Title: Entrepreneurship and gender: what do behavioural profiles have to do with it?

Authors: Roberto Coda; Davi De França Berne; Patricia Viveiros De Castro Krakauer; Gustavo H.S.M De Moraes

Addresses: UNIFACCAMP – Centro Universitário Campo Limpo Paulista, R. Guatemala, 167 – Campo Limpo Paulista – 13231-230, São Paulo, Brazil ' UNIFACCAMP – Centro Universitário Campo Limpo Paulista, R. Guatemala, 167 – Campo Limpo Paulista – 13231-230, São Paulo, Brazil ' UNIFACCAMP – Centro Universitário Campo Limpo Paulista, R. Guatemala, 167 – Campo Limpo Paulista – 13231-230, São Paulo, Brazil ' UNICAMP – Universidade de Campinas, R. Pedro Zaccaria, 1300 - Limeira - 13484-350, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract: The study investigates managerial profiles of men and women entrepreneurs in micro and small businesses in São Paulo City, Brazil, in light of the view that entrepreneurship is a gender-free phenomenon. A quantitative approach was applied to a sample of 1,099 respondents to assess their preferred behaviours in work situations through a validated self-administered questionnaire. Men more significantly base their behaviours on analytical (strategy) orientation while women do so on mediating (integration) and receptive (people) orientations. Men are producers, monitors and regulators, while women are articulators and considerators. The study reveals the need to segment the process of competency acquisition for male and female entrepreneurs. Male entrepreneurs should focus on enhancing soft skills while women entrepreneurs should be concerned with their technical abilities. The study provides a unique perspective of a Latin American developing country, offering insights regarding the behavioural challenges for improving entrepreneurship education in Brazil.

Keywords: behavioural profiles; small businesses; entrepreneurship; gender.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2021.115319

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2021 Vol.43 No.1, pp.116 - 141

Received: 05 Oct 2019
Accepted: 05 Dec 2019
Published online: 28 May 2021 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article