BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OF GALICIAN WOMEN IN THE FIRST THIRD OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Анотація

The article explores Ukrainian women's business environment in Galicia in the first third of the twentieth century.The role of women in the economic development of the region, in particular the formation of private and cooperative entrepreneurship, their success stories and failures are analysed.The leaders of the women's business activities were Klymentyna Avdykovych, Olena Levytska, Hermina Shukhevych and Olena Kulchytska.As a result of their pioneering activities and professionalism, foreign experience and cooperation, a lot of enterprises and cooperatives that represented various industries (food, chemical, and light) were set up.The following businesses can be named as the examples of the successful business activities of Galician women: «Fortuna Nova», «Zoria», «Vynnytsia», cooperatives «Trud» and «Ukrainian Folk Art», whose products were in demand and were competitive in the local market.It is worth mentioning that the success stories and failures of women in business are, in fact, very different, like the businesses themselves.However, in the then society, women entrepreneurs faced a number of common problems (economic crisis, inflation).They had to overcome the problems related not only to the manufacturing of products, but also to the sales and competition.In addition, there were a number of stereotypes, as well as misunderstandings of business affairs and principles of a nationally oriented entrepreneurship.Gender-based discrimination was quite explicit, and women's business was viewed as insecure or weak.Business ladies used to pay their full attention to solving work-related issues, moving away from the family life, since not everyone could successfully combine business and family life.Considerably, women's success in business derived from self-confidence, desire to work for themselves, entrepreneurial skill and intuition -the ability to predict the final result.Experience and studying abroad -in Vienna, Prague or Warsaw -played an important role, too.The Galician business ladies received support from clergy, social and political leaders and co-operators.Judging from the example of Olena Levytska, we can argue that in some cases the female business could become a family business, and the family was a reliable home front which could defend from the negative external influences.

Класифікація

Ідентифікатори

Схожі роботи