Question

Gender and Development class.

A case study is on a Saudi Arabia woman who has entrepreneurial aspirations.

Case: Sarah is a 20 y/o from Saudi Arabia and from an Upper-Class background, who has always been filled with ambition, creativity, and fervor! Furthermore, Sarah has wanted to start her own business since she was 12. For years, she has used her artistic abilities to produce a variety of products she hoped she could sell, but none of them felt right... until now. Sarah created a product- a bracelet- she feels in her "gut" is not only "eye-catching," but will be meaningful to all those who wear it, which she hopes will be everyone. [You decide what meaning the bracelet will hold and with what materials the bracelet will be constructed. This will depend on what's available in the allocated country.] Although Sarah is inspired by her vision, she is also daunted thinking about how she will get her bracelets to the marketplace- what avenue she will take. She is fully aware there are many barriers that stands in her way. It's a lot, but Sarah is motivated; she wants this.

SWOT analysis: Analyze the country’s structural opportunities for a woman starting her own business. Factor some (if not all) the following systems/topics into your discussions: human development standing, human rights, and gender equality policies, education, economics, business infrastructure, technology, political stability.

Find out the Opportunity in SWOT analysis:

-Human Development Standing

-Human Rights

-Gender Equality Policies

-Education

-Economics

-Business Infrastructures

-Technology

-Political Stability

Answer 1

Saudi Arabia is one of the richest countries in the world, and it is rich in its oil reserve. The country has strict rules which need to be followed by every people in the country. Earlier Saudi women were kept as a sacred antique in the house, but as the country made progress women in Saudi also started to work and go out. But earlier all this was not possible, as men in Saudi never allowed their women to go out shopping, they never allowed them to work. All the desire were killed by men, but now things have changed.

So if we take the case of Sarah, then she has many opportunities now as the country is moving towards progress.

SWOT analysis.

Strength: If we talk about the strength, now Saudi has become progressive, and women in the country are getting the rights and they deserve to be free. Recently Saudi government abolished a rule and said that Saudi women can drive. Earlier it was not possible. These seems to be a step towards development. And women in Saudi has started to work. These is big strength for those women who wants to start their won business and a sign for better Saudi.

Weakness: If a women starts her business in Saudi, but people mind set towards them is not good. Some old Saudi’s don’t think that women should work. Even some of the women may face problem in their own family, for example parents, relatives will not allow a woman to start her own business as they might think it is not right.Even there is gender discrimination in the country. This could be a weakness for the women who want to start her own business.

Opportunities: Earlier Government was against women who used to work or went alone in restaurants. But now it seems to be changed, government is encouraging the women to drive, to work. Earlier even studies of girls was stopped and they were not allowed for higher education, but now it has changed. This seems to an opportunity as the a woman can get help from government.

Threat: Not many woman in Saudi are educated, and not all women in the country work. Many technical things to be taken under consideration if one is starting her business . If the women is starting her parlour, then she needs women workers, but it will be hard for them to find beauticians in the country.