Cultural barriers in women's entrepreneurial education: Challenges, perceptions and transformation strategies

2.1 Eligibility criteria

The selection of studies included in the review was based on eligibility criteria defined to ensure relevance, quality, and coherence with the research objectives. The inclusion criteria encompassed peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025, written in English or Spanish, that addressed topics related to entrepreneurial education, women’s entrepreneurship, leadership, and cultural barriers. The study incorporated a range of research methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, and systematic review approaches, with the overarching objective being the presentation of empirical or theoretical evidence on women’s participation in entrepreneurial training, rural leadership, or social transformation. The selection prioritised studies analysing the relationship between education, culture, and gender in local development contexts, with a particular focus on Latin America, Africa, and Asia, in order to identify global patterns and regional specificities. The parameters for the literature search and evaluation were established with the objective of ensuring the validity and traceability of the results.

It is important to note that only studies from academic databases recognised for their rigour and scientific visibility were included in the study. This ensured the reliability of the evidence used. The selected documents addressed the phenomenon from social, cultural, and institutional perspectives, supported by consistent theoretical frameworks and verifiable methodologies. A range of studies exploring the intersection of gender, education and economic development were also considered, with a particular emphasis on how cultural factors influence leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities for rural women. The exclusion process was executed in three successive phases.

In the initial phase of the study, articles containing indexing errors or duplicate records were eliminated. In the second instance, those without full-text access were discarded due to the impossibility of analysing their methodological content. In the third study, an exclusion criterion was applied. This criterion was based on thematic relevance, theoretical depth, and the absence of novel contributions compared to other studies. The implementation of these methodologies resulted in the creation of a comprehensive and high-quality set of studies, thereby ensuring a robust methodological foundation for the analysis of cultural barriers and transformative factors in women’s entrepreneurial education across diverse global regions.

2.2 Sources of information

The systematic review was based on two highly visible and internationally recognised academic databases: Scopus and Web of Science. The selection of these platforms was based on their thematic and geographic coverage, as well as their relevance to scientific production in the areas of social sciences, education, and business studies. It is important to note that both of these databases are regarded as benchmarks in the evaluation of scientific knowledge. In addition, they provide access to publications that have been indexed in peer-reviewed journals. This ensures the reliability, traceability and consistency of the retrieved information. The amalgamation of these two sources served to enhance the representativeness of the included studies, thereby mitigating biases that might have arisen from editorial concentration. This approach ensured a more comprehensive coverage of regions and disciplines (Asubiaro, Onaolapo, & Mills, 2024). The search was conducted between January and September 2025, incorporating original articles, systematic reviews, and academic chapters that contributed empirical or theoretical evidence on women’s entrepreneurial education, rural leadership, and cultural barriers.

The process entailed a comprehensive review of the available records in each database, with pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria being applied to ensure consistency and methodological rigor. Scopus and Web of Science both offer comprehensive metadata, including authorship, year of publication, country, institutional affiliation, subject area, number of citations, and document type. These elements enabled the organisation and classification of results according to scientific and geographical variables. This configuration enabled the refinement of records and the identification of emerging trends in literature. Publications in journals that have been ranked in the Q1 and Q2 quartiles of the Scimago Journal Rank (SJR) were prioritised, thus ensuring the selection of high-impact studies that demonstrate methodological quality. The search was complemented by a manual check in Google Scholar, the aim of which was to locate grey literature and recent works related to rural women’s leadership and cultural transformation.

2.3 Search strategy

A specific search equation was established for each database, formulated according to the inclusion criteria and guidelines of the PRISMA 2020 model. In Scopus, the equation employed was TITLE (“entrepreneurial education” OR “entrepreneurship education”) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (“women” OR “female”), while in Web of Science, its syntax was adapted using the equivalent structure TS=(“entrepreneurial education” OR “entrepreneurship education”) AND TS=(“women” OR “female”). The derivation of both equations was undertaken in accordance with the stipulated inclusion criteria, with the objective of ensuring thematic precision and methodological consistency.

The keywords were articulated using Boolean operators AND and OR, supplemented with truncation and related terms such as “female entrepreneurship,” “cultural barriers,” “rural leadership,” “gender equality,” and “empowerment strategies.” This formulation enabled the retrieval of relevant and contemporary studies on female entrepreneurship education, rural leadership, and cultural barriers. The initial search generated a large number of records, which were subsequently refined according to the defined exclusion criteria, ensuring the coherence and quality of the final corpus for analysis.

2.4 Selection process

The selection of studies was carried out in three consecutive stages, following a systematic procedure designed to guarantee the relevance and quality of the final corpus. In the initial phase, the titles and abstracts were subjected to a review process to ensure thematic concordance and to remove redundancies across the various databases. In the subsequent stage, the complete texts of the articles that had been selected at the first stage were analysed. The methodological consistency and coherence of these articles with the inclusion criteria that had been defined was assessed. In the third stage, the final selection was made based on the theoretical relevance and scientific rigour of each document. The review process was overseen by two researchers, who conducted independent reviews of each record to minimise the potential for bias. Disagreements were resolved through consensus. The entire procedure is represented in Figure 1, corresponding to the PRISMA 2020 flowchart.

Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart.

Created by the author using data from Scopus and Web of Science.

A total of 842 records were identified from the Scopus (472) and Web of Science (370) databases. A further 18 records were incorporated into the study through a manual search of Google Scholar and a review of bibliographic references. During the preliminary data cleansing stage, 112 duplicate records were eliminated, resulting in a total of 748 unique studies available for review. In the screening phase, titles and abstracts were examined, and 421 articles were excluded due to a lack of relevance to women’s entrepreneurial education, leadership, or cultural barriers. In the eligibility phase, 327 full texts were analysed, and 198 were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria, either due to indexing errors, restricted access, or a lack of focus on rural women’s leadership. In the final analysis, 129 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis and 45 articles in the detailed analysis of results. The complete process is represented in Figure 1, corresponding to the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram.

2.5 Data processing

Microsoft Excel was utilised as the primary instrument for the systematic documentation, organisation, and structuring of the data obtained during the review process. This approach ensured the implementation of a structured procedure that facilitated the traceability of the analytical process. The data were coded based on precise variables, including author, year of publication, country, type of study, methodological approach, main results, and identified barriers, which allowed for consistency in the classification and control of the consulted sources. The information was organised into pivot tables that facilitated comparative analysis and the generation of descriptive graphs aimed at visualising trends. The findings were grouped into four thematic areas, namely cultural barriers, transformation strategies, entrepreneurial education, and women’s leadership, which facilitated the identification of recurring patterns, knowledge gaps, and emerging lines of research related to women’s participation in entrepreneurship and rural leadership processes.

2.6 Risk of bias

The risk of bias was assessed by identifying methodological limitations and potential publication biases in the selected studies. This was achieved by considering the transparency of procedures, the diversity of sources, geographical balance, and the clarity of results presentation. This process enabled the determination of the level of reliability of the analysed evidence. The process incorporated a qualitative evaluation criterion aimed at weighing the methodological and theoretical quality of the articles, classifying them as having high, medium, or low reliability according to their consistency and analytical rigor. The potential biases arising from the use of specific databases, the selection of keywords, and the limitations in the reporting of results were also identified, as these elements have the capacity to affect the representativeness of the final corpus. The results are summarised in Figure 1, corresponding to the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram.

4.1 Results analysis

The analysis of the results indicates that women’s leadership is characterised by a foundation in collaborative, transformational, and inclusive approaches that promote active participation and empowerment in educational and social contexts. This leadership programme has been shown to enhance critical thinking skills, encourage innovation, and foster self-management, all of which are vital to reducing the structural inequalities that persist in the entrepreneurial sphere. In accordance with extant research, entrepreneurial education has been demonstrated to promote gender equality and critical thinking in decision-making (Medina-Vidal et al., 2023), in addition to fostering the development of innovative capacities in culturally diverse environments (Li et al., 2021).

The analysis of the results indicates that sociocultural factors play a pivotal role in women’s entrepreneurial education, promoting empowerment, training, and social support as fundamental elements for enhancing women’s participation. The provision of entrepreneurial education has been demonstrated to engender heightened self-confidence and to foster gender equality through the facilitation of inclusive and collaborative learning environments. These results align with research demonstrating the positive influence of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intent and the creation of initiatives with social impact (Lan et al., 2023), as well as on the adoption of sustainable and equitable practices (Makuya & Changalima, 2024).

The analysis of the results indicates that the primary constraints on women’s engagement in entrepreneurship education are rooted in institutional barriers, educational disparities, and cultural stereotypes that impede access and innovation. The findings of this study demonstrate that social structures and patriarchal norms perpetuate gender disparities in education and leadership. In accordance with recent studies, entrepreneurship education requires the implementation of diversified strategies and inclusive policies with the aim of overcoming structural biases and strengthening women’s self-efficacy (Sun et al., 2025; Wang et al., 2023). Such measures are considered to be conducive to the promotion of equitable and sustainable educational environments.

The analysis of the results indicates that the provision of education in entrepreneurship for female members of the community has a significant impact on the community as a whole, with the effects of this being the strengthening of self-efficacy, economic empowerment, and collective resilience. The aforementioned effects are reflected in local growth, academic inclusion, and the establishment of social support networks. The findings align with research demonstrating that entrepreneurship education promotes economic and social well-being in vulnerable communities (Tingey et al., 2020) and fosters the development of sustainable entrepreneurial intentions in students through university education and role models (Amofah & Saladrigues, 2022), consolidating equitable and participatory ecosystems.

The analysis of the results indicates that programmes and approaches for the enhancement of entrepreneurship education for women prioritise the incorporation of a gender perspective, inclusive policies, and experiential learning. These strategies have been shown to encourage women’s participation, strengthen their self-confidence, and promote practical training in academic and business contexts. The findings align with research showing that entrepreneurial education increases entrepreneurial intention, especially among women and students from urban areas (Deng & Wang, 2023), and strengthens self-efficacy as a determining factor in the decision to become entrepreneurs (Ye & Kang, 2025), thus consolidating equitable and transformative educational environments.

