Upward Social Mobility and Entrepreneurial Support: Analysis of the contribution of female entrepreneurial Advisors from ANAPEC to women's empowerment

Abstract

Understanding successful women's experience of enterprise support in the context of public policy would further contribute to women's empowerment, which is one of the essential keys to sustainable development and gender parity. This empowerment can, in turn, contribute to reducing poverty, improving children's health and education, and promoting economic prosperity and social justice.

The objective of this study is to identify the added value of female entrepreneurship coaches in supporting female entrepreneurship candidates. To do so, we adopted an abductive approach by mobilizing an in-depth theoretical framework from social psychology, while conducting a qualitative field survey based on semi-structured interviews. The study focuses on the interaction between the two groups mentioned, which occurred in the context of certain stages of the entrepreneurial coaching process of the National Agency for Employment and Skills Promotion (ANAPEC). This agency offers entrepreneurial coaching services that combine an individualized and collective, multidimensional and collaborative approach.

The results of the study reveal that establishing interactions between mentors and coached women can serve as a catalyst for the success and upward social mobility of coached women by removing psychological barriers to entrepreneurship. This is done by deconstructing gender stereotypes about female entrepreneurship, releasing feelings of guilt related to the difficulty of reconciling entrepreneurial projects with family life, and developing self-confidence.

Many supporters transform into facilitators and serve as inspiring models by demonstrating that it is possible to succeed in business while preserving one's values and remaining true to oneself.

Keywords : Intragenerational upward social mobility, women entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurial mentors from ANAPEC, Gender, Public Policy.

Classification JEL : Z13

Paper type : Empirical Research