared her insights from the experience of Canada to respond to those challenges in order to encourage more women to start and grow businesses.

Women’s Enterprise, Challenges & Opportunities

Professor Orser stated

“I believe that women bring unique competencies and resources to business venturing that drives enterprise growth.  Women can draw on their unique experiences and wisdom to create distinctive brands, build new markets and drive profits. To fully leverage women’s enterprise, educators, policy makers and business owners must challenge misperceptions that undermine women-owned ventures.  By understanding the gendered nature of venture creation and gender-related challenges, business support services need to be better equipped to respond to the needs of women entrepreneurs.”

Pauric McGowan, Professor of Entrepreneurship, Ulster University Business School added,

“There is no doubt that women, relative to men, have yet to fully engage with the entrepreneurship agenda.  It is critical that those in power and with influence support women in starting and in particular in growing their businesses.  Removing the gender challenges and persuading female entrepreneurs to realise their full potential can only be good for Northern Ireland plc.

Women's Enterprise Centres

Power of Women's Entrerprise

Accessing Capital

Entrepreneurs and Technology

Strategic Procurement