Abstract

Women’s entrepreneurship represents an important source of economic participation, job creation, and local development in Kosovo. Despite gradual progress, women entrepreneurs continue to face structural constraints linked to family responsibilities, unequal care burdens, and uneven institutional support. This study examines how family-related responsibilities and institutional support mechanisms interact to shape the entrepreneurial experiences of women entrepreneurs in Kosovo. The analysis is guided by the 5M framework of women’s entrepreneurship developed by Brush et al. (2009) and applies a mixed-methods research design combining survey data from 145 women-owned businesses, semi-structured interviews, and secondary evidence. The findings show that women entrepreneurs in Kosovo demonstrate strong motivation to engage in business development, training, and professional networks. At the same time, family and caregiving responsibilities remain a central factor shaping their ability to manage and grow businesses. While most respondents reported strong family or spousal support, childcare and unpaid care responsibilities continue to create important constraints, particularly in rural areas where access to affordable childcare is more limited. Perceptions of institutional support were mixed, although women who reported institutional support also tended to report more positive business outcomes. Training programs and professional networks were widely viewed as beneficial sources of skills, information, and opportunities. Overall, the study contributes to the literature on women’s entrepreneurship by providing context-specific evidence from Kosovo. The study concludes that women’s entrepreneurship in Kosovo is shaped not only by individual effort, but by the interaction of family dynamics, care responsibilities, institutional quality, and access to support systems. The findings highlight the need for policies that improve childcare access, strengthen institutional coordination, and expand inclusive financing opportunities.

Publication Date

9-2026

Document Type

Senior Project

Student Type

Undergraduate

Advisor

Venera Demukaj

Advisor/Committee Member

Albina Balidemaj

Advisor/Committee Member

Leandrit Mehmeti

Campus

RIT Kosovo

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