Introduction

According to data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) in 2020, in partnership with SEBRAE and the Brazilian Institute of Quality and Productivity (IBPQ), Brazil ranks seventh in the world for the number of female entrepreneurs. Women make up 50% of the Brazilian female population and account for 46% of initial entrepreneurs with businesses up to 3.5 years old. 49% are heads of households (PNAD, 2020), and 48% are registered as Individual Micro Entrepreneurs (MEI) (SEBRAE, 2020).

Thus, to discuss entrepreneurship in Brazil, it is essential to understand how gender issues affect female entrepreneurs. Scott (1995) states that gender is a constitutive element of social relations based on perceived differences between the sexes and is also a primary way of giving meaning to power relations.

In this regard, studies by Khan (2019), Vodă and Florea (2019), Serrano et. al. (2016), Westhead and Solesvik (2016), Daim, Dabic, and Bayraktaroglu (2015), and Neneh (2014) show a prevalence of entrepreneurial intentions among men. On the other hand, a study by Pavan and Tosta (2021) conducted at the Federal University of South Frontier showed that 75% of students who started businesses identify as female.

This discrepancy between studies can be attributed to the cultural variability of each country and is also related to other factors such as socioeconomic profile, government incentives, etc. (Liñán; Nab; Kueger, 2013; Daim; Dabic; Bayraktaroglu, 2015). However, Khan (2019) emphasizes that the state cannot shirk its responsibility and must develop inclusive policies and training programs to encourage female entrepreneurship.

Moreover, in a country with such cultural diversity, it is worth noting that among the female respondents in the GEM survey, 51% consider themselves white, 47% Black, and 2% Asian or Indigenous (GEM, 2020). Therefore, in addition to discussing gender inequalities, it is essential to consider female entrepreneurship, considering racial and social class disparities.

Thus, while gender may be a common factor among women, characteristics such as race and social class differentiate them. All their experiences impact their lives and professional development. When discussing Black women, it's crucial to consider their historical context of struggles. According to literature, their experiences position them differently from other women in society. Their professional trajectories are marked by discrimination, historically rooted in environments that belittle their abilities based on color, excluding, and disqualifying them from sought-after and important positions (Santos et. al., 2023).

Given the above, the research question arises: How do Black women in the Administration Course at the University of South Frontier (UFFS) perceive the challenges and prospects in their professional development process?

The primary objective of this study is to highlight the entrepreneurial profile and experiences of Black female students in the Administration course at UFFS in their professional development process.

Theorical review

With the rapid pace of technological innovations and market evolution in a brief period, new demands always arise that need to be addressed and new market opportunities emerge. According to Baggio and Baggio (2015), the entrepreneur is an innovator of contexts, and their attitudes are constructive, enthusiastic, and cheerful.

The word "entrepreneurship" derives from the Latin imprehendere and refers to an individual who takes risks when starting something new. "The entrepreneurial spirit is, therefore, a distinct characteristic, whether of an individual or an institution. It is not a personality trait." (Drucker, 2003, p. 33) and, therefore, can be developed (Lopes, 2010; Dornelas, 2012).

When discussing female entrepreneurship, we refer to businesses conceived or managed by women, that is, with a female figure making the decisions. According to Villas Boas (2010, p. 51), "There are significant differences between male and female entrepreneurial styles. Women have excellent persuasive abilities and care about clients and suppliers, which contributes to the company's progress."

In agreement, Amorim and Batista (2011) state that women naturally possess greater empathy, sensitivity, commitment, and a general desire to help, and these traits ensure the success of ventures led by them.

Thus, Cramer et. al. (2012, p. 57) add, "It is known that the success of any venture depends on three basic factors: financial resources, ideas, and individuals. However, of all three, it is clear that the individual is the most responsible for the business's success."

The increased participation of women in entrepreneurship is due to higher education levels and societal and cultural changes over the years (GEM, 2020). Ultimately, the social indicators of Brazilian women, released by IBGE in 2021, show that the almost double responsibility for domestic chores and care remains a significant limiting factor for better and broader participation in the labor market.

The triple shift is just one of the obstacles for the advancement of female entrepreneurs. Women dedicate 17% fewer hours to their businesses than men, as they spend an additional 10.5 hours weekly on domestic chores and childcare (PNAD, 2020). However, even though they are affected by time constraints due to children and household concerns, women believe that entrepreneurship offers advantages such as freedom, autonomy, fulfillment, and financial independence, in addition to satisfaction with entrepreneurial activity (Silveira et. al., 2007).

