Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Northern Sri Lanka's War-Torn Region: A Gendered Perspective

This study explores how power and status disparities affect women and their business start-ups, as well as long-term business goals, within northern Sri Lanka's post-civil war entrepreneurial landscape from a gendered perspective. Using Isenberg's (2010) entrepreneurial ecosystem framework, the study develops a conceptual model for female entrepreneurship in Northern Sri Lanka, examining gendered perspectives and how socio-cultural barriers, entrepreneurial networks, financial access, market dynamics, and education and training shape women's entrepreneurial efforts in this war-torn region. The investigation is based on a pragmatic paradigm, incorporating qualitative research methods and a narrative inquiry approach within a cross-sectional research design. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 40 female business owners, and thematic analysis, supported by NVivo software, was used to interpret the findings. The study incorporates Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality and Collins’s matrix of domination to address the complex challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in this war-torn context. The study identifies a number of factors that women entrepreneurs in this region face, including gender bias, caste discrimination, institutional obstacles such as Thesavalamai customary law, restricted access to capital, disrupted or inadequate infrastructure, a lack of market opportunities, outdated technology, social norm barriers, and limited financial literacy and managerial skills due to limited exposure. This study contributes to the literature on female entrepreneurship in post-war economies by employing the matrix of domination as a theoretical framework to analyze the intersecting influences of legal constraints, caste hierarchies, and war-related trauma on women’s business experiences. By critically examining these dynamics, the study bridges the gap between policy and lived reality, revealing the disconnect between legal frameworks, institutional support, and the everyday struggles of female entrepreneurs in post-war Northern Sri Lanka. It highlights how existing policies and support mechanisms often fail to address the structural barriers women face, reinforcing systemic inequalities rather than alleviating them. By addressing these gaps, the research broadens the discourse on gender and entrepreneurship, offering a more inclusive and contextually relevant understanding of the challenges hindering women’s economic participation in post-conflict settings. The findings inform the development of more effective policies and programs that empower women entrepreneurs, enhance economic resilience, and contribute to the long-term development of war-affected Northern Sri Lanka.