IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/intemj/v12y2016i2d10.1007_s11365-014-0341-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

From feminism to FemInc.ism: On the uneasy relationship between feminism, entrepreneurship and the Nordic welfare state

Author

Listed:
  • Helene Ahl

    (Jönköping University)

  • Karin Berglund

    (Stockholm University School of Business)

  • Katarina Pettersson

    (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)

  • Malin Tillmar

    (Linköping University)

Abstract

Feminism in the Nordic countries was primarily formulated in terms of ‘state feminism’. The women’s movement cooperated with feminist government officials and politicians, resulting in societies that can be considered to be the most gender-equal societies in the world. Historically, the state provided for a large publicly-financed welfare sector which made it possible for many women to combine work and family through the state’s implementation of family-friendly policies, while simultaneously providing employment opportunities for many women. However, since the financial crisis of the 1990s, there has been a political change influenced by neo-liberal thought, in which politicians have handed over the welfare state’s responsibilities to the market, and, instead, the politicians have encouraged entrepreneurship, not least among women. Further to this development, there has been a change in emphasis from entrepreneurship (understood as starting and running a business) to entrepreneurialism which, in addition to a belief in the efficacy of market forces, also contains a social dimension where individuals are supposed to be flexible and exercise choice. In this article, we ask whether this entails a change in the feminist project in the Nordic countries, and if so, what the likely consequences are for this project, both in practice and in research. In order to answer this question, we reviewed existing Nordic research on women’s entrepreneurship and examined how this body of work conceptualizes entrepreneurship, gender, the state, and equality. We also considered whether any trends could be identified. We relate our findings to recent changes in government policy and conclude that the current discourse on entrepreneurship challenges, and possibly weakens, state feminism, but we also conclude that this discourse may also provide space for new forms of feminist action, in market terms. We coin the term FemInc.ism to denote feminist action through enterprise and we discuss a number of important challenges that research on this phenomenon is faced with.

