Hardback
Women Entrepreneurs and the Myth of ‘Underperformance’
A New Look at Women’s Entrepreneurship Research
9781786434494 Edward Elgar Publishing
Taking a fresh look at how performance is defined by examining the institutional power structures and policies, eminent scholars herein explore ways to overcome constrained performance and encourage women’s entrepreneurial activities through a variety of methodological approaches and geographical contexts.
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Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Taking a fresh look at how performance is defined by examining the institutional power structures and policies, eminent scholars herein explore ways to overcome constrained performance and encourage women’s entrepreneurial activities through a variety of methodological approaches and geographical contexts.
Significantly, this book adds a critical perspective to defining ‘success’ and ‘performance’, shattering misconceptions of underperformance in women-owned enterprises. The contributing authors raise questions on the limiting concept of the ‘entrepreneur’ and have valuable insights into policies to facilitate female entrepreneurs. Instead of taking a one-sided and narrow approach with regards to understanding the entrepreneurship performance phenomenon, this book argues that future researchers should take a fresh look at business performance, considering structural constraints, definitions of success and other socio-political factors.
Scholars in the fields of entrepreneurship, gender studies, and institutional theory, as well as those who have a general interest in critical research, will benefit from this progressive step in entrepreneurship research.
Significantly, this book adds a critical perspective to defining ‘success’ and ‘performance’, shattering misconceptions of underperformance in women-owned enterprises. The contributing authors raise questions on the limiting concept of the ‘entrepreneur’ and have valuable insights into policies to facilitate female entrepreneurs. Instead of taking a one-sided and narrow approach with regards to understanding the entrepreneurship performance phenomenon, this book argues that future researchers should take a fresh look at business performance, considering structural constraints, definitions of success and other socio-political factors.
Scholars in the fields of entrepreneurship, gender studies, and institutional theory, as well as those who have a general interest in critical research, will benefit from this progressive step in entrepreneurship research.
Critical Acclaim
‘A must read for all entrepreneurship scholars because it helps us to understand and appreciate the real and many roles of women entrepreneurs, their relevance and importance to societies across the World, as well as the challenges and issues women entrepreneurs can face. An exciting and interesting read which presents us with critical questions for the future – thank you.’
– Sarah Jack, Lancaster University Management School, UK
‘To date performance of businesses started and run by women has been dominated by objective, economic metrics which in comparisons of men and women, may show that women under-perform. This book argues that this perspective is one-sided and narrow with regards to understanding the entrepreneurship phenomenon. Instead, the authors take a fresh look at business performance, considering structural constraints, definitions of success and other socio-political factors that help us to understand success and value creation of women entrepreneurs, and lead us in new research directions.’
– Candida Brush, Babson College, US
‘This book adds a critical perspective on “success”, shattering misconceptions on underperformance of women-owned enterprises. Incorporating valuable insights on policies to overcome constrained performance and facilitate female entrepreneurs, and raising questions on the limiting concept of “entrepreneur”, it represents a big step forward in the research agenda on female entrepreneurs. It is a highly relevant and recommended volume not only for all those with interest in women’s entrepreneurial activity but also the general field of entrepreneurship.’
– Anne de Bruin, Massey University, New Zealand
‘This edited group of contributions brings together a range of scholars to challenge myths that cloud our understanding and appreciation of female entrepreneurship. It offers insights that add to the emergent ‘social turn’ in entrepreneurship research. The narrow view of performance, if measured only in limited economic and financial terms, is demonstrated to neglect the vital social contributions. Importantly, the contribution to entrepreneurial scholarship is broader than female enterprising. The chapters illustrate the adaptability and flexibility of entrepreneurial practice. They show how entrepreneurs not only engage with economic, social and cultural circumstances, but how they fit into these contexts to generate a range of values.’
– Alistair R. Anderson, Robert Gordon University, UK
– Sarah Jack, Lancaster University Management School, UK
‘To date performance of businesses started and run by women has been dominated by objective, economic metrics which in comparisons of men and women, may show that women under-perform. This book argues that this perspective is one-sided and narrow with regards to understanding the entrepreneurship phenomenon. Instead, the authors take a fresh look at business performance, considering structural constraints, definitions of success and other socio-political factors that help us to understand success and value creation of women entrepreneurs, and lead us in new research directions.’
– Candida Brush, Babson College, US
‘This book adds a critical perspective on “success”, shattering misconceptions on underperformance of women-owned enterprises. Incorporating valuable insights on policies to overcome constrained performance and facilitate female entrepreneurs, and raising questions on the limiting concept of “entrepreneur”, it represents a big step forward in the research agenda on female entrepreneurs. It is a highly relevant and recommended volume not only for all those with interest in women’s entrepreneurial activity but also the general field of entrepreneurship.’
– Anne de Bruin, Massey University, New Zealand
‘This edited group of contributions brings together a range of scholars to challenge myths that cloud our understanding and appreciation of female entrepreneurship. It offers insights that add to the emergent ‘social turn’ in entrepreneurship research. The narrow view of performance, if measured only in limited economic and financial terms, is demonstrated to neglect the vital social contributions. Importantly, the contribution to entrepreneurial scholarship is broader than female enterprising. The chapters illustrate the adaptability and flexibility of entrepreneurial practice. They show how entrepreneurs not only engage with economic, social and cultural circumstances, but how they fit into these contexts to generate a range of values.’
