This book presents the nature challenges and successful cases of female entrepreneurship in
Iran. The first part of the book provides a comprehensive insight into Iran's entrepreneurship
ecosystem and its accessibility for women by exploring and analyzing data from relevant
national and international sources in particular from the Statistical Center of Iran Global
Entrepreneurship Monitor World Bank (Doing Business Gender Equality and Development) World
Economic Forum (Global Gender Gap Report Global Competitiveness Report) and the United
Nations Development Plan. Trends in entrepreneurial perceptions and intentions as well as
developments in entrepreneurial activity in Iran from 2008 to 2013 are also studied for both
genders. In order to establish a benchmark for the relative position of Iranian women in the
region the main related indices are also compared to those in Egypt Pakistan Saudi Arabia
and Turkey. In turn the second part of the book highlights selected role models of
growth-oriented female Iranian entrepreneurs who have successfully run a variety of
traditionally male-dominated businesses in Iran and internationally despite the hostile
business environment and various gender stereotypes.
