Human capital, competitiveness and the performance of woman entrepreneurs in Malaysia: A qualitative analysis of indigenous woman entrepreneurs of Melaka

Institutions play an important role in a nation’s human resource development by enhancing entrepreneurial skills, abilities and creativity, and by extending financial and other non-financial assistance to help enhance the performance of entrepreneurs. This study was a qualitative evaluation of five key women entrepreneurs who were registered with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), a human resource development institution, in Melaka. The focus was on human capital development and competitveness. The findings revealed that the most influential factors of the woman entrepreneurial performance were facilities and infrastructure assistance followed by education and training, experience, financial assistance and creativity.