Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to develop a model that reflects the educational needs of women entrepreneurs who are leaders of MIPYMES in the city of Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico. This research has a qualitative approach with a descriptive scope, which will allow to build a model of educational needs based on the self-perception of the knowledge and skills that entrepreneur women had and need for an adequate professional development in their fields of work. The study was carried out with the participation of 77 women business leaders of SMEs, through in depth interviews.

Findings of the study show that entrepreneur women who are leaders of SMEs consider that their previously acquired skills and knowledge were not enough when starting their own business, despite the fact that more than 55% of the interviewees have higher education degrees, which should give them the basic skills and knowledge necessary to run a business.

Among the educational needs that are most often mentioned are administrative skills, the use of information technologies and interpersonal skills such as teamwork, emotional intelligence, among others. In addition, the women interviewed consider that one of the skills with the greatest impact on their business is passion and the pursuit of self-development because they consider that an important characteristic of a female leader is to support the development of the employees, both professionally and academically.

Based on this model of educational needs, there is a propossal to prepare strategies that allow supporting entrepreneur women so that they can develop and improve the knowledge they require to achieve their organizational objectives.

Keywords:

Education needs, women entrepreneurs, SMEs, Mexico.