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Don’t Pitch Like a Girl!: How Gender Stereotypes Influence Investor Decisions

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  • Lakshmi Balachandra
  • Tony Briggs
  • Kim Eddleston
  • Candida Brush

Abstract

We consider the role that gender-stereotyped behaviors play in investors’ evaluations of men- and women-owned ventures. Contrary to research suggesting that investors exhibit bias against women, we find that being a woman entrepreneur does not diminish interest by investors. Rather, our findings reveal that investors are biased against the display of feminine-stereotyped behaviors by entrepreneurs, men and women alike. Our study finds that investor decisions are driven in part by observations of gender-stereotyped behaviors and the implicit associations with the entrepreneur’s business competency, rather than the entrepreneur’s sex.

Suggested Citation

  • Lakshmi Balachandra & Tony Briggs & Kim Eddleston & Candida Brush, 2019. "Don’t Pitch Like a Girl!: How Gender Stereotypes Influence Investor Decisions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 116-137, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:43:y:2019:i:1:p:116-137
    DOI: 10.1177/1042258717728028
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    References listed on IDEAS

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