ABSTRACT
This study aims at examining the roles of female returnee entrepreneurs as institutional change makers. A single case study with a woman-driven enterprise in India was conducted. The case study shows how a returnee female recognizes an opportunity by utilizing her experience and knowledge about US-markets and Indian culture. The entrepreneur has encountered numerous challenges emerging from gender discrimination, which is still deeply rooted in Indian society. Despite these obstacles, the entrepreneur has managed to develop a successful venture, which is widely recognized by the Indian population. Findings suggest that a female returnee entrepreneur and her enterprise have influenced three different institutions both directly and indirectly: (1) The Indian women’s community; (2) media; and (3) education. Results show that the entrepreneur can reach and empower a large population by being a role model as a successful female entrepreneur in media and educational scenes. This study contributes to the research on returnee entrepreneurship by shedding light on under-investigated potentials of female returnee entrepreneurs in thriving gender equality in their home countries.