– Alistair R. Anderson, Robert Gordon University, UK
Contributors
Contributors: R. Aidis, A. Akdeniz AR, H. Baiya, S Barakat, M. Boddington, D. Brozik, J.O. De Castro, L. Delgado-Márquez, S. Dewitt, W. Farraj, A. Fayolle, A.T. Hailemariam, C. Henry, C. Hoyte, B. Irene, J. Johansson, R. Justo, A. Kamau, P. Kamau, G. Khoury, B. Kroon, A. Lindgreen, J. Lockyer, M. Malmström, M. Milliance, D. Muia, R. Narendran, J. Ndung’u, S. Saeed, N. Sappleton, S. Sheikh, F. Sist, S. Sultan, A. Voitkane, J. Wincent, S. Yousafzai, A. Zapalska
Contents
Contents:
Introduction
Shumaila Yousafzai, Alain Fayolle, Adam Lindgreen, Colette Henry, Saadat Saeed and Shandana Sheikh
PART 1 Performance, success and value in entrepreneurship: a women’s perspective
1. Redefining Success beyond Economic Growth and Wealth Generation: The Case of Ethiopia
Atsede T. Hailemariam and Brigitte Kroon
2. Value creation through women’s entrepreneurship
Shandana Sheikh, Shumaila Yousafzai, Federica Sist, Aybeniz Akdeniz and Saadat Saeed
3. Stepping into power: Women leaders and their journey of self-redefinition
Milka Milliance
PART 2 Challenging underperformance hypothesis and acknowledging the constrained performance of women entrepreneurs
4. Hitting the top: Is there a glass ceiling for high-growth women entrepreneurs?
Ruta Aidis
5. Indigenous entrepreneurship: Māori female entrepreneurs in the tourism industry and constraints to their success
Alina Zapalska and Dallas Brozik
6. Women entrepreneurs in South Africa: maintaining a balance between culture, personal life, and business
Bridget Irene
7. How vague entrepreneurial identities of Swedish women entrepreneurs are performed by the government financiers
Aija Voitkane, Jeaneth Johansson, Malin Malmström, and Joakim Wincent
8. Socially constructed masculine domination: Officials’ perception of female entrepreneurs in Kerala, India
Roshni Narendran
PART 3 Overcoming constrained performance: Facilitating women entrepreneurs
9. Exploring alternative gendered social structures within entrepreneurship education: notes from a women’s-only enterprise programme in the United Kingdom
Monique Boddington and Shima Barakat
10. Bridging entrepreneurial gender gap through social protection among women small-scale traders in Kenya
Anne Kamau, Paul Kamau, Daniel Muia, Harun Baiya and Jane Ndung’u
11. Challenges to formalization of Palestinian female-owned home-based businesses
Grace Khoury, Wojdan Farraj and Suhail Sultan
12. The influence of gender on social orientation and family-friendly policies in community-based enterprises in Brazil
Luisa Delgado-Márquez, Rachida Justo and Julio O. De Castro
PART 4 Moving Forward
13. Gender and business performance: The role of entrepreneurial segregation
Natalie Sappleton
14. Still bringing up the rear: Why women will always be ‘Other’ in entrepreneurship’s masculine instrumental discourse
Joan Lockyer, Cherisse Hoyte, and Sunita Dewitt
Index
Introduction
Shumaila Yousafzai, Alain Fayolle, Adam Lindgreen, Colette Henry, Saadat Saeed and Shandana Sheikh
PART 1 Performance, success and value in entrepreneurship: a women’s perspective
1. Redefining Success beyond Economic Growth and Wealth Generation: The Case of Ethiopia
Atsede T. Hailemariam and Brigitte Kroon
2. Value creation through women’s entrepreneurship
Shandana Sheikh, Shumaila Yousafzai, Federica Sist, Aybeniz Akdeniz and Saadat Saeed
3. Stepping into power: Women leaders and their journey of self-redefinition
Milka Milliance
PART 2 Challenging underperformance hypothesis and acknowledging the constrained performance of women entrepreneurs
4. Hitting the top: Is there a glass ceiling for high-growth women entrepreneurs?
Ruta Aidis
5. Indigenous entrepreneurship: Māori female entrepreneurs in the tourism industry and constraints to their success
Alina Zapalska and Dallas Brozik
6. Women entrepreneurs in South Africa: maintaining a balance between culture, personal life, and business
Bridget Irene
7. How vague entrepreneurial identities of Swedish women entrepreneurs are performed by the government financiers
Aija Voitkane, Jeaneth Johansson, Malin Malmström, and Joakim Wincent
8. Socially constructed masculine domination: Officials’ perception of female entrepreneurs in Kerala, India
Roshni Narendran
PART 3 Overcoming constrained performance: Facilitating women entrepreneurs
9. Exploring alternative gendered social structures within entrepreneurship education: notes from a women’s-only enterprise programme in the United Kingdom
Monique Boddington and Shima Barakat
10. Bridging entrepreneurial gender gap through social protection among women small-scale traders in Kenya
Anne Kamau, Paul Kamau, Daniel Muia, Harun Baiya and Jane Ndung’u
11. Challenges to formalization of Palestinian female-owned home-based businesses
Grace Khoury, Wojdan Farraj and Suhail Sultan
12. The influence of gender on social orientation and family-friendly policies in community-based enterprises in Brazil
Luisa Delgado-Márquez, Rachida Justo and Julio O. De Castro
PART 4 Moving Forward
13. Gender and business performance: The role of entrepreneurial segregation
Natalie Sappleton
14. Still bringing up the rear: Why women will always be ‘Other’ in entrepreneurship’s masculine instrumental discourse
Joan Lockyer, Cherisse Hoyte, and Sunita Dewitt
Index