Regarding higher education or more among established entrepreneurs in the 2020 GEM survey, women represent 31%, while men only 22%. However, despite a higher education level, women still earn less than men, with men representing 31% of family income above 6 minimum wages, while women only 22%.

The lower wages and greater challenges faced by women in the labor market cannot be attributed to education. On the contrary, available data indicate that Brazilian women are, on average, more educated than men. Moreover, even though they have a significant advantage in accessing higher education in general, women face barriers in certain knowledge areas, notably those more related to exact sciences and production (IBGE, 2020).

Authors Leite and Oliveira (2007) classify entrepreneurship into two types: Necessity Entrepreneurship, where businesses are created due to a lack of alternatives, and Opportunity Entrepreneurship, where a business is created upon discovering a profitable business opportunity.

According to Amorim and Batista (2011), financial necessity remains the driving force behind female entrepreneurship, a statement that aligns with the data described in this section, suggesting that women often still venture out of necessity. Ferreira & Nogueira (2013) state that the female entrepreneur is both unique and historical, as she is not determined by historical and societal conditions but can shape her subjectivity and generate meanings in her various relationships.

Black Female Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship is essential to a country's economic development process. But what is the role of Black people in this context? And even more, what is the role of Black women? Where do they stand in the entrepreneurship landscape?

Entrepreneurship often emerges as an alternative to ethnic-racial and gender issues for those who face a lack of opportunities in the job market. According to Marcondes (2013, p. 70), "the increase in female participation, regardless of color, in occupations that do not offer social protection, highlights gender disadvantages in accessing and remaining in the labor market."

According to SEBRAE (2018), afro-entrepreneurship refers to the economic, political, and social phenomenon that encourages the Black population to develop entrepreneurial activities, with or without collaborators. These businesses are built and managed exclusively by Black individuals across various niches, targeting society as a whole.

Afro-entrepreneurship promotes Black Money, meaning it stimulates buying or selling transactions among Black individuals. There is a distinction between Black entrepreneurship and afro-entrepreneurship. For Nascimento (2018), the afro-entrepreneur must self-declare as Black or mixed-race and offer or produce products and services related to the valorization of Afro-Brazilian culture and identity. A Black entrepreneur is someone who self-declares as Black or mixed-race, but their business is not necessarily related to Afro culture.

Afro-entrepreneurship was a creative solution devised by Black activists as another tool to combat structural racism. It is not merely associating the word "Afro" with entrepreneurship but rather a key intended to innovate in the development of a culture of socio-cultural and economic strengthening of the Black population (Soares, 2021 p. 27).

A study by Plano CDE in partnership with PretaHub, an accelerator for Black entrepreneurship in Brazil, conducted the second edition of the survey - "Pains and Loves of Black Entrepreneurs," which in 2019 mapped the profiles of Black entrepreneurs in Brazil. The research showed that of the Black entrepreneurs in Brazil, 52% are women, up to 40 years old, and are mainly located in the Southeast and Northeast regions. Authors Siqueira, Nunes, and Morais (2018) state that Brazil presents various challenges to entrepreneurs in general, a scenario that affects everyone who turns to entrepreneurial activities as a life-changing strategy, becoming even more challenging for women.

Entrepreneurial activity is also seen as a major pathway to combat social exclusion, rectifying historical prejudice against women and the Black population. Although considerable progress has been made against these discriminations, Black women still suffer from the historical reflections of this injustice landscape, excluding and marginalizing them from social participation and their role in the entrepreneurial sector (Siqueira; Nunes; Morais, 2018, p. 239).

According to the research published by IBGE in 2019, titled "Social Inequalities by Color or Race in Brazil," people of Black or mixed-race color constitute the majority of the workforce in the country, generating their own income of R$ 1.7 trillion per year. Among Black entrepreneurs, the revenue in circulation would be approximately R$ 359 billion per year. However, the average salary of a Black entrepreneur reaches R$ 1,420.00, while that of a white entrepreneur reaches R$ 2,827.00, a value that is half more than the average between both. If Black individuals generate significant values when looking at the "largest workforce in the country" factor, why do they earn less when they become business owners?

