Hybrid Entrepreneurial Intention among Working Women

Abstract

Hybrid entrepreneurship, which involves simultaneously engaging in salaried employment and entrepreneurial activities, has emerged as an increasingly relevant pathway for individuals seeking to balance employment security with entrepreneurial aspirations. This study examines hybrid entrepreneurial intention among working women, with particular emphasis on their demographic and employment characteristics and their inclination towards combining paid employment with entrepreneurial activities. The study adopts a descriptive research design and is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected from 260 working women employed in different sectors through a structured questionnaire using snowball sampling. Hybrid entrepreneurial intention was measured using selected items adapted from the Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire developed by Liñán and Chen (2009), modified to reflect the context of engaging in entrepreneurial activities while retaining salaried employment. The responses were measured on a five-point Likert scale, and the collected data were analysed using percentage analysis, cross-tabulation, descriptive statistics, and Chi-square tests. The demographic findings indicate that the majority of respondents belong to the 31–40 years age group, are married, and are engaged in full-time employment. The Chi-square analysis indicates that age and marital status do not have a statistically significant association with the nature of employment, whereas educational qualification and occupation show statistically significant associations with the nature of employment. The study further reveals a high level of hybrid entrepreneurial intention among the respondents, with an overall mean score of 3.85. The highest mean score was recorded for the intention to start a business while retaining salaried employment (3.90), followed by the perception that hybrid entrepreneurship helps women face employment market uncertainties and supports better work-life balance (3.89 each). The findings suggest that working women perceive hybrid entrepreneurship as a means of reducing entrepreneurial risk while providing opportunities for additional income, flexibility, self-fulfilment, and professional independence. The study concludes that supportive policies, entrepreneurship development programmes, mentoring, skill development, access to finance, and flexible workplace arrangements can encourage working women to pursue hybrid entrepreneurial activities. The study contributes to the emerging literature on women and hybrid entrepreneurship by highlighting the potential of hybrid entrepreneurial pathways for promoting women's economic participation, career flexibility, and sustainable entrepreneurial development.