Leveraging International Entrepreneurial Orientation to Accelerate Internationalization in Women-Led Exporting SMEs

Abstract

In Pakistan, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy, providing 40% of GDP and employing 80% of the non-agricultural labour force. Women-led SMEs—only about 20% of the sector—represent a critical and often overlooked segment of export markets, but have limited representation within them. These companies include textiles (65%), handicrafts (22%), and IT (8%) that are emerging enterprises in Pakistan’s rich cultural and economic landscape. Over 500 women-run textile units in Karachi’s Korangi Industrial Area export hand-embroidered fabrics to the EU and Middle East, earning billions every year. Likewise, women artisans in the handicrafts clusters of Lyari are using traditional ajrak prints to tap into international ethical fashion markets and combine cultural legacy with economic creativity.