Micro-entrepreneurship, sustainable development goal one and cultural expectations of Ghanaian women

Using functional contextualism, this study aims to explore how Ghanaian micro-entrepreneurship of women (MEW) impacts on the achievement of four targets of sustainable development goal 1 (SDG) (income, social protection, economic resources and resilience) with the cultural factors of women as a mediator.

Using a mixed methods approach, semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 171 micro women entrepreneurs in Tema. The data collected was analyzed using thematic and multiple regression techniques.

The study reveals that micro women entrepreneurship relates significantly to earning incomes and procuring economic resources. These targets cannot be achieved without the significant effects of cultural factors.

This paper contributes to the literature on micro women entrepreneurship and sustainable development goals by indicating that a better appreciation of the relationship of micro women entrepreneurship and achievement of SDG 1 targets will have to be examined within the cultural setting of women. The theoretical contribution is in showing that MEW to be an enabler for achieving the earning of income and procuring economic resource targets of SDG 1. Micro women entrepreneurship is both a process (earning income) and outcome (procuring economic resources) for achieving SDG 1 targets.