The influence of roles and identities on female entrepreneurial agency Online publication date: Sun, 24-Feb-2008
by Mona Toft Madsen, Helle Neergaard, John P. Ulhoi
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (IJESB), Vol. 5, No. 3/4, 2008
Abstract: Research suggests that barriers and constraints encountered by women are gender-specific, and that women are subject to discriminatory practices. However, by focusing on what women are prevented from doing, much research portrays women as victims of circumstance rather than as individuals with different identity constructions and value systems. This paper challenges the widespread assumption that female entrepreneurial agency is confronted by gender specific barriers, and proposes an alternative perspective based on the integration of role and identity concepts. This portrays women as agents in their own lives rather than merely victims of structural gender-specific barriers. In consequence, the paper proposes that female entrepreneurs construct and reconstruct their identity under the influence of institutionalised practices, which can only be changed from within.
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (IJESB):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:
Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.
If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com