4.2 Comparison of results with other studies

The present study corroborates earlier research by underscoring the impact of structural, symbolic, and community factors on the evolution of female leadership. Moreover, it extends the existing discourse by incorporating entrepreneurial education as a transformative component of social and economic advancement. In contrast to the findings of Wulandari and Ahmad (2025), who emphasised digital and technological access disparities, this analysis focuses on institutional and cultural impediments. In contrast to the focus of Aljohani and Alharbi (2025) on financial self-efficacy, this study emphasises collaborative learning and educational equity. Moreover, it builds upon the contributions of Djatmiko et al. (2025) on digital inclusion by underscoring the pivotal role of social support and community networks in women’s empowerment. In contrast to the analysis of technological innovation by Nazir et al. (2025), this study prioritises education and cultural transformation as cornerstones of sustainability. In accordance with the findings of Deng et al. (2025), it acknowledges the significance of perceived capabilities and gender equity, incorporating a comprehensive educational dimension that links self-efficacy with community leadership.

4.3 Proposed conceptual framework

As illustrated in Figure 7, the proposed conceptual model integrates the determining factors of women’s entrepreneurial education. The framework under discussion articulates the structural, symbolic, sociocultural, and empowerment dimensions, reflecting their interaction in shaping women’s leadership. Entrepreneurial education is presented as a mediating force that transforms institutional and cultural barriers into opportunities for empowerment, equity, and sustainability, driving a continuous process of social transformation based on training, innovation, and community collaboration.

Figure 7. Conceptual framework of female entrepreneurial education.

Prepared by the author based on the research results.

4.4 Implications

The study carries significant theoretical, political and practical implications. In principle, this approach serves to enhance the comprehension of women’s entrepreneurial education by conceptualising it as a multifaceted process that is predicated on the interplay among structural, symbolic, and community factors. This approach serves to expand the existing conceptual frameworks by incorporating cultural and gender dimensions as explanatory axes of leadership and women’s empowerment. It proposes an integrative model that conceives of entrepreneurial education as a means of social transformation and not merely as a training practice oriented toward individual development.

The findings of the present study demonstrate the need to strengthen gender equity in education systems and national innovation strategies in the realm of public policy. In order to address this imbalance, it is essential to formulate inclusive policies that promote the participation of women in entrepreneurship programs. These policies should integrate a gender perspective into various aspects of the educational curriculum, including teacher training and the design of incentives for the creation of businesses led by women.

Furthermore, the study proposes the articulation of intersectoral policies that link education, employment, and innovation in order to consolidate environments that strengthen women’s talent and economic autonomy. From a pragmatic standpoint, the findings provide a framework for the development of training programmes that incorporate participatory methodologies, experiential learning, and strategic support to enhance women’s self-confidence, resilience, and leadership skills. Furthermore, they advocate for the consolidation of collaborative networks among universities, businesses, and communities that foster knowledge transfer and the creation of inclusive ecosystems.

4.5 Limitations

The study presents methodological and analytical limitations that must be considered when interpreting the results, stemming primarily from its documentary and qualitative approach. The analysis was based on secondary sources obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, which restricts the inclusion of grey literature and non-indexed local studies that could provide a more contextual perspective. The temporal scope of the search focused on recent publications, which limited the comparative analysis with previous research on the evolution of cultural and educational barriers to female entrepreneurship and reduced the possibility of identifying longitudinal changes.

The interpretive approach adopted entails a certain degree of subjectivity in the categorization of findings, which may generate biases in the delimitation of structural, symbolic, and community factors. This characteristic, in conjunction with the exploratory nature of the study, serves to limit the generalizability of the results to other geographic or population contexts. Nevertheless, these limitations define the analytical scope of the work without compromising its scientific validity, as it provides an integrated and in-depth understanding of the cultural dynamics that influence female entrepreneurial education and establishes a solid theoretical foundation for future empirical or comparative research.

4.6 Lines of future research

It is recommended that future research efforts concentrate on furthering the comprehension of the interactions between the structural, symbolic, and community factors that shape female entrepreneurial education in diverse sociocultural and economic contexts. The utilisation of mixed-methods approaches, integrating quantitative and qualitative methods, is proposed to enhance the empirical validity of the findings and to facilitate a more precise examination of the relationships between entrepreneurial education, women’s leadership, and economic empowerment.

The development of longitudinal studies is also recommended in order to analyse the evolution of inclusion policies, the reduction of cultural gaps, and the sustained impact of empowerment programmes on women’s participation. Interregional and sectoral comparisons have been demonstrated to facilitate the identification of discrepancies in the implementation of educational models, according to levels of development, institutional structures, and cultural conditions. Moreover, it is pertinent to investigate the impact of digital transformation and emerging technologies on learning, innovation, and women’s leadership processes. This will facilitate the development of more comprehensive and comparative theoretical frameworks to inform the creation of inclusive and sustainable policies.