ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the dominant contextual factors that shape the experience of Omani women entrepreneurs, but preliminary findings highlighted the importance of the political leader. The research findings revealed some contextual factors that play significant roles in shaping women's entrepreneurship in Oman. The chapter examines the impact of normative institutions on women's entrepreneurial activities across countries and shows that women are more responsive to the support of normative institutions. The traditional theory of entrepreneurship promotes entrepreneurship as a fixed and discrete concept that is universal and context-free. The chapter also explores the contextual factors in Oman by using the normative pillar of institutional theory as a frame of reference and integrating a relational framework that is based on multiple levels of analysis. It emphasizes on the political leader's effect as part of the normative institution in Oman, which had an immediate effect on women's entrepreneurship.
