Exploring the Factors Influencing Women Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia: A Strategic Plan for Sustainable Entrepreneurial Growth

Saudi Vision 2030, a strategic framework aimed at diversifying the economy and enhancing societal inclusivity, aligns with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting gender equality and sustainable economic growth. Sustainability is central to fostering women's entrepreneurship, as it drives social equity, economic diversification, and innovation, elements which are crucial to sustainable development. While the existing literature has primarily focused on women's entrepreneurship in the Western world, limited attention has been given to its development in the Global South, particularly in Saudi Arabia. As a nation undergoing transformative social, cultural, and economic shifts, women entrepreneurs play a critical role in aligning entrepreneurial efforts with global sustainability goals. This research investigates the factors influencing Saudi women to become entrepreneurs, specifically examining the factors that inspire or hinder them from creating their own ventures. Drawing upon cognitive and social capital theories, which have proven their soundness in the existing literature, this research utilizes a dataset of 1715 women entrepreneurs analyzed through binomial logistic regression. The findings indicate that social desirability, relational capital, experience as angel investors, age, income, and education significantly increase the likelihood of women's entrepreneurship. By contextualizing women's entrepreneurship within Saudi Arabia's evolving societal and economic landscape, this research highlights their potential as drivers of inclusive growth and sustainable economic empowerment. Furthermore, the research outlines strategies to enhance women's entrepreneurial participation, contributing both to the entrepreneurship literature and the realization of Saudi Vision 2030.