Courtesy of Krzysztof Plebankiewicz

Alice Trudelle: As founder of the International Women Forum, an association of female company owners and managers, and editor of Women and Business (Kobiety i biznes), you possess a unique point of view on Polish businesswomen’s situation. Where do they stand in 2010?

Ewa Lisowska: According to the statistical data we have, Poland has one of the highest rates of women among entrepreneurs (35 percent) and managers (36 percent) in the European Union. These numbers were slightly higher in 1997-98, but generally speaking Poland has maintained an average of more than 30 percent women among its business community since 2000, a five-fold increase since the fall of communism and the ensuing implementation of a decentralized economy.

Today the Polish business woman is typically 45 years old or more, is married, has children that are old enough to be independent and works in the service and trade industry, where her company provides services to other businesses.

What about young graduates of the Warsaw School of Economics and other business schools?

Since 2007, we have observed that young women are increasingly interested in starting their own businesses, but the number of them who realize their ambition is still low. In 2007, I conducted research among adult Polish women and asked them if they thought it was better to run their own firm or work for someone else. The majority of them (52 percent) stated they preferred to start their own business, but among women under 30, that proportion rose to 70 percent. So there is a lot of interest among Polish women in starting their own firms, but the obstacles to starting and running your own firm are still many.

What obstacles are you referring to?

The main obstacles to starting your own business in Poland are mostly financial and administrative, and this is true both for men and for women. Poor access to credit, excessive administrative hassle, unclear rules regarding the functioning of the SME sector and overcomplicated regulation affect all entrepreneurs. However, women are the only group who face generalized psychological barriers related to lack of skills and self-confidence. These stereotypes are socially and culturally induced, but there is also a global lack of awareness, policies and willingness from the Polish state to address these issues.

In 2004, I drafted a chapter on women's entrepreneurship in Poland for the World Bank report "Gender and the economic opportunities in Poland," in which I concluded that Poland needed to take action and increase women's access to information, training and sources of financing. Such programs could easily be added to the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development's (PARP) existing schemes. Similar steps, which are indispensable considering the discrimination against women in the labor market, have been successfully implemented by many European countries, Canada and the United States. Unfortunately, in Poland we have witnessed only complete inaction from the government in the last decade.

What political actions do you advocate?

Like the majority of Polish society (60 percent), I am in favor of the gender parity bill. However, for the moment the government and politicians aren't willing to do anything, and it's very difficult to pass any new legislation, especially regarding women's issues. We should have more women in Parliament to solve more issues directly affecting women. We have to pass such a law that would push our politicians to establish new cultural rules, because as hard as it may be for women to launch and run a business, I think it's even more difficult to start and succeed in politics. Furthermore, I am in favor of parity in state-owned businesses, which has been successfully implemented in Norway, Spain and in France, for example.

Has Poland's accession to the European Union changed things for female entrepreneurs?

Yes, the EU is the main source of funds specifically for women, such as the
European Social Fund and the Human Capital Investment Operational Programme, which help women set up their own firms and give them access to training and funding. Recently, some projects from the private sector have also emerged.

In your 2009 book "Female Style of Management" (“Kobiecy styl zarzadzania”), you argue that women possess specific managerial skills. Could you explain what these skills are and how they play in business environments?

It is well documented that in a business environment, women tend to communicate more, be better at team-building and establish good contact more easily with employees and clients. As our economy is increasingly reliant on higher education and new technologies, these skills are taking on more importance. I think it's crucial for better economic results that we use all talented people – not only white men but also women and other groups – to have a variety of aptitudes and skills at our disposal.

If you were to name a woman who has particularly influenced the situation of Polish businesswomen, who would that be?

I think that Henryka Bochniarz, president of the Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan, is a very strong example for Polish businesswomen. She used to be an entrepreneur and was among the first businesswomen in Poland. Last year she was involved in improving the situation of Polish women in politics, as she was behind the Polish Women Congress' gender parity bill.

Professor Magdalena Środa, a philosopher and former government Plenipotentiary for the Equal Status of Women and Men, also comes to mind.

Find information about business start-ups, financing and training opportunities for women at www.finansekobiet.org.pl (Polish-language only)