Abstract

Research evidence has confirmed that women entrepreneurship is crucial to the growth and development of national economies as well as the global economy. For example, the businesses that women own and manage in a country are a major source of employment for many youths. The aim of this systematic review of the literature was to determine whether there are more women entrepreneurs than men entrepreneurs in Indonesia. The relevant articles for the study were identified using a defined search strategy and predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the initial search, a total of 54,800 articles were found suitable for the review. Nevertheless, a further refined search identified a sample of 49 articles. Data were extracted from the included studies, and the following themes were identified: definition of entrepreneurship, male and female entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs in Indonesia, the challenges facing Indonesian women entrepreneurs, the trend of women entrepreneurship in Indonesia, and the preference for informal business. The evaluation of the studies showed that in Indonesia, about 26% of women are actively involved in entrepreneurial activities. Moreover, it was also confirmed that approximately 60% of the micro-sized, small-sized, and medium-sized firms in the country are women-owned. Although there has been an increase in the number of female entrepreneurs in Indonesia, especially in the informal sector, this group still faces challenges such as discrimination, the gap in wages, and prejudice. Moreover, the survey also revealed that the majority of men entrepreneurs are found in the formal sector and are the owner of large modern businesses. It is suggested that to address the gender difference between the male and female entrepreneurs in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy, and the Indonesian government should develop and implement policies designed to empower women in different ways.