In recent years, there has been a resurgence of entrepreneurial spirit in Singapore.
This is evident on many fronts --- government agencies and programmes for the
promotion of entrepreneurship, new magazines and journals that feature the issue of
entrepreneurship and the number of international conferences with entrepreneurship
as the theme. This resurgent interest in entrepreneurship is the most important
economic development of the decade as it sparks off and sustains the economic
growth of Singapore.
Besides, structural changes in economic and social policies also serve to open the
doors to female employment outside the home. Female business owners are emerging
as a significant force in the business world, especially in the small- and medium-sized
enterprises. However, female entrepreneurship is still in its embryonic stage of
development as females are confronted with a number of problems which retard their
potential for entrepreneurship. Their progress in this area has been slow compared to
their male counterparts. This prompts the researchers to explore the issue of female
entrepreneurship.
Furthermore, the scope of the research is narrowed down to focus only on the
manufacturing sector due to its significance to the Singapore economy. The
significance of manufacturing lies in its multiplier effect on the rest of the economy
through its strong forward and backward linkages with the other industries. Thus, it is
in the national interest that manufacturing should remain as one of the mainstays of
the Singapore economy.ACCOUNTANC
