Barriers to women's entrepreneurship in Poland and institutional support

This chapter investigates the barriers that impede the formation and growth of female-owned businesses in Poland since 1989 and classifies them into four distinct categories. It reviews the literature and presents an analysis of institutional supports for Polish women entrepreneurs, covering the period 2000-2020. Based on the classification of barriers and the results of our desk research analysis, we developed a theoretical framework of institutional support for female entrepreneurs in Poland. Our conceptual model builds on Scott's (2014) theoretical framework of three pillars underlying contemporary institutions. We use this theoretical framework as a basis for making relevant recommendations for institutional support tailored to the specific needs of women-owned businesses, grouped into seven thematic areas. Assistance in these seven areas should be provided by the government and its agencies, public and private educational institutions, and non-governmental organisations that support women's entrepreneurship. We conclude our chapter with a brief summary and directions for future research focused on the progress of female entrepreneurship in Poland. The chapter contributes to the literature on women's entrepreneurship by developing a classification of barriers that negatively affect the creation and growth of women-owned firms. Moreover, it adds value to the discourse on institutional support for female entrepreneurs in a country-specific context by presenting and discussing tailored recommendations to be implemented by the key institutions identified in our theoretical framework. These practice-based propositions are aimed at ensuring the development of women's entrepreneurial ventures in Poland.