Explaining female and male entrepreneurship at the country level
Using Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data for 29 countries this study investigates the (differential) impact of several factors on female and male entrepreneurship at the country level. These factors are derived from three streams of literature, including that on entrepreneurship in general, on female labour force participation and on female entrepreneurship. The paper deals with the methodological aspects of investigating (female) entrepreneurship by distinguishing between two measures of female entrepreneurship: the <italic>number</italic> of female entrepreneurs and the <italic>share</italic> of women in the total number of entrepreneurs. The first measure is used to investigate whether variables have an impact on entrepreneurship in general (influencing both the number of female and male entrepreneurs). The second measure is used to investigate whether factors have a differential relative impact on female and male entrepreneurship, i.e. whether they influence the <italic>diversity</italic> or <italic>gender composition</italic> of entrepreneurship. Findings indicate that -- by and large -- female and male entrepreneurial activity rates are influenced by the same factors and in the same direction. However, for some factors (e.g. unemployment, life satisfaction) we find a differential impact on female and male entrepreneurship. The present study also shows that the factors influencing the <italic>number</italic> of female entrepreneurs may be different from those influencing the <italic>share</italic> of female entrepreneurs. In this light it is important that governments are aware of what they want to accomplish (i.e. do they want to stimulate the number of female entrepreneurs or the gender composition of entrepreneurship) to be able to select appropriate policy measures.
Year of publication: |
2006
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Authors: | Verheul, Ingrid ; Stel, André Van ; Thurik, Roy |
Published in: |
Entrepreneurship & Regional Development. - Taylor & Francis Journals, ISSN 0898-5626. - Vol. 18.2006, 2, p. 151-183
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Publisher: |
Taylor & Francis Journals |
Saved in:
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