Title: The high-growth expectation of early-stage entrepreneurs: an international approach to the role of gendered contexts

Authors: Matilde Ruiz-Arroyo; María Del Mar Fuentes-Fuentes; Ana Maria Bojica; Jenny María Ruiz-Jiménez

Addresses: Department of Business Administration, University of Granada, Campus de Melilla, c/Santander, 1, C.P. 52005, Melilla, Spain ' Department of Business Administration, School of Economics and Management, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, C.P. 18071, Granada, Spain ' Department of Business Administration, School of Economics and Management, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, C.P. 18071, Granada, Spain ' Department of Business Administration, School of Economics and Management, University of Granada, Campus de Cartuja, s/n, C.P. 18071, Granada, Spain

Abstract: High-growth entrepreneurship emerges as a crucial economic phenomenon, given its remarkably positive impact on job creation and sustainable economic growth. We focus this study on entrepreneurs' high-growth expectation, as growth aspirations have been proven to be chief contributors to firm growth. Specifically, in light of the growing importance of women's participation in entrepreneurship, we evaluate possible differences in high-growth expectations between men and women entrepreneurs and explore the role of context in causing gender differences. Drawing on a sample from 44 countries in the 2009 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), we find that the effect of gender differs depending on the country's level of gender inequality. We thus conclude that the effect of gender on the entrepreneur's high-growth expectation is context-specific.

Keywords: high-growth expectation; early-stage entrepreneurs; context; country gender gap; gendered institutions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJESB.2017.083803

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2017 Vol.31 No.1, pp.123 - 144

Received: 13 Jan 2016
Accepted: 13 Jan 2016
Published online: 24 Apr 2017 *

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