The research from the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA) released in October 2018 confirms that Black women are 50% more susceptible to unemployment than other groups. Moreover, 49% of Black female entrepreneurs in Brazil start their businesses out of necessity, while among white women, this indicator drops to 35%. From the entrepreneurship perspective, the same research shows that 17% of female entrepreneurs in Brazil are Black and earn less than all other groups, a value equivalent to, approximately, half of the income of white female entrepreneurs and 42% of the income received by white men. Regarding formality, only 21% of Black female entrepreneurs have a registered business (CNPJ), while white women represent 42% of this index.

The National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) in 2018 indicates that there were over 6 million people employed in paid domestic work in Brazil, and 92% were women. Over 4 million were Black individuals, and of these, 3.9 million were Black women. These, therefore, account for 63% of the total domestic workers. Historical motivations linked to slavery and the post-abolition period destined this group to concentrate in certain areas. Many Black women began by selling products on trays, known as "Negras de tabuleiro" or "Quitandeiras," which circulated in various places in the country, a journey that took up to a week. They can be said to have been pioneers in entrepreneurship. Observing Brazil's reality in data, it is clear that there are numerous challenges for the Black population. And when focusing on Black female entrepreneurship, a different measure can be identified, as Black female entrepreneurs face a dual difficulty: the relationship between gender and race.

One of the aspects that hinder obtaining accurate data on Black female entrepreneurship in Brazil is due to the informality rates these women face today. Black women find themselves in an unfavorable scenario and suffer from a lack of information about the possibilities of formalizing their entrepreneurial activity, keeping them informal and, consequently, away from the data collected by research institutes (Siqueira; Nunes; Morais, 2018, p. 235).

In addition to informality and lack of information, there is a factor that hinders these entrepreneurs' growth: the lack of access to credit lines. The study by Plano CDE in partnership with PretaHub reveals that Black business owners have fewer chances of accessing bank credit lines, and about 32% have had credit denied without explanation. Thus, the Black Money Movement (MBM) was created, a project to promote afro-entrepreneurship that aims to ensure that the resources generated by the Black population circulate within the community, strengthening it, generating jobs, and income.

Currently, many organizations promote afro-entrepreneurship and afro-consumption, strategically aiming for economic and social empowerment and the valorization of Afro-Brazilian culture. Therefore, it is evident that the existence of specific social group classifications aims to strengthen their activities and are an alternative to combat discrimination and social segregation. Specifically, for women, entrepreneurial activity is a significant path to combat exclusion, being a powerful tool for ascent and life transformation.

Methodological procedures

To achieve the general objective of this research, a mixed-method approach was adopted since "quantifications strengthen arguments and constitute important indicators for qualitative analyses" Grácio; Garrutti, 2005, p. 119). Regarding its purposes and means, this research is classified as descriptive, explanatory, and applied (Vergara, 2003). As for the research methods, it is classified as a survey, bibliographic, and ex post facto, using field and bibliographic research methods (Gil, 1993; Creswell, 2010).

The research took place at the Federal University of South Frontier (UFFS), Chapecó campus, which was established through Law No. 12.029 on September 15, 2009. More specifically, the research focused on the Administration course at the Chapecó campus, which is believed to have a greater affinity with the topic and has extension projects related to entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the course aims to train professionals with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to manage and lead all types of enterprises, planning, controlling, organizing, and directing these activities (UFFS, 2023).

For data collection, a research instrument was created using the Google Forms platform. The questions were designed to achieve the research's objective. This research instrument underwent ethical review by the Research Ethics Committee (CEP) and was approved on 23/05/2023, under the CAAE 69023823.5.0000.5564.

The research subjects were selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling, a method that "selects elements due to the ease of access to them" (Vergara, 2003, p. 51). The chosen sample was Black female students from the Administration course at the Federal University of South Frontier, Chapecó campus. Out of a total population of 195 students from morning and evening shifts with active enrollments in the Administration course at the Chapecó campus (UFFS, 2023), eleven self-declared as Black.

After contacting the eleven women in the sample via email and social media, only 6 agreed to participate voluntarily and answered the questionnaire. To preserve their identities, the respondent students will be described and identified by fictitious names: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A6.

For the data analysis process, statistical summaries were used, applying descriptive statistics techniques, using Excel spreadsheets to quantify and organize the collected data for further analysis.

Regarding the qualitative analysis process, the content analysis method was used. According to Menezes and Filho (2022), this technique operates at the boundary of the subjectivity of Linguistics and Psychology, seeking to consolidate theoretical and methodological bases that can ensure neutrality, systematization, and objectivity.

