The Boundaries of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

4. Gender-Related Differences of Founding Intentions: The Role of the Micro-Social Environment, Education and Perceptions of Fostering and Inhibiting Factors (S. 95-96)

4.1 Introduction

According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (Sternberg et al. 2005) and the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) Start-up Monitor 2005 (Hofmann et al. 2005) in Germany, fewer women than men are interested in founding their own company (only 29%), although women represent half of the employed population. Over the last twenty years, academics and economic organizations have demonstrated a growing interest in women entrepreneurs, especially in the United States and Canada where the number of women-owned businesses has been rising. Female Entrepreneurship is now considered to be one of the sources of growth, employment, and innovation.

In the United States, women-owned businesses are the fastest growing sector of new ventures overall (Becker-Blease and Sohl 2007). However, very little is known about women entrepreneurs (Orhan 2001). In contradiction to previous research, which concentrates on women and men during their professional activity, this study concentrates on an earlier point in time and that is before the working life begins: in the prestart- up phase.

This means that situational factors, for example unemployment or poor career opportunities that could occur after the commencement of business activities have not been experienced yet and cannot influence the selection of the professional career (self-employment or not). For this reason, students were selected as a target group, as in most cases, students do not start their professional career during their studies. The micro-social environment (family background, friends, etc.), entrepreneurial education and specific cognitions (fostering and hindering perceptions) towards self-employment that influence the professional choice remain and are examined in this study.

Thus, the goal of this study is to cover a variety of influences on founding intention (family background, educational environment, and cognition) analyzed with regard to gender. This kind of research is important as in Germany the founding intention is comparatively low, and especially in the area of entrepreneurship education there is still a need for further improvement (Opaschowski 2003).

4.2 Literature Overview and Hypothesis Derivation

4.2.1 General Overview

In the following, a comprehensive literature overview will be given (following Blumberg 2005). The studies regarding gender-related differences can generally be assigned to two fundamental theories (Fischer et al. 1993). Liberal feminism as the first theory stems from the liberal political theory. Therein, it is argued that men and women are rationally equal and do not differ in their capabilities and have, thus, the same potential in general. Observable rational differences between male and female entrepreneurs in their achievements are, hence, the result of certain kinds of discrimination during the socialization.

While men have the opportunity to realize their full potential, women are hindered to do so due to their socialization. Liberal feminism concludes that if women are treated equally to men, the differences will diminish and women will be more like men. Social feminism is the second theory that serves as an underlying base for research. Social feminism argues "that there are differences between males` and females` experiences from the earliest moments of life that result in fundamentally different ways of viewing the world" (Fischer et al. 1993, p. 154).