Regional Differences in Women’s Entrepreneurial Development in the Post-COVID Era: A Choropleth Thematic Mapping Study of Bihar

The COVID-19 pandemic threw micro, small, and medium enterprises across India into deep disarray. What became clear fairly quickly, though, was that the fallout was anything but uniform, neither across regions nor between men and women. Women entrepreneurs, many of whom operate home-based businesses, found themselves navigating a set of recovery paths that looked quite different depending on where they lived. This study takes a closer look at how women's entrepreneurial development unfolded in the post-COVID period across fifteen districts of Bihar. It draws on primary survey data collected from 150 women entrepreneurs as part of doctoral research, and pairs that with Geographic Information System (GIS) based choropleth thematic mapping for analysis and visual representation. A structured questionnaire was designed to capture business disruption, digital adoption, entrepreneurial risk behaviour, independence in decision-making, financial caution, confidence levels, and future business aspirations. District-level composite indices were then constructed and mapped. The findings point to clear spatial variation. Districts where Self-Help Group (SHG) and JEEViKA networks have deeper roots (Gaya, Nalanda, and Rohtas, for instance) show higher composite behavioural-change scores and quicker digital adoption. Peripheral and flood-prone districts like East Champaran and Begusarai trail behind on both fronts. The study suggests that GIS-based choropleth mapping can serve as a practical diagnostic tool for policymakers who want to design region-specific interventions rather than rolling out blanket state-wide schemes. The paper closes with policy recommendations, stressing that decentralised, cluster-based support (particularly digital literacy initiatives in backward districts and stronger SHG-bank linkages) can help sustain the entrepreneurial resurgence of women in Bihar's post-pandemic economy.