The elephant in the room: gender and export‐led poverty reduction

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the theoretical underpinnings and practical implications of gender‐sensitizing trade strategies aimed at export‐led poverty reduction, where capitalizing on market‐oriented structures and optimizing existing resources become the drivers for making trade work efficiently and equitably.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on an in‐depth literature review and the author's own practical experience as an international business consultant specialized in helping public institutions, corporations and non‐profit organizations to integrate a gender perspective into their planning and decision making processes, strategies, programs, and projects.

Findings

The paper concludes that the existing gender gap in trade strategy formulation indirectly hinders trade performance and that pro‐poor trade strategies require more inclusive decision making processes and the use of gender impact assessments.

Research limitations/implications

Further research into the links between CSR, gender sensitivity and value chain analysis is needed to explore the potential of specific engagement between corporations and women‐led MSEs.

Practical implications

The paper proposes that policy and strategy makers can produce more coherent and effective programs by capitalizing on existing market structures and women's entrepreneurial drive, incipient integration into the export value chain, and MSE networks and clusters.

Originality/value

The paper provides a response to how export‐led poverty reduction strategies can systematically maximize market opportunities and, at the same time minimize the risks inherent to implementing counter‐mainstream actions and decisions aimed at creating gendered value‐enhanced market opportunities.

Citation

Ruiz Thierry, A. (2007), "The elephant in the room: gender and export‐led poverty reduction", Management Decision, Vol. 45 No. 8, pp. 1359-1376. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740710819087