Female-Owned Firms during the COVID-19 Crisis

This brief use firm-level data collected between May 2020 and May 2021 in 41 countries, to provide descriptive evidence on the differential effect of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis on female- and male-owned firms. Data suggest that while female-owned and male-owned businesses closed permanently at the same rates, female-owned firms were more likely to have temporarily closed during the crisis and to have closed for a longer duration. When able to stay in business, female-owned firms were more likely to experience a decrease in demand for their products or services and supply of intermediate inputs than male-owned firms. They also reduced the size of their workforce more than their male counterparts and were more likely to reduce hours worked. Finally, female-owned firms suffered deeper financial distress than male-owned firms. Nevertheless, female and male-owned firms show similar optimism of returning to normal levels of sales or workforce in the near future.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Hyland, Marie, Karalashvili, Nona, Muzi, Silvia, Viganola, Domenico
Format:	Brief biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2021-07-29
Subjects:	CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19, PANDEMIC IMPACT, FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS, OWNERSHIP SHARE, GENDER DISPARITY, FEMALE-OWNED FIRM, TEMPORARY CLOSURE, ECONOMIC SHOCK, FIRM EXIT RATE, SUPPLY SHOCK, ACCESS TO FINANCE, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/890571627634660709/Female-Owned-Firms-during-the-COVID-19-Crisis http://hdl.handle.net/10986/36087
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