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Entrepreneurs belonging to ethnic minority groups have emerged as a significant and more powerful element within the private sector, having considerable economic and social impact. Nevertheless, prior empirical research has indicated that each geographical area has distinct social and cultural obstacles that impact entrepreneurs in varying ways. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the difficulties and barriers faced by women entrepreneurs from diverse ethnic origins in the United Kingdom, a developed region, while managing their firms.

In this research, the cross-concepts of intersectional theory were used as the study’s analytical framework. The research methodology involved conducting semi-structured face-to-face interviews with a group of 30 Nepali women entrepreneurs residing in the United Kingdom. A qualitative approach was employed, and thematic analysis was used to extract meaningful findings.

The study’s outcomes underscore the emergence of social stereotypes as a salient factor affecting Nepali female entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the research identifies challenges and barriers, which fall into several cross-concept categories: those related to self-efficacy; family; social and cultural factors; business-related issues; access to financial resources; and ethnicity and work-based categorization. The findings might also have broader implications, benefiting ethnic female entrepreneurs in general, as well as ethnic communities and governmental and non-governmental organizations. Insights gained from the study can inform the development of tailored training and educational programs aimed at supporting and nurturing the entrepreneurial aspirations of ethnic women.

To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, there is a dearth of empirical investigations that probe the challenges and barriers faced by Nepali women who have embarked on entrepreneurial endeavours in the UK. This study contributes to the limited literature knowledge on ethnic women entrepreneurs, by linking ethnicity, class and gender/sexual orientation, as well as business, family, personal and financial constructs. By adopting the cross-concept of intersectional theory, this study further contributes to the knowledge of the discriminatory realities of Nepali women entrepreneurs as they grapple with the complex experiences of running a business. By doing this, our study can contribute further to the knowledge of gender and entrepreneurship from the ethnic background of UK enterprises.

Adopting the lens of ambidexterity, this paper examines decision-making within private technical education providers as they attempt to meet workforce and UK government training demands against a backdrop of unprecedented pace of global change in technology.

Qualitative data, drawn from semi-structured interviews of participants within a private training provider, was analysed thematically to investigate common patterns, clarify understanding and identify development areas to inform government bodies and private provider apprenticeship delivery practices.

The findings reveal the extent to which neoliberalism is potentially undermining technical education reform and increasing regulation whilst decreasing trust and reducing authentic partnerships between key stakeholders, together negatively impacting ambidextrous decision-making.

This study is limited by the use of a monolingual, monocultural sample; therefore, a broader cross-section of respondents from a wider range, size and geographical location of training providers may result in a deeper understanding of the varying tensions and challenges associated with technical education reform.

This work seeks to inform policymakers of the wider consequences of neoliberalism and provide recommendations for government bodies and technical training providers to work collaboratively in seeking solutions to the barriers in delivering vocational training fit for a future-proof workforce.

This paper builds on a limited body of research examining the dual impact of once in a lifetime technological challenges and the consequence of neoliberalism upon ambidextrous decision-making within private providers of post-16 technical education.