Data analysis and discussion

The instrument was divided into 4 sections, where the first deals with the social and demographic profile of the respondents. It was observed that 66.7% are predominantly aged between 21 and 25 years. Regarding marital status and the number of children, 83.3% of the students are single, and the same percentage do not have children. The applied questionnaire asked about gender since the research targeted only women. It is relevant to mention the predominant family income range in this research, as 66.7% of respondents reported living with a monthly family income of 1 to 2 minimum wages, while 33.3% reported their family income ranges from 2 to 4 minimum wages.

Regarding academic trajectory, the educational level of the respondents' parents was sought, and it was observed that 33.3% studied up to High School. It was also noted that 66.7% of the students have completed between 0% and 25% of the course and attend the course in the morning, while 33.3% have completed between 25% and 50% and attend the university in the evening. It is important to note that out of the 11 students who self-declared as Black selected for this research, 7 are foreigners, and at least 3 of the respondent students are foreigners. For a better visualization and analysis of the social and demographic profile of the research participants, a table was created describing the respondents' profile characteristics.

Thus, initially, the section of the survey in question was checked, which deals with the respondents' perception regarding "defining an action to achieve a goal, the greater the intention to perform a certain behavior, the greater the likelihood of its effective performance" (Silveira; Silvente; Ferreira, 2016, p. 02), that is, about a possible intention to undertake, as observed in Table 02.

Based on the presented data, it is possible to observe through the 5-point Likert scale that the respondent administration students can be classified as potential entrepreneurs as they have a higher percentage of agreement regarding the interest in entrepreneurship, autonomy in professional life, and the search for a new business opportunity.

We can also observe that the statements with the highest percentages of disagreement are related to the preparation for entrepreneurship, specifically concerning the knowledge of how to start a new business and access to capital that allows this.

Although there are 66.70% of respondents who neither agree nor disagree with the statement "I can't see myself as an entrepreneur" and 50% who also neither agree nor disagree with the statement "No matter how much I work and strive, I believe I am not capable of starting my own business", when observing the answers from this section as a whole, it is possible to infer that there are intrinsic factors influencing these students' confidence to undertake. However, these factors do not affect the entrepreneurial intention to the point of saying that this intention is non-existent. Such factors include a lack of self-confidence, a support network, in addition to the capital and knowledge previously mentioned.

Thus, aiming to observe the factors related to competencies, we analyze the specific competencies, the group of competencies that stand out the most, or the most developed competencies in the respondent students, as shown in Table 3.

Among the competencies analyzed in the research, the ones that stood out the most, considering the obtained results, are presented next. According to Campelo et. al. (2019, p. 135), Opportunity Competencies refer to the ability to identify, plan, visualize strategies, or paths for a new business. In the Opportunity factor, 66.70% of respondents believe that making mistakes is part of the entrepreneurial process, and the vast majority partially or fully agree with the statements related to the business opportunity factor.

For Campelo et. al. (2019, p. 136), Conceptual Competencies suggest that business risks tend to arise from actions in various environments, which can be calculated risks, or not, allowing market entry. It can be observed that this group of competencies has two statements with about 66.70% of the responses, so we can say that the respondents are confident regarding this competency group, meaning they feel secure in terms of innovation and creativity even without hope for growth.

The authors also state that Relationship Competencies relate to an individual's ability to maintain relationships, whether personal or interpersonal, as well as the entrepreneur's communication style, negotiation skills, and conflict resolution. In this competency group, 50% of the respondents claim to enjoy working in teams, indicating a developed skill to deal with people, communicate, and develop relationships (Campelo et. al., 2019).

Furthermore, for Campelo et. al. (2019), commitment competencies refer to professionals who dedicate themselves to the business in pursuit of well-executed objectives, even if the desired result is not achieved. In commitment competencies, 66.70% of the students agree and state that they have the confidence to start over, if necessary, as many times as needed regarding their goals.

Among the variables surveyed and given the results found, we can affirm by observing the competency groups that the group with the most "strongly agree" or point 5 on the 5-point Likert scale is the Conceptual Competencies group related to innovation and creativity. In second place is the Commitment Competencies group, where it can be said that the responding students are committed to projects, goals, and objectives.

Finally, to understand the difficulties and perceptions of the responding students, individual factors from the fourth and last section of the instrument will be observed, which relate to individual experiences and perceptions on the exposed topic.

