| Abstract: | 本研究探討女性單親從事微型創業社會網絡的建構與發展，主題包括(1)女性單親創業初期使用正式及非正式網絡的狀況；(2)社會網絡對女性單親創業的影響；(3)女性單親維繫及擴展社會網絡，以推動微型創業發展的策略。 在研究方法上，採取質性方法，以女性單親微型創業者為研究對象。從台中市基督教青年會(YMCA)所輔導的女性單親創業者中，採取立意選樣，最後獲得8位訪談對象，其中七位以餐飲創業，一位以裁縫創業，創業時間分別為1年到6年。另外訪談兩位工作人員，除進一步瞭解女性單親在微型創業過程中運用社會網絡的實際狀況，也透過三角檢定，增加資料的確實性。 本研究結果顯示，女性單親創業的主要原因有為爭取彈性時間照顧子女、遭遇就業的困境、做財務規劃、突破受僱的限制追求自主的人生，及追求自我肯定等因素。創業初期八位女性單親使用的正式網絡包含加入台中YMCA「愛心專櫃」創業輔導網絡，以及加入儲蓄互助社的「平民銀行」資產累積計畫以獲得資金貸款的機會等。在個人技術成長與創業資金來源部分，女性單親也透過多元管道獲得非正式網絡的協助。 有關社會網絡對女性單親創業的影響，本研究彙整四種主要的社會網絡，分別是創業地點的社會網絡、資金網絡、家庭網絡及創業互助團體網絡。研究結果顯示女性單親嵌入創業地點的網絡有兩種方式，一是靠自己，透過口碑嵌入創業地點，但若沒有做好市場評估容易遭遇失敗的風險；二是靠貴人，女性單親應用弱連帶及強連帶中具中介意義的貴人介紹，為女性單親帶來做生意的訊息及機會。在資金面，女性單親都會努力儲蓄以獲得「平民銀行」一比一的配合款，有少部分女性單親嘗試向儲互社借款創業，她們秉持有借有還的原則，與儲互社建立了「信任」及「互助」的關係，也多了做生意的機會。 在家庭支持方面，研究顯示女性創業後因為忙碌而疏忽孩子，或是提早訓練孩子獨立會感到內疚，但孩子看到母親的辛苦，反而彼此包容產生迴旋向上的力量；在創業人力方面，家人在產品製作上提供技術協助雖然有限，但多會提供前置作業、運送、銷售或家務打理等協助。在創業互助團體的支持方面，女性單親因為加入YMCA「愛心專櫃」創業輔導方案，形成互助團體，一起結市互相照顧、訊息分享增加通路、彼此幫忙介紹產品、租金分攤降低風險、原料共購降低成本等。 女性單親在維持與持續擴展社會網絡的策略上，研究結果發現女性單親會採取與人為善、以和為貴及相忍為安的態度，避免與創業地點的其他店家衝突；在顧客關係維繫上，堅持品質創造信譽，與顧客建立信任關係後，不僅帶給女性單親經濟收益，還提升了女性單親的心理健康、降低經營成本、及找到了事業經營的商業模式。在創業互助團體網絡關係的維持上，女性單親強調重視團隊精神與溝通，特別是要互相、不計較、誠實，以避免破壞關係，而女性單親也會視自己是否能適應團體以決定去留。 本研究在政策面的建議包含，一、建議政府及非營利組織建構創業輔導、技藝培養、社會網絡與家庭支持整合的資源平台，協助女性單親創業脫貧；二、鼓勵企業部門，成為創業脫貧者的社會支持網絡；三、擴大提供信用與資產累積的多元管道，增加輔導人力；四、兼顧彈性與品質的兒童臨時托育系統。在實務面的建議包含，一、創業的陪伴要將女性單親創業者視為有能的主體；二、運用團體工作奠定女性單親創業互助團體互信的基礎；三、發展女性單親社會網絡整合及網絡動員的能力；四、倡導一個異質性的社會網絡做為創業實習的平台；五、提供托育服務及親職教育的支持等。
This thesis investigates the construction and development of single mothers engaging in social network for starting up micro-enterprises. The themes include (a) the use of formal and informal social network for single mothers who start their businesses, (b) the influence of social network on start-up single mothers, and (c) the strategies of single mothers on maintaining and extending social network for promoting the development for micro-enterprises.In this research using qualitative methods, I research on single mothers who engage in building micro-enterprises with the support of Taichung Young Men’s Christian Association. With purpose sampling, eight interviewers are selected, including seven culinary and one sartorial entrepreneurs with one to six years of experience. In addition, I have also interviewed two employees, in order to understand how single mothers actually use social network and to verify the validity of the findings by triangulation.The thesis find that the main reasons for single mothers to engage in entrepreneurship include: a flexible time able for rearing children, financial planning, an independent lifestyle without the restriction from employment, and seeking self-affirmation. Of the formal social network single mothers are joined the Taichung YMCA entrepreneurship counseling support network and joined a credit union "civilian bank" asset accumulation plan to access loans, etc.With regards to learning new techniques and acquiring funds for starting new businesses, single mothers also rely on multiple channels for various informal resources.To investigate the influence of social network over single-mother entrepreneurs, I have in this research summed up four main types of social network, including the location of entrepreneurship social network, financial network, family network, and mutual help group network . I find two means by which single mothers embed themselves in business location through word of mouth,but they often facing failure if without a good assessment of market. On the others, they rely on key figures, as intermediates in weak and strong ties for business information and opportunities. In a financial context, single mothers either save hard for an equal amount support from “civilian bank,” or borrow money from credit unions. In either case, they make good of their repayments and maintain a good and trustworthy relationship with credit unions, resulting more and better opportunities for businesses.In terms of family support, I find that single-mother entrepreneurs because of busy may feel compunction over children for neglect and be forced grow up, but when the child saw his mother's hard work, Instead, they could mutual tolerance and produced swirling upward force; Although family members can only provide limited technical support in making the products, but serve as a good source of labor for transport and housekeeping. For mutual help group network, single mothers who join the support program form an organization. Within this arrangement, they care for each other by forming mutual markets, sharing information, promoting each other’s products, and even dividing the rent and costs.I also find that in maintain and expanding social network, single mothers adopt apeaceful stance and fortitude to avoid confrontation with other businesses nearby, and maintain an insistent attitude for product quality and customer trust, goals that not only bring single mothers economic gains, but also boosts their mental health, while also further lowering the operating cost and finding the business and management model. Concerning the self help group entrepreneur network, single mothers emphasize the group spirit and communication, especially in the sense of reciprocity, leniency, and honesty, thus avoiding breakup the cooperation. Single mothers would also evaluate for their own capability in going along with the group to see whether to stay in it.As a result, from this research I make the following policy recommendations. First, I suggest that government and non-profit organizations provide an integrated resource platform combining entrepreneur support, technical cultivation, and social network, and family support, so as to give single mothers a helping hand out of poverty. Then, I would also ask businesses be encouraged to provide social support network for entrepreneurs. Then, I would ask multiple channels for credit and asset accumulation be provided to entrepreneurs and increased counseling staff. Finally, I would ask childcare system with flexibility and quality be provided to support these efforts. In practice I would also suggest that (a) companionship in entrepreneur needs to see single mothers as capable women, (b) group work serves as the foundation for single-mother entrepreneur mutual help groups, (c) single mothers must develop their abilities at integrating and mobilizing social network,(d) to promoting a heterogeneous social network as the platform for entrepreneur internship, (e) to provide childcare and parenting support. |
