Sociocultural Factors and Female Entrepreneurship in the Innovative Service Sector in Catalonia : A Qualitative Analysis

The purpose of this chapter is to analyse the main sociocultural factors and their impact on female entrepreneurship in the innovative service sector in Catalonia (Spain) and to establish differences to male initiatives using the institutional approach as a theoretical framework. Based on a comparative case study, the principal findings suggest that social networks, role models, entrepreneurial attitudes and family context are important determinants of female entrepreneurship. Family context is, in particular, a crucial factor, which might have a larger impact on women than men. The research contributes both theoretically, with the creation of knowledge in less researched areas such as female entrepreneurship in Spain, and practically, through the development of sustainable support policies for female entrepreneurial activity