Regarding Black women and racism, Munanga (2006, p. 133) states that "despite the transformations in the living conditions and role of women worldwide, the Black woman continues to live in a situation marked by double discrimination: being a woman in a male chauvinist society and being black in a racist society." For Ribeiro (2018, p. 39), "some people think that being racist is only about killing or severely mistreating a Black person. Racism is a system of oppression that aims to deny rights to a group."

It is evident that Black women today still suffer the consequences of slavery, and given what the authors have exposed, it is notable that double discrimination is part of the social structure in which we live. These are so deeply rooted that they are felt, but often not perceived by those who cause them and even by those who suffer from them due to the mechanisms of reproducing racism in society.

Such mechanisms started post-slavery, hindering the entry of the Black population into the labor market, where they found manual jobs, especially domestic work, as a means of livelihood. Munanga (2006, p. 133) adds, "The Black woman, who during the slave period acted as a forced worker, after the abolition, began to perform manual, unhealthy, and heavy work. This situation remains the same for many Black women in the third millennium."

Regarding gender or race discrimination in the academic and corporate environment, most students stated that they had suffered some discrimination throughout their lives. Of all the respondents, only two students claimed not to have suffered or not to have noticed anything regarding this type of behavior towards them. Thus, it was reported:

A1: Yes. Not directly to me, but comments made to third parties like "that little Black girl..."

A2: Yes. I had curly hair, and the manager of my former job asked me to tie my hair so that my face would show on the camera. But I kept my hair as it was. Note: The other girls also worked with their hair down.

A3: Yes, making me feel less than the rest because of my skin color, but not letting it completely shake me.

Therefore, for the responding students, even if there was never a direct situation, there was subjectively a situation where this woman felt different enough to consider making a change in a characteristic of her own. It can be considered that racism was subtly suffered, as there is intrinsically a loss of the right to be as one naturally is. For Almeida (2019, p. 51), racism is defined as "a historical and political process that creates the social conditions for directly or indirectly racially identified groups to be systematically discriminated against." Thus, it is understood that racism operates systematically with the aim of segregating and excluding in as many ways as possible.

Felix (2020, p. 17) states that "despite the great progress achieved by social movements focused on the racial issue, in conjunction with affirmative action policies, the numbers show that the predetermined place for them is still far below their capacity and expectation." Also, regarding the corporate environment, the respondents were asked if there were demands from clients or companies where they worked regarding changes in appearance and if they ever considered or had to make a change to look more "presentable." Only two of the students gave a negative answer, while the others said the situation had occurred:

A1: Yes. In my view, white people easily look presentable. I, seeing myself as a Black woman, feel that I always need to try harder.

A2: They asked. But I did not.

According to Felix (2020, p. 20), "The racial contrast is not limited to just entering the job market; it also extends to the remuneration of this group and the greater possibility of facing unemployment." From the topic of Black women in the labor market, the responding students were asked about observing or feeling that there are greater difficulties than usual for Black women in corporate environments. From this question, only one of them gave a negative answer, while the others reported:

A1: Yes. Being from the South, I see that racism is deeply rooted in the corporate environment. It is hard to see Black women in leadership positions.

A2: Yes, because besides color, there is also the issue of physical appearance, how one speaks and expresses oneself, whether one has children and is single, and it depends on the state where one is located.

A3: Yes, because the preference for appearance is still very evident in the job market.

A4: The situation of Black women in the job market remains worrying. They have faced significant challenges to enter the job market. It is hard to see a Black woman in a higher position, and nowadays, lower positions are for women and Black people. Even with higher education, companies judge by appearance.

A5: Yes, especially when it comes to the first job.

Regarding entrepreneurship, it can be observed in the previous topics that when it comes to black entrepreneurship, women lead in businesses opened out of necessity. The students were asked if they feel capable of entrepreneurship and if they know Black female entrepreneurs. Thus:

A1: I know. My mother and aunt have always been entrepreneurs. I feel capable of entrepreneurship.

A2: I do not know, but in the future, I hope to be capable.

A3: I felt capable of entrepreneurship, but I do not have the means yet.

A4: Yes, I know. I have entrepreneur friends, I feel capable, but a bit insecure. I am working on this insecurity to act as an entrepreneur later.

A5: Yes, I know. I believe so. With a support network, I believe I would be capable.