Suggested Citation

  • Helene Ahl & Karin Berglund & Katarina Pettersson & Malin Tillmar, 2016. "From feminism to FemInc.ism: On the uneasy relationship between feminism, entrepreneurship and the Nordic welfare state," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 369-392, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:intemj:v:12:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11365-014-0341-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11365-014-0341-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11365-014-0341-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11365-014-0341-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Du Rietz, Anita & Henrekson, Magnus, 2000. "Testing the Female Underperformance Hypothesis," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, February.
    2. John Watson, 2002. "Comparing the Performance of Male-and Female-Controlled Businesses: Relating Outputs to Inputs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 26(3), pages 91-100, April.
    3. Helene Ahl, 2006. "Why Research on Women Entrepreneurs Needs New Directions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(5), pages 595-621, September.
    4. Gry Agnete Alsos & Elisabet Ljunggren, 1998. "Does The Business Start-Up Process Differ By Gender? - A Longitudinal Study Of Nascent Entrepreneurs," Journal of Enterprising Culture (JEC), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 6(04), pages 347-367.
    5. Eriksson, Päivi & Henttonen, Elina & Meriläinen, Susan, 2008. "Managerial work and gender--Ethnography of cooperative relationships in small software companies," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 354-363, December.
    6. Katarina Pettersson & Charlotta Hedberg, 2013. "Moving out of 'their places'? Immigrant women care entrepreneurs in Sweden," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 19(3), pages 345-361.
    7. Karin Berglund & Anders W. Johansson, 2007. "Entrepreneurship, discourses and conscientization in processes of regional development," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(6), pages 499-525.
    8. Karin Berglund & Carina Holmgren, 2013. "Entrepreneurship education in policy and practice," International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(1), pages 9-27.
    9. Pia Ulvenblad & Marita Blomkvist & Joakim Winborg, 2011. "Academic entrepreneurship – the structure of incubator management and best practice reported on Swedish business incubators' websites," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 12(4), pages 445-458.
    10. Shane, Scott & Kolvereid, Lars & Westhead, Paul, 1991. "An exploratory examination of the reasons leading to new firm formation across country and gender," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 6(6), pages 431-446, November.
    11. Paivi Eriksson & Elina Henttonen & Susan Merilainen, 2008. "The growth strategies of women-controlled SMEs: a case study on Finnish software companies," International Journal of Business Excellence, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(4), pages 434-447.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Anna Alexandersson & Viktorija Kalonaityte, 2021. "Girl bosses, punk poodles, and pink smoothies: Girlhood as Enterprising Femininity," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 416-438, January.
    2. Magdalena Petersson McIntyre, 2021. "Commodifying feminism: Economic choice and agency in the context of lifestyle influencers and gender consultants," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 1059-1078, May.
    3. Karin Berglund & Helene Ahl & Katarina Pettersson & Malin Tillmar, 2018. "Women's entrepreneurship, neoliberalism and economic justice in the postfeminist era: A discourse analysis of policy change in Sweden," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(5), pages 531-556, September.
    4. Manuel Carlos Nogueira & Mara Madaleno, 2021. "Is the Aurora Borealis an Inspiration to the Performance of Nordic Economic Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, September.
    5. Pettersson, Katarina & Ahl, Helene & Berglund, Karin & Tillmar, Malin, 2017. "In the name of women? Feminist readings of policies for women’s entrepreneurship in Scandinavia," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 50-63.
    6. Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández & Rashmi Assudani & Imane Khayat, 2019. "Role of context on propensity of women to own business," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 9(1), pages 1-19, December.
    7. Feng Guo & Bo Zou & Jinyu Guo & Yan Shi & Qingwen Bo & Liangxing Shi, 2019. "What determines academic entrepreneurship success? A social identity perspective," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 929-952, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sara Poggesi & Michela Mari & Luisa Vita, 2016. "What’s new in female entrepreneurship research? Answers from the literature," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 735-764, September.
    2. Lee, In Hyeock & Paik, Yongsun & Uygur, Ugur, 2016. "Does Gender Matter in the Export Performance of International New Ventures? Mediation Effects of Firm-specific and Country-specific Advantages," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 365-379.
    3. Pettersson, Katarina & Ahl, Helene & Berglund, Karin & Tillmar, Malin, 2017. "In the name of women? Feminist readings of policies for women’s entrepreneurship in Scandinavia," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 50-63.
    4. Kalnins, Arturs & Williams, Michele, 2014. "When do female-owned businesses out-survive male-owned businesses? A disaggregated approach by industry and geography," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 822-835.
    5. Alfonso Expósito & Juan A. Amparo Sanchis-Llopis & Juan A. Juan A. Sanchis-Llopis, 2023. "Does entrepreneur gender matter in SMEs performance? The role of innovations," Working Papers 2308, Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Valencia.
    6. Tesfaye T. Lemma & Tendai Gwatidzo & Mthokozisi Mlilo, 2023. "Gender differences in business performance: evidence from Kenya and South Africa," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 591-614, February.
    7. Helene Ahl, 2006. "Why Research on Women Entrepreneurs Needs New Directions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(5), pages 595-621, September.
    8. Marcus Box & Tommy Larsson Segerlind, 2018. "Entrepreneurial Teams, Gender, and New Venture Survival: Contexts and Institutions," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(2), pages 21582440187, May.
    9. Marit Rønsen, 2012. "The family - a barrier or motivation for female entrepreneurship?," Discussion Papers 727, Statistics Norway, Research Department.
    10. Constanze Eib & Steffi Siegert, 2019. "Is Female Entrepreneurship Only Empowering for Single Women? Evidence from France and Germany," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-19, April.
    11. Alonso-Almeida, María del Mar, 2013. "Influence of gender and financing on tourist company growth," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(5), pages 621-631.
    12. Elena Bardasi & Shwetlena Sabarwal & Katherine Terrell, 2011. "How do female entrepreneurs perform? Evidence from three developing regions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 417-441, November.
    13. Sara Poggesi & Michela Mari & Luisa Vita & Lene Foss, 2020. "Women entrepreneurship in STEM fields: literature review and future research avenues," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 17-41, March.
    14. Justo, Rachida & DeTienne, Dawn R. & Sieger, Philipp, 2015. "Failure or voluntary exit? Reassessing the female underperformance hypothesis," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 775-792.
    15. Maria Bastida & Ana Olveira & Miguel Ángel Vázquez Taín, 2023. "Are cooperatives gender sensitive? A confirmatory and predictive analysis of women's collective entrepreneurship," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 94(4), pages 1035-1059, December.
    16. Ayala, Juan-Carlos & Manzano, Guadalupe, 2014. "The resilience of the entrepreneur. Influence on the success of the business. A longitudinal analysis," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 126-135.
    17. Barbara Orser & Allan Riding & Julie Weeks, 