Female microentrepreneurs in the host family sector

Abstract

The findings of previous studies of home hosts identify complex motivations which affect host–guest relations. This paper reports on an empirical study to make sense of these motivations by applying findings from the literature on female entrepreneurship as a conceptual lens. The group is not as homogeneous as is assumed by, for example, the domestic trader concept of Goffee and Scase (1985), in particular regarding entrepreneurial orientation. Life cycle and labour market factors also need to be taken into account. The implications of the findings are relevant for support, and raising the quality of, the home hosting sector.