Regarding their self-perception about feeling capable of entrepreneurship, we can observe that all the answers are positive concerning the desire to become entrepreneurs. Authors Siqueira, Nunes, and Morais (2018) comment that for many Black women, entrepreneurial activities are not applicable due to a lack of information. However, fostering entrepreneurship by recognizing the duality of inequality (by gender and race) can be a significant possibility to confront this scenario. Looking at the trajectory and experiences of the responding students, they were also asked about their most significant difficulties as Black women and whether these difficulties were an impacting factor in their academic and professional lives. Thus:

A1: The most significant difficulties are related to occupying spaces in higher hierarchical positions in the job market. The impact on my academic life is somewhat positive, as it drives me to be better and seek opportunities. The negative side is the feeling of having to try twice as hard to achieve my goals.

A2: Suffering racism, in some way, impacted when meeting new people and how I would communicate with them.

A3: I am Black, but I did not see my color as a barrier. I still do not have enough resources to start a new business. My biggest difficulty is resources.

A4: Not having the trust and seriousness of people in the field.

A5: Always having to prove that I deserve and have the competence to also occupy the same position as a white woman.

For Bazkiaei (2020, p. 04), "The integration of entrepreneurship into educational systems is one way to develop a culture of entrepreneurial thinking." The author further emphasizes that a strong motivation to become an entrepreneur on the part of students is related to entrepreneurial intention, and creating opportunities for practice within the university is crucial for this motivation to strengthen. Regarding the context of the responding students, it can be said that entrepreneurial education and contact with the University may have a relationship and a fundamental role in promoting entrepreneurial activities. Also, the necessary knowledge to make the desire a reality ensures that entrepreneurship, which previously arose out of necessity, begins to arise out of opportunity through trained professionals with developed entrepreneurial competencies.

Of the responding students, 33.3% reported being entrepreneurs, one of them in the food industry producing artisanal pastries (breads, lasagnas, and rondelle) and the other working with foreign currency transfer. This panorama combined with the answers given about the feeling of being able to become an entrepreneur reveals a positive scenario in the Administration course at the Federal University of South Frontier, in which there is the development of entrepreneurial skills and an inclination towards entrepreneurship.

Final considerations

This research aimed to verify, through a questionnaire, the entrepreneurial competencies, and an intention to undertake among black female students of the Administration course at the Federal University of South Frontier, Chapecó campus. Additionally, it sought to identify potential obstacles related to gender and race in their academic and professional development.

Although entrepreneurship is a tool for Black women to achieve social ascension, it is essential to highlight that most of the time, it arises out of necessity. By identifying the socio-economic and formative profile of Black women, it was found that most of them are at the beginning of their undergraduate studies and have an income of 1 to 2 minimum wages.

Regarding entrepreneurial skills, when evaluating the responding students, it can be stated the respondents have an intention to undertake, but do not feel prepared due to a lack of knowledge, financial resources, support network, and even self-confidence. However, the financial resources factor is confirmed as an interfering factor in the entrepreneurial intention of these academics.

Nevertheless, amid all this, the respondents state that they feel capable and express a great desire to undertake, therefore, the entrepreneurial intention of the academics is once again confirmed, and they demonstrated that they have skills that relate to more developed innovation and creativity.

Upon checking the potential obstacles related to gender and race in their academic and professional development and based on the reports, it was possible to perceive that these women, in their vast majority, have suffered some discrimination in their lives concerning physical appearance and regarding gender and race within the academic or professional environment.

It is possible to perceive in the students' reports that some issues are latent in most of the answers, namely: appearance, racism, and professional ascension. Regarding the appearance issue, there is a subjective perception of "being or not presentable." Referring to the appearance of the Black woman, it refers to the use of afro hair or even the use of braids. The appearance issue is considered in diverse ways in the answers, even in interpersonal relationships.

When questioning the respondents' difficulties as Black women within the corporate environment, or the most significant difficulties in both professional and academic life, and how the respondents feel about it, the appearance issue is mentioned again, as well as actual racism and the difficulty they perceive for a Black woman to ascend to higher positions within organizations.

The questions presented by the academics confirmed the scenario described by IPEA, IBGE and PNAD research, in addition to confirming points that Felix (2020) states in relation to the various discriminatory violence suffered by Black women that go far beyond physical aggression, but which present significant challenges to the respondents compared to white women.

Lastly, the difficulties women face during their journey and the impact this has on their professional development were addressed. In addition to discrimination as a difficulty in their trajectory, the respondents highlighted in their reports the difficulty and perception that there is a significant color barrier concerning career advancement in the corporate environment. Even though this is a factor that drives them, there is a feeling of double effort in seeking appreciation and fighting against racism, affirming the premise that Black women face the daily dual struggle: gender and race.

Fortunately, the role of the University is much more than just teaching; it's about building professionals capable of being agents of change concerning diversity, combating gender inequality, fighting against all kinds of prejudice and racism, and being an environment that provides us with opportunities, knowledge, and drives us to believe not only in ourselves but in our dreams. Moreover, it teaches us the way to achieve them.

Regarding the research limitations, the fact that only students who declare themselves as black were selected for the study stands out. However, the concept of "negro" is defined according to the Statute of Racial Equality as the set of people who declare themselves black or brown, just like the color or race criterion used by IBGE.

The population chosen for the research were Black female students with active enrollments in the Administration course at the Federal University of South Frontier, Chapecó campus, and all women who fit this profile were invited to answer the questionnaire. Therefore, the fact that some responding students are foreigners did not impact the presented results since the research did not use nationality as an exclusion criterion. It can also be stated that this fact provided the research with a different perception of some situations due to cultural differences and experiences. However, clear similarities are found between the respondents' reports concerning factors that transcend nationality, such as racism and sexism.

As a suggestion for future study, it is recommended to explore the theme of the dropout rate of Black female students from the Administration course at the University of South Frontier, Chapecó campus, as well as the relations of intersectionality and their impacts on the development and training of these women.

References

ALMEIDA, S. D. (2019). Racismo Estrutural. São Paulo: Pólen.

AMORIM, R. O.; BATISTA, L. E. (2011). Empreendedorismo Feminino: razão do empreendimento. 2011. Available in: http://uniesp.edu.br/sites/_biblioteca/revistas/20170602115149.pdf.

BAGGIO, A. F.; BAGGIO, D. K. (2015). Empreendedorismo: Conceitos e definições. Revista de Empreendedorismo, Inovação e Tecnologia, Passo Fundo, 1(1), 25-38. Available in https://seer.atitus.edu.br/index.php/revistasi/article/view/612/522.

BAZKIAEI, H. A. et. al. (2020). Do entrepreneurial education and big-five personality traits predict entrepreneurial intention among universities students? Cogent Business and Management, Malaysia, 7(1), 1-18. Available in: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2020.1801217.

CAMPELO, H. C. et. al. (2019). Competências Empreendedoras: um estudo dos acadêmicos do curso de Administração de Empresas. Revista FOCO, 12(2), 130-146. Available in: http://revistafocoadm.org/index.php/foco/article/view/659.

CRAMER, L.; CAPPELLE, M. C.; ANDRADE, Á. L.; BRITO, M. J. (2012). Representações femininas da ação empreendedora: uma análise de trajetórias das mulheres no mundo dos negócios. Revista de Empreendedorismo e Gestão de Pequenas Empresas – REGEPE, 1(1), 53-71. Available in: https://www.regepe.org.br/regepe/article/view/14.

CRESWELL, J. (2010). Projeto de pesquisa: método qualitativo, quantitativo e misto. São Paulo: SAGE.

DAIM, T.; DABIC M.; BAYRAKTAROGLU, E. (2016). Students’ entrepreneurial behavior: international and gender differences. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, United States, 5(1), 1-19. Available in: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-016-0046-8.

FELIX, L. R. (2020). Racismo estrutural e a posição da mulher negra no mercado de trabalho no Rio de Janeiro. 33 f. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação em Geografia) Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Niterói.

FERREIRA, J. M.; NOGUEIRA, E. E. S. (2013). Mulheres e suas histórias: razão, sensibilidade e subjetividade no empreendedorismo feminino. Revista de Administração Contemporânea, 17(4), 398–417. Available in: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-65552013000400002.

GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONITOR – GEM. (2021). 2020/2021 Global Report, London. Available in: https://www.gemconsortium.org/report/gem-20202021-global-report.

IBGE - Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. (2019). Desigualdades Sociais por Cor ou Raça no Brasil. Estudos e Pesquisas: Informação Demográfica e Socioeconômica, 41. Available in: https://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/visualizacao/livros/liv101681_informativo.pdf.

IBGE - Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. (2021). Estudo -Estatística de gênero: Indicadores sociais das mulheres no Brasil. Available in: https://www.ibge.gov.br/estatisticas/multidominio/genero/20163-estatisticas-de%02genero-indicadores-sociais-das%02mulheres-no-brasil.html?=&t=downloads.

KHAN, M. A. I. A. A. (2019). Dynamics encouraging women towards embracing entrepreneurship: case study of Mena countries. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, Oma, 11(4), 379-389. Available in: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-01-2019-0017.

LEITE, A.; OLIVEIRA, F. (2007). Empreendedorismo e Novas Tendências: Estudo EDIT

LIÑÁN, F; NABI, G; KRUEGER, N. (2013). British and Spanish entrepreneurial intentions: a comparative study. Revista de Economia Mundial, UK, 33, 73-103. Available in: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235937865_British_and_Spanish_entrepreneurial_intentions_A_comparative_study.

MARCONDES, M. M. (2013). Dossiê mulheres negras: retrato das mulheres negras no Brasil. Brasília: IPEA. Available in: https://www.ipea.gov.br/portal/images/stories/PDFs/livros/livros/livro_dossie_mulheres_negras.pdf.

MENEZES, E. O.; MAITAN FILHO, P. L. (2022). ANÁLISE DE CONTEÚDO: contextualização, operacionalização, discussões e perspectivas. Revista Valore, 7 (1), 7047. Available in: https://doi.org/10.22408/reva7020221043e-7047.

MUNANGA, K. LINO, N. G. (2006). O negro no Brasil de hoje. São Paulo: Global.

NASCIMENTO, E. Q. (2018). Afroempreendedorismo como estratégia de inclusão socioeconômica. In: Anais do Seminário de Ciências Sociais do Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Sociais - Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Brasil.

PNAD - PESQUISA NACIONAL POR AMOSTRA DE DOMICÍLIOS CONTÍNUA. (2020). Rendimento de todas as fontes. Available in: https://biblioteca.ibge.gov.br/index.php/biblioteca-catalogo?view=detalhes&id=2101880.

PAVAN, N. I. V. F.; TOSTA, K. C. B. T. (2021). Desmitificando o empreendedorismo: A relação entre educação empreendedora, competências empreendedoras e a intenção de empreender. Trabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Bacharelado em Administração) Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Brasil. Available in: https://rd.uffs.edu.br/bitstream/prefix/4884/1/PAVAN.pdf.

SANTOS, G. C.; BRISOLA, E. B. V.; MOREIRA, D.; TOSTES; G. W.; CURY, V. E. (2023). Impacto do Racismo nas Vivências de Mulheres Negras Brasileiras: Um Estudo Fenomenológico. Psicologia: Ciência e Profissão, 43(1). Available in: https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-3703003249674.

SCOTT, J. (1995). Gênero: uma categoria útil de análise histórica. Educação & Realidade. Porto Alegre: UFRGS.

SILVEIRA, A.; GOUVEA, A. B. C. T.; HOELTGEBAUM, M. (2007). Empreendedorismo feminino: Características, considerações e entendimentos de mulheres gerentes de Micro e Pequenas Empresas de Santa Catarina, Brasil. In: Anais do X Seminário em Administração. São Paulo.

SILVEIRA, A.; SILVENTE, G. A.; FERREIRA, C. (2016). Intenção empreendedora: fatores e abordagens atuais (janeiro de 2013 a janeiro de 2016). In: SEMEAD SEMINÁRIOS EM ADMINISTRAÇÃO, 19(1), São Paulo. Available in: https://login.semead.com.br/19semead/anais/arquivos/836.pdf.

SIQUEIRA, D. P.; NUNES, D. H.; DE MORAIS, F. S. (2018). Identidade, reconhecimento e personalidade: empreendedorismo da mulher negra.Economic Analysis of Law Review, 9(3), 229-242, 2018. Available in: https://portalrevistas.ucb.br/index.php/EALR/article/view/11055.

SOARES, C. C. (2021). Raça e mercado: os casos de afroempreendedorismo no Rio de Janeiro e Salvador-Brasil. 131 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Sociologia) Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói (RJ). Available in: http://app.uff.br/riuff/handle/1/24211.

UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DA FRONTEIRA SUL - UFFS. (2023). Perfil do Curso. Available in: https://www.uffs.edu.br/campi/chapeco/cursos/graduacao/administracao/perfil-do-curso.

VILLAS BOAS, A. (2010). Valor Feminino: desperte a riqueza que há em você. São Paulo: Ed. Do Autor.

VODA, A. I.; FLOREA, N. (2019). Impact of personality traits and entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial intentions of business and engineering students. Sustainability, Switzerland, 11(4), 1-34. Available in: https://doi.org/10.3390/SU11041192.