The Effects of Access to Finance, Competition, and Innovation on Female Ownership and Employment: Evidence from Bangladesh
This study identifies the effects of firm’s access to finance, competition, and innovation on female ownership and employment in the manufacturing and service sector for Bangladesh. We applied IV model to World Bank enterprise survey data on 1180 manufacturing firms and 262 service firms in 2013. The results of the study suggest that overdraft facility significantly increases the possibility of female ownership, top managers and share of workers in the manufacturing sector whereas it reduces the probability of female-owned business in the service sector. Audit of financial statement is a key determinant of female ownership and employment in both sectors. Export-orientated firms are more likely to be owned by female than non-export-oriented firms both manufacturing and service sectors. Informal competition has significant positive association with female ownership and top management in manufacturing sector whereas it does not significantly affect female in service sector.
