This paper analyses the differences in need of women-owned businesses for consulting assistance programmes in each of the four life-cycle stages of the business. Results from 160 women-owned businesses found that women entrepreneurs perceived the need for consulting services differently at each of the life-cycle stages. The firms were each further divided in terms of the type of business (that is, general/opportunistic or technical/craftsman) to see whether this distinction influenced the need for consulting services.
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