CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Individuals go into business for the sake of obtaining regular income, becoming self employed and also help others. Although there are different kinds of business enterprises that female and male can go into, often times, some businesses are regarded as more suitable for one sex and not the other. This means that there are some gender considerations in the choice of business one goes into and, by extension, in entrepreneurship development. Apparently, gender attitudes and behaviours may have positive or negative effect on entrepreneurship development in a society or economy.
This research work therefore intends to take a critical look at gender considerations as they affect entrepreneurship development with particular reference to Northern Nigeria in general, using Oju Printing Press Limited Kaduna, Kaduna South Local Government area as a case study, and also to suggest the possible solutions to indentified problems and give recommendations where necessary.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
Entrepreneurship has generally been recognized as a good medium or strategy for economic development of an individual, a community and a nation. It is also a known fact that some gender considerations are often used in the choice of business or even the decision to go into business. For example, some businesses are regarded as more suitable to men than women. The question here is, is this the right approach to economic development through entrepreneurship? Of what effect is this approach to entrepreneurship development?
These and other questions are what this research work intends to find answers to, and, if possible make recommendations where possible.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the gender and entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria, also to study some of the gender considerations in entrepreneurship development and its impact on economic development effort in Nigeria particularly Northern Nigeria. The study specifically hopes to suggest possible solutions to any gender related impediments to entrepreneurship development.
1.4 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
The following hypothesis has been formulated to serve as a guide for the study.
H0: That gender considerations have no significant effect on entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria.
H1: That gender considerations, have significant effect on entrepreneurship development in Northern Nigeria.