The rise of women's self-employment and small business ownership has received a great deal of attention in North America and other industrialized countries. "Female Enterprise in the New Economy" examines a key debate sparked by this change: whether an increasingly entrepreneurial economy offers women better opportunities for economic success, or instead increases their risk of low income and economic insecurity. Drawing on original data from interviews, statistical research, and other sources, Karen D. Hughes examines why women are starting businesses in record numbers, the type of work they are creating, the satisfaction they derive from their work, and the economic risk and rewards they face. Situating this study in the context of broader debates over economic restructuring, the emergence of a 'risk society,' and growing economic polarization, Hughes illustrates the diversity within women's self-employment and small business ownership, and the need for policy to better address the wide variation in this sector. Tackling a broad range of issues and literature, "Female Enterprise in the New Economy" will be of interest to a wide audience in sociology, organizational studies, entrepreneurship studies, public policy, political economy, and women's studies.