The research proposal I chose is called Gender, Credit Constraints and Performance of SMEs in Cameroon by Tabi Atemnkeng Johannes, Makoudem Tene Marienne, NDAM Romanus Adze and Mrs. Tchouapi Meyet Rosy Pascale ( link to the proposal here). I chose this proposal because it is both throughout and related to the topic of research that I am interested in: micro-economics. The research proposal is broken down in to different sections with bolded headings. These sections include Abstract, Introduction, Problem Statement, Objectives of the Study, Gender Discrimination in Access to Business Credit Performance, Methodology, Nature of Data, Expected Outcomes and References.

The research they are proposing to do is about the role of small and medium businesses especially ones run by women, in economies. “In entrepreneurship and finance literature studies, it is suggested that raising capital is more difficult for women than men” Given this information the objectives of the study are to research female business owners and the credit market in Cameroon in order to find better ways to make women entrepreneurs successful in the future. In order to do this the proposal states that they must first recognize and identify gender discrimination in these fields, discover the ability of businesswomen to access credit markets and to identify the relationship between discrimination and performance.

The type of data and ways it will be collected:  the methodology is very important to making this research proposal as good as it is. The proposal states “differences in loan denial or approval rates and interest rates charged do not, in and of themselves, prove that discrimination exists.” So the researchers plan to use additional methods to data collection in order to find out what they are searching for. The proposal is very dense and suggests formulas for uncovering the data that they are looking for. They take many different variables into account when determining how to conduct their research. Much of the data they intend to collect is from secondary sources.

I am inspired by this extremely thorough and specific research proposal. I like how it is segmented into very clear sections with clear headings. I also like how the researchers cover a lot of ground in regards to possible variables that could effect the collection of their data. Finally I am inspired by how their topic connects to what I want to study and offers a new question to the field. I am now interested in how gender can effect the profitability of small and medium businesses in the economy.