Article: Cultural factors and Arab female entrepreneurs in Spain Journal: International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business (IJESB) 2023 Vol.50 No.2 pp.218 - 242 Abstract: In the Arab world, the families control most of the businesses located in Asia and the Middle East - countries where gender gaps exist and where women have less freedom to directly influence their personal and work lives. In the host countries, formal institutions play a crucial role in affecting women's entrepreneurship. However, many informal factors, such as gender roles and stereotypes, can influence women's behaviour with respect to entrepreneurship. Therefore, this paper analyses the primary motivations of women entrepreneurs in a different cultural environment, Spain, where less than 5% of the adult female population launches businesses. Finally, it discusses how the previously mentioned stereotypes of Arab women influence their initiative in running a business in a psychologically and culturally distant country such as Spain. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Cultural factors and Arab female entrepreneurs in Spain

Authors: Saikat Gochhait; Miriam Cano-Rubio; Rocío Martínez-Jiménez; Sabiha Fazalbhoy

Addresses: Symbiosis Institute of Digital and Telecom Management, Constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India ' Accounting and Finance Economy Department, Santander Family Business Santander Chair, University of Jaén, Spain ' Department of Business Administration, Marketing and Sociology, University of Jaen, Paraje Las Lagunillas, D3-Building, CP: 23071 Jaen, Spain ' MIE-Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), Doha, Qatar

Abstract: In the Arab world, the families control most of the businesses located in Asia and the Middle East - countries where gender gaps exist and where women have less freedom to directly influence their personal and work lives. In the host countries, formal institutions play a crucial role in affecting women's entrepreneurship. However, many informal factors, such as gender roles and stereotypes, can influence women's behaviour with respect to entrepreneurship. Therefore, this paper analyses the primary motivations of women entrepreneurs in a different cultural environment, Spain, where less than 5% of the adult female population launches businesses. Finally, it discusses how the previously mentioned stereotypes of Arab women influence their initiative in running a business in a psychologically and culturally distant country such as Spain.

Keywords: women entrepreneurship; Arab world; Spain; motives and obstacles; gender stereotypes; total early stage entrepreneurial activity; TEA; Global Entrepreneurship Monitor; GEM; UAE; technological innovations; cultural environment; interpretative phenomenological analysis; IPA.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2023.133489

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2023 Vol.50 No.2, pp.218 - 242

Received: 12 Jun 2019
Accepted: 16 Jul 2020
Published online: 18 Sep 2023 *

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Title: Cultural factors and Arab female entrepreneurs in Spain

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