Title: Role of social capital and self-efficacy in opportunity recognition of female entrepreneurs: insights from Turkey and Vietnam

Authors: Akin Koçak; Anh T. Phan; Vincent Edwards

Addresses: Ankara University, A.Ü. Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi, Cemal Gürsel Cad., Cebeci, Ankara, 06590 Turkey ' International University, Vietnam National University – HCMC, Linh Trung, Thu Duc, Ho Chi Minh City, 70000 Vietnam ' Buckinghamshire New University, Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ, UK

Abstract: This paper seeks to explore how women entrepreneurs' social capital and self-efficacy affect their opportunity recognition. This study focused exclusively on women entrepreneurs rather than comparing men and women entrepreneurs. The study is based on a multiple case study and cultural comparison of six Turkish and six Vietnamese women entrepreneurs. Social cognitive theory is used as the theoretical framework in this study. The results showed that social capital plays a significant role in affecting opportunity recognition in both countries. Self-efficacy effects vary across the cases and the two countries. Culture has a significant role in mediating the effect of self-efficacy.

Keywords: women entrepreneurs; social capital; self-efficacy; opportunity recognition; cultural comparison; Turkey; Vietnam; female entrepreneurs; entrepreneurship; social cognitive theory; entrepreneurial opportunities; culture.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2013.052059

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2013 Vol.18 No.2, pp.211 - 228

Published online: 30 Sep 2013 *

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