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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, MODERN MANAGEMENT, APPLIED SCIENCE & SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJEMMASSS) [ Vol. 8 | No. 3 (IV) Special Issue | July - September, 2026 ]

Unseen Burdens: Self-Exploitation in Women Entrepreneurship through a Work–Life Boundary Lens

Nidhi Singh & Prof. Sanjay Medhavi

Women entrepreneurship has increasingly been recognized as a key driver of economic and social development; however, it continues to be shaped by persistent gendered constraints that remain insufficiently theorized. This study develops a conceptual framework to examine the emergence of unseen burdens in women entrepreneurship through the integration of invisible labor, work-life boundary dynamics, and self-exploitation. Drawing on worklife boundary theory and gendered role perspectives, the paper conceptualizes how unpaid domestic responsibilities, caregiving roles, and emotional labor extend beyond formal entrepreneurial activities and contribute to role overlap. It proposes that worklife boundary blurring acts as a critical mechanism through which invisible labor translates into sustained role integration, reduced recovery, and increased strain. Building on this, the study introduces self-exploitation as a novel conceptual outcome, referring to the internalized acceptance of excessive work, continuous engagement, and unpaid effort as morally justified within entrepreneurial contexts. The framework advances existing literature by shifting the focus from external structural constraints to the internalization of role expectations and normalization of overwork. The study contributes to entrepreneurship and gender research by offering a theoretically integrated perspective that highlights behavioral dimensions of women’s entrepreneurial experiences. It further provides implications for policy, practice, and future research aimed at promoting more sustainable and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Singh, N., & Medhavi, S. (2026). Unseen Burdens: Self-Exploitation in Women Entrepreneurship through a Work–Life Boundary Lens. International Journal of Education, Modern Management, Applied Science &Amp; Social Science, 08(03(IV)), 125–133. https://doi.org/10.62823/ijemmasss/8.3(iv).9595
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https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12021

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DOI:

Article DOI: 10.62823/IJEMMASSS/8.3(IV).9595

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.62823/IJEMMASSS/8.3(IV).9595

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