The influence of culture on women´s entrepreneurial intentions

• Main Author: Aldag, Louisa Sophie
• Publication Date: 2021
• Format: Master thesis
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/34692
• topic: Female entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurial intention; Gender inequalities; Theory of planned behaviour

This study investigates how culture influences the drivers of entrepreneurial intention among women. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) data of four different European countries from 2014 to 2016 was used as well as Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. We analysed gender differences across cultures in shaping perceptions of the drivers to foster entrepreneurial activity. In line with the Theory of Planned Behaviour, we found that women have weaker personal attraction, perceived behavioural control and partly weaker subjective norms towards entrepreneurship than men. Our findings show that when women overcome such barriers, women’s entrepreneurial intention across cultures increases significantly. Perceived behavioural control for women is moderated by culture, with perceived own skills having stronger effects in low masculinity cultures, and networks being more valuable in high masculinity and high power distance cultures. These findings suggest that policymakers need to adapt programs and initiatives to the cultural context to effectively increase entrepreneurial activity among women.