Impactos de los emprendimientos sociales liderados por mujeres en Colotlán, Jalisco

Alma Lizbeth Mora Mares

doi:10.32870/punto.v12i22.271

Authors

Alma Lizbeth Mora Mares Universidad de Guadalajara https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6993-6830

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32870/punto.v12i22.271

Keywords:

social entrepreneurship, local development, social economy, public policy, social programs

Abstract

The present article examines the impact of women-led social enterprises in Colotlán, Jalisco, based on a mixed-methods study that combines semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and a survey administered to women entrepreneurs in the municipality of Colotlán.

In a region characterized by multidimensional poverty, male migration and persistent gender gaps, women have developed economic and community-based initiatives that, although mostly informal, fulfill strategic social functions. The findings indicate that their projects generate income, strengthen community cohesion, preserve cultural knowledge, and address local challenges such as health, housing, and food security. The study concludes that there is an emerging ecosystem of women’s social entrepreneurship that requires institutional recognition, accessible funding, and public policies with territorial and gender-sensitive approaches.

Author Biography

Alma Lizbeth Mora Mares, Universidad de Guadalajara

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Guadalajara (UDG), and PhD in Human Development Sciences from UNIVA, with honors. I have completed academic stays at the University of St. Francis (USA), the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and Unimonserrate (Colombia). During my doctoral studies, I carried out professional practice in Germany at SRH University of Heidelberg, Deggendorf Institute of Technology, and the University of Passau, focusing on the intersection of human development and sustainability within social, economic, and environmental processes.

I have been a professor at CUNORTE since 2013, teaching in the fields of Business Administration, Public Accounting, Agribusiness, and Tourism. Since 2022, I have served as an evaluator for the Jóvenes RECREA STEAM Challenge in upper secondary education. I have coordinated the Delfín Program since 2017 and have been an active researcher since 2020.

I collaborate with the academic body Technology and Resource Utilization (UDG-CA-1117) and serve as a thesis advisor and director at the master’s level across various disciplines. My academic work has been published by institutions such as the Autonomous University of Hidalgo, CUNORTE, Día a Día en México, the University of Salamanca, and the Antonio Camacho University Institution in Colombia. I am a regular contributor to the UNIVA blog Ágora and conduct financial literacy workshops for girls and female university students in the framework of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Since 2016, I have been the Head of the Scholarships and Exchange Unit. I have extensively explored and studied my region, raising awareness of local challenges and promoting entrepreneurship, financial autonomy among female heads of household, and children’s well-being. My academic, administrative, and research work aims to transfer knowledge and create real impact in northern Jalisco, while also embracing the worldview of my community to foster teamwork and contribute to human development.

My education is not just a list of credentials, but a set of tools forged with a deep commitment to serve my community. This region needs viable alternatives, collaborative networks, and proposals driven by purpose and a passion for service.

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