Fed: Men more likely than women to start small business

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2000
Fed: Men more likely than women to start small business

CANBERRA, Dec 8 AAP - New small business owners were now more than twice as likely
to be men than women, a new survey showed today.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found a two-year influx of women into small
business turned around in the latest survey.

Between February 1997 and November 1999, the number of male small business operators
increased by almost three per cent a year, while the number of female operators fell by
about one per cent a year.

The latest ABS figures are a complete turnaround from the previous period.

Between February 1995 and February 1997, the number of women small business operators
was increasing at 2.6 per cent a year, compared to only 1.5 per cent a year for men.

Of the 1.4 million small business operators across Australia, 941,700 - or 67 per cent
were men - and 456,200 or 33 per cent were women.

Between February 1997 and November 1999, the number of small businesses grew to 999,100.

The survey also found just over half of the small business operators were qualified
with either a basic or skilled vocational qualification, or with a degree or diploma.

Of the remaining operators, 38 per cent had completed secondary school without gaining
a degree or diploma and four per cent had not completed the highest available year of
secondary school.

For the first time, the survey asked if small businesses used a computer and whether
they had access to the Internet.

In November 1999, 59 per cent of small businesses were using computers in their business
operation but only 36 per cent of all small businesses had access to the Internet.

Home-based businesses made up a very large proportion, 62 per cent, of the total small
business picture in Australia.

AAP eg/daw/jtb/cjh

KEYWORD: BUSINESS

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