A networked approach to support female entrepreneurship.
The project promoting female entrepreneurship created a concrete network-based approach between female entrepreneurs and students of the University of Applied Sciences. The purpose of the approach was to reduce the gender segregation of entrepreneurship and to provide guidance and training to promote the strategic leadership of women entrepreneurs. In particular, efforts were made to address the impact of the changes brought about by digitalisation and the challenges of working life in women-dominated sectors.
The project utilized the life stories and role models of female entrepreneurs in experiential learning and guidance for students. Women entrepreneurs also act as mentors and role models for female students who are planning to become entrepreneurs. Project operating model described in an online manual available online. The communication of the project was diversified, which also helped to introduce the product into more permanent operations and utilization in other organizations as well.
The project organized workshops on some important areas of strategic management. At the workshops, entrepreneur’s and student’s business ideas were developed with expert guidance. The topics of the workshops were digitalisation, e-marketing, foresight, growth entrepreneurship, transfer of ownership, empowerment and management.
General objectives
The aim of the project is 1) to develop the University of Applied Sciences to reduce gender segregation in entrepreneurship and 2) to provide guidance and training to promote the strategic leadership of women entrepreneurs in relation to the impact of digitalisation and the challenges of working life in women-dominated fields.
Why it has been selected as good practice
In cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences and female entrepreneurs, an operational culture was developed, where the knowledge, skills and attitudes of female entrepreneurs and female students in entrepreneurial activities developed. In terms of content, development focused on strategic leadership: anticipating the future, especially the opportunities and threats of digitalisation, managing change, and self-development as a change leader. At the same time, support was given to networking among existing female entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship students and between them and the University of Applied Sciences.
The project also utilized the life stories and role models of female entrepreneurs in experiential learning and guidance for students.
As a result of the project, a new operating model was created to support female entrepreneurship. In the short term, the skills of women entrepreneurs evolved in relation to entrepreneurial skills and strategic leadership: digitalization, foresight and growth entrepreneurship.
The authority has labeled the project as an example project.
Final comments
A blog was set up to practice digitalization in business.
The blog can be found at http://smartladiesindigitalworld.blogspot.fi.
Everyone got access to the blog and was able to post. The blog served as a communication channel and collected all the materials produced by the project. During the assignments they learned how to use eg. Google tools.
Report
There was a problem reporting this post.
Block Member?
Please confirm you want to block this member.
You will no longer be able to:
Mention this member in posts
Invite this member to groups
Message this member
Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.
