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    Who are solo self-employed women? Analysis of the trends and characteristics of solo self-employed women in Ireland 2003–2019.


    Bari, Lauren (2020) Who are solo self-employed women? Analysis of the trends and characteristics of solo self-employed women in Ireland 2003–2019. Irish Journal of Management, 40 (1): 5. pp. 42-60. ISSN 1649-248X

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    Abstract

    Solo or 'freelance' self-employment is becoming a more popular form of self-employment in the labour market. In some jurisdictions such as the UK, this growth is being attributed to rising numbers of women – and women with children in particular - seeking the flexibility and autonomy of freelance work as a response to shortages of flexibility in wage-and-salaried employment. Yet little is known about how these trends might be occurring in Ireland and who might be represented in this small but growing cohort of workers. This research uses Labour Force Survey data to explore trends in female solo self-employment in Ireland between 2003 and 2019 and key variables are drawn upon to develop a profile of this underexplored labour market group. The analysis highlights that while growth in solo self-employment rates has been slow and numbers still relatively small, it is increasingly made up of highly educated and professional women in relatively high-paid sectors opting for flexible working arrangements.
    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: self-employment; freelance work; gender; work-life balance; flexible work;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Business
    Item ID: 20473
    Identification Number: 10.2478/ijm-2021-0006
    Depositing User: IAM School of Business
    Date Deposited: 15 Aug 2025 13:04
    Journal or Publication Title: Irish Journal of Management
    Publisher: Irish Academy of Management
    Refereed: Yes
    URI: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/20473
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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