The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the innovation decisions of Emirati women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).,This study uses a two-phased approach. In the first phase, empirical research on 50 Emirati female entrepreneurs is conducted to discover the extent of innovation in their ventures. In the second phase, the study uses an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritize factors considered important in facilitating business innovation among SMEs. The AHP model is developed with 9 criteria and 25 sub-criteria based on the previous literature. Face-to-face interviews are conducted with Emirati female entrepreneurs operating nascent (n = 10), start-up (n = 10) and established innovative (n = 10) businesses to collect data for the AHP study. The data collected are interpreted and a priority vector is assigned to each criterion and sub-criterion.,Female SME owners prioritize government policies, research and development, innovation strategy and skill development as the main criteria that influence their innovation decisions. Family support, access to external financing, social networks and the allocation of funds are the main sub-criteria affecting their decisions to be innovative. Furthermore, respondents who are in the nascent business stage consider family motivation as the greatest influence on initiating new ideas through financial and moral support. Among all respondents, the nascent business owners rank skill development the highest because they are still in the initial stages of their business journeys, and thus, obtaining these skills could help them increase innovation and success in their ventures. However, respondents in the established stage rank innovation strategy the highest.,The study results can help policymakers and women’s associations, such as businesswomen councils, identify the specific inhibitors and facilitators linked to innovation and, thereby, help develop various effective policies to promote innovation among Emirati women-owned SMEs.,The study is one attempt to facilitate innovation among Emirati women-owned SMEs through its efforts to discover the determinants of innovation efforts at nascent, start-up and established business stages as defined by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (2012). The study can help Emirati women-owned SMEs understand the critical factors influencing innovation and can encourage them to incorporate innovative characteristics for business growth and resilience. Furthermore, the study can provide insights for policymakers, financial institutions and non-governmental organizations on factors hindering innovation among Emirati women-owned SMEs, which may serve as a tool for creating resilience among female entrepreneurs.

中文翻译：

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阿联酋女性拥有的中小企业创新决策的决定因素

这项研究的目的是调查影响阿联酋女性拥有的中小企业创新决策的因素。该研究采用两阶段方法。在第一阶段，对50名阿联酋女企业家进行了实证研究，以发现其企业中的创新程度。在第二阶段，该研究使用层次分析法（AHP）对优先考虑的因素进行优先排序，这些因素对促进中小企业之间的业务创新至关重要。基于先前的文献，使用9个标准和25个子标准开发了AHP模型。面对面采访的是阿联酋新生创业的女企业家（n = 10），初创企业（n = 10）和已建立创新的企业（n = 10），以收集用于AHP研究的数据。对收集的数据进行解释，并为每个标准和子标准分配优先级向量。中小企业女性所有者优先考虑政府政策，研发，创新策略和技能开发，这是影响其创新决策的主要标准。家庭支助，获得外部资金，社会网络和资金分配是影响其创新决定的主要子标准。此外，处于商业初期的受访者认为，家庭动机是通过财务和道义上的支持对发起新想法的最大影响。在所有受访者中，新生的企业主将技能发展评为最高，因为他们仍处于商业旅程的初始阶段，因此，获得这些技能可以帮助他们提高业务的创新能力和成功率。但是，处于成熟阶段的受访者将创新策略评为最高。研究结果可以帮助决策者和妇女协会（例如女企业家理事会）确定与创新相关的具体障碍和促进者，从而帮助制定各种有效的政策来促进创新这项研究是一项尝试，旨在通过发现全球创业监测组织（New Entrepreneurship Monitor，简称）在新生，初创和成熟业务阶段的创新努力的决定因素，来促进阿联酋女性拥有的中小企业之间的创新。 2012）。该研究可以帮助阿联酋妇女拥有的中小型企业了解影响创新的关键因素，并可以鼓励它们纳入创新特征以促进业务增长和弹性。此外，该研究可以为决策者，金融机构和非政府组织提供有关阻碍阿联酋女性拥有的中小企业之间创新的因素的见解，这些因素可以作为在女性企业家中建立抵御力的工具。