Gender and Enterprise Ownership in Developing Economies

Abstract

Female participation in enterprise ownership remains limited across developing economies, despite its importance for inclusive growth. This study investigates how firm-level characteristics, firm size and ownership type, influence the proportion of female participation in enterprise ownership, and whether export participation moderates these relationships. Using firm-level data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys covering 30 developing countries, the study employs ordinary least squares regression with robust standard errors and hierarchical interaction models. The findings indicate that firm size is the most salient determinant of female ownership participation, with medium-sized firms exhibiting significantly higher proportions of female ownership, while small and large firms show lower participation. Ownership type and export participation are not statistically significant, and export status does not moderate ownership–gender relationships. These results suggest that gender-inclusive ownership structures are shaped more by firm-scale dynamics than by international market exposure, underscoring the need for size-targeted policies to promote women’s economic empowerment in developing economies.