B-schools target women entrepreneurs

B-schools in the country have initiated programmes intended to churn out women entrepreneurs.

Indian Institute of Bangalore (IIM-B), Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad and Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai, are among the institutes offering programmes exclusively forwomen entrepreneurs.

The Centre for Executive Education, ISB, in partnership with the Goldman Sachs Group is launching a global corporate engagement initiative. Under this, ISB will conceptualise and conduct short-term programmes for financially weak women without a formal business education.

Kavil Ramachandran, professor and associate dean, academic programmes at the ISB, said: "There are women who have the potential to grow, but lack the means. The initiative has been launched to create managerial capabilities, support and empower women entrepreneurs. Women are usually better managers as they understand reality, respond well to challenges and the general tendency of women entrepreneurs is to employ more women."

IIM-B runs a Management Programme for Women Entrepreneurs. The six-week programme, including two weeks of business plan presentation, is conducted at IIM-B every summer with visiting and guest faculty providing training to existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs.

Ganesh Prabhu, professor of corporate strategy and policy, IIM-B, said: "The programme was started as a follow-up to another programme called Management Programme for Trainers of Women Entrepreneurs, in association with the Oxford University in 2002-03. In 2004, we thought of running an independent programme for women entrepreneurs. The participants in the programme are provided with an option to work at our incubation centre. The programme fee is Rs 17,000 for non-residential students and Rs 25,000 for residential students."

NMIMS has started a three-month special management programme called