Scaling up Rural Micro Enterprises: Profiles of Owners in Peninsular Malaysia

The role of economic generating activities, through entrepreneurship development to combat poverty and increase the well being of rural areas for living, is very clear. Indeed, when the enterprises are running as a family business. Focusing on the development of the enterprise to increase the multiple impacts on the well being of the surrounding society and the family of the entrepreneur seems essential for every country. Therefore, to understand the dynamics of family business through profiling the family entrepreneurs is crucial. This paper explores the profile of Malaysian rural entrepreneurs in the Malaysian family business producing processed food, and suggests profile related issues in the development of family business from the perspective of entrepreneurs. Data were collected through interviewing entrepreneurs who were members of Women Extension Group (KPW) from 11 states in Peninsular Malaysia in 2008 with the assistance of the Department of Agriculture (DOA). Structured questionnaires were administered to 735 respondents. The findings of this paper contribute to both policy development and the understanding of the dynamics of rural family business.