Entrepreneurs in business enterprise sector, 1 January 2004

One in three sole proprietors is a woman

In 2003, 39 000 enterprises were started in Norway. 27 000 of them were sole proprietorships, almost 900 were general partnerships and almost 1 500 were general partnerships with shared liability. The biggest group not included here is limited companies. Of the sole proprietorships that were started in 2003, one in three was owned by a woman. In comparison, one in five general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability was established by one or more women.

Traditional industries

When women set up their own business, they choose traditional industries. There is a majority of women in health and social services and personal services. The other industries are still dominated by men. There are very few women in the construction industry, and this also applies to new established enterprises. If we look at sole proprietorships, women are behind 3 per cent of new established enterprises in the construction industry, whereas they own two out of three sole proprietorships within health and social services.

One in ten board members is a woman

At the beginning of 2004, the 552 public limited companies in Norway had 2 813 board members. Only one in ten (254) is a woman. The proportion of women chairmen is even lower, at 3 per cent (14 out of 546). Fourteen new public limited companies were established in 2003. Only 10 per cent of their board members are women, and only one of the fourteen chairmen is a woman.

Where are the immigrants?

The majority of immigrant entrepreneurs work in real estate and business activities, and in hotels and restaurants. One in three sole proprietorships in the hotel and restaurant industry is owned by an immigrant. However, there a few immigrants in the manufacturing, financial services and insurance industry. This is also evident when we look at the number of new established enterprises, as immigrants own four in ten sole proprietorships in the hotel and restaurant industry.

More figures in StatBank Norway

Data on the number of enterprises at 1 January 2004, new established enterprises in 2003 and actors by industry and type of organisation, county, size and number of employees, gender, age and education will be available in StatBank Norway in the future.

Tables:

• Table 1 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, gender and industrial classification, 1 January 2004
• Table 2 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, gender and industrial classification, 1 January 2004. Per cent
• Table 3 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, gender and industrial classification, new established enterprises
• Table 4 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, gender and industrial classification, new established enterprises. Per cent
• Table 5 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, gender and number of employees, 1 January 2004
• Table 6 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, gender and number of employees, 1 January 2004. Per cent
• Table 7 Owners of sole proprietorships by gender and level of education, 1 January 2004
• Table 8 Owners of sole proprietorships by gender and level of education, new established enterprises
• Table 9 Public limited companies by actors, gender and industrial classification, 1 January 2004
• Table 10. Public limited companies by actors, gender and industrial classification, new established companies 2003
• Table 11 Public limited companies by actors, gender and size group, 1 January 2004
• Table 12 Board of directors in public limited companies by gender and level of education, 1 January 2004
• Table 13 Board of directors in public limited companies by gender and age, 1 January 2004
• Table 14 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, immigration category and industrial classification, 1 January 2004
• Table 15 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, immigration category and industrial classification, 1 January 2004. Per cent
• Table 16 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, immigration category and industrial classification, new established enterprises 2003
• Table 17 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, immigration category and industrial classification, new established enterprises 2003. Per cent
• Table 18 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and general partnerships with shared liability, by actors, immigration category and number of employees, 1 January 2004
• Table 19 Sole proprietorships, general partnerships and General partnership with shared liability, by actors, immigration category and number of employees, 1 January 2004. Per cent