ICSSR, New Delhi sponsored Two Days’ National Seminar
on
“Women Entrepreneurship in North East India: Issues and Challenges”
(26-27 February 2015)
Organised by
THE DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
MIZORAM UNIVERSITY
(A Central University graded ‘A’ by NAAC in 2014)
Introduction
Entrepreneurship may mean different things to different people. Entrepreneurship is found in
both private and public sector. The small scale industries and business are mostly in the hands of
private sector. Entrepreneurs are directly involved in the dynamic but complex inter-relationship
between financial management and business strategy. However, in order to achieve success in
the development of entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial potentials need to be tapped properly in
order to improve the industrial base in any economy.
Women entrepreneurship is the process where women take the lead and organize a business or
industry and provide employment opportunities to others. Though earlier, women determined
much on household and other traditional activities, due to the spread of education, favorable
Government policies towards development of women entrepreneurship, women have changed
their attitudes and diverted towards non-traditional activities too.
In developing countries, two decades ago, women entrepreneurship was not even heard of. After
the declaration of 1976-1985 as the ‘Decade of Women Empowerment’ by the United Nations,
there has been a paradigm shift in the policies and the perspective of treating women as a mere
beneficiaries to agents of development. After the declaration, treating women as beneficiaries
under welfare schemes has been changed and accordingly, women are started to be encouraged
for becoming owners of business enterprises. The women entrepreneurs are normally found in
micro enterprises in informal sector, whose contribution has been hardly accounted in National
Income.
The participation of women in small and micro enterprises sector has been identified in three
different roles. Some women were owners of enterprises, some were managers of enterprises and
some were employees. With regard to ownership, an SSI or SBE (small business enterprises)
managed by one or more women entrepreneurs in proprietary concerns, or in which she/ they
individually or jointly have a share capital of not less than 51 % as partners/ share holders/
Directors of Private Limited Company/ Members of Co-operative Society is called a 'Woman
enterprise'. In India, women entrepreneurs constituted a rather small proportion of female
population. Only 20 percent of women are in labour force and the overwhelming majority of 80
percent are not participating in any economically -productive activity. In 1991 census, women
constituted 48.32 percent of total population. About 77 percent of rural women are not employed
at all. In rural areas of 7.1 percent, women are employed for less than 183 days and 16 percent
are employed in productive activity for a minimum of 183 days during a year. In urban areas, 92
percent of women are employed and 1 percent of women are employed in productive activity for
at least 183 days during a year. This indicates that women form the largest unemployed group of
population in the country and women entrepreneurship development is quite negligible. At the
same time, the policies of the Government announced from time to time have laid considerable
emphasis on promotion of women entrepreneurship particularly among first generation women
through various training and support services. Special attention is given by organizing exclusive
Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDPs) for women.
North East India is situated in easternmost part of India surrounded by the mighty Himalayas, the
plains of Bangladesh and hills of Myanmar. The region consists of eight states each representing
a multitude of diverse culture and heritage. The region has a large number of tribes rich in their
unique culture and heritage, as well as a large number of dialects. The entire region is full of
green and scenic beauty. The region boasts for the Two National Parks as well as regarded as one
of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world. The regions is marked by the lush green semitropical forests, the famous one-horned rhino, wild buffalo, elephants, brow antlered deer etc.
Many endangered species of flora and fauna are found in the forests of the region.
Since we are at the stage where “women empowerment” is vastly encouraged, the women folks
of North East India are in a position to uplift them besides fulfilling the household needs.
Women entrepreneurship should be encouraged by exploiting and employing the resources
naturally and artificially as well to develop the region.
With these notion, the Department of Management, Mizoram University, Aizawl is organising
the 2 (two) Days’ National Seminar on “Women Entrepreneurship in North East India-Issues
and Challenges” (26-27 February 2015). The National Seminar is expected to discuss on the
issues mentioned above and its discourse can definitely be benefited by the research scholars,
policy makers and planners of the country.
Objectives of the National Seminar
The main objective of the National Seminar is to discuss and interact on the issues of women
entrepreneurship in North Eastern Region. The seminar will act as the platform for the
academicians, scholars and different stakeholders of the country to meet and interact for finding
out the various issues, challenges and opportunities for women entrepreneurs for the economic
development of the region.
Call for Papers
We invite original papers from Women Entrepreneurs, Academicians, Industry Professionals,
Research Scholars, Consultants, NGOs, and Management Students for publication in the
proceedings of the conference and / presentation. A list of the sub themes is given below:
i. Origin of Women Entrepreneurs in Northeast India
ii. Women Entrepreneurs and SHGs
iii. Women Empowerment through Entrepreneurship
iv. Society and Women Entrepreneurship
v. Religion and Women Entrepreneurship
Guidelines for Full Paper
The seminar paper (s) should begin with a title page including title, author(s) names, institutional
address along with email. The manuscript should begin from next page with title, an extended
abstract, and a list of key words. The authors name and affiliation should not reflect anywhere on
the manuscript for the blind review process. The total length of the paper must not exceed 10-12
A4 size pages excluding bibliography and appendices, single-line spacing, 12 font, Times New
Roman, and 1” margin on all sides of the page in MS Word compatible format text. Papers
MUST ONLY be submitted through E-mail at: singhnixon@yahoo.co.in. The author needs to
send along with the paper his/her brief bio-data and the certificate of originality and consent for
publication in proceeding without which it will not be accepted. All the papers will be blind
reviewed by an expert committee with respect to their quality, originality, and relevance. Authors
are advised to check their papers for plagiarism. Selected papers will be published in the
proceedings provided at least one of the authors will register and present the paper. In case of
joint authors, each author has to individually register to attend/participate and avail the
conference kit otherwise Seminar Kit will be provided to the registered author only. All rights of
publication of papers presented in the seminar shall rest with the Seminar Organisers.
Seminar Proceedings
Proceedings of the National Seminar will be published in the form of an edited book through a
leading publisher for wider dissemination of the deliberations. Few best papers with the relevant
changes will be published in the special issue of ‘Management Convergence’ an International
Journal of Management, published by the Department of Management, Mizoram University,
Aizawl (ISSN No. 0976-5492)
Important Dates/Deadlines
Submission of Full Papers 31st January 2015
Full Paper (s) should be mailed to: singhnixon@yahoo.co.in
Registration & Participation Fee
All participants are required to register themselves for the seminar at the spot before the start of
the seminar.
Type of Delegate and Registration Fee with Paper Presentation
Participants requiring accommodation: Rs. 1500/Participants without accommodation: Rs. 500/There is no provision for TA/DA for attending the National Seminar.
Who Should Attend
The seminar shall be beneficial to Entrepreneurs, decision makers from the Industry /Business,
Academicians and Researchers, Management students and other related professionals in
Management and allied areas.
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
CHIEF PATRON
PROF. R.LALTHANTLUANGA
Vice Chancellor, Mizoram University
PATRON
SHRI C. ZOTHANKHUMA, IDAS
Registrar, Mizoram University
SEMINAR CONVENER
Prof. Elangbam Nixon Singh
Head, Department of Management, Mizoram University, Aizawl
9612160185 (M)
SEMINAR CO-CONVENER
Ms. Lalropui
9862326502 (M)
SEMINAR ADVISOR
Prof. A. K. Mishra
SEMINAR DIRECTOR
Prof. L.S. Sharma
EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
Dr. Amit Kumar Singh
Dr. Bidhu Kanti Das
Dr. R.K. Giridhari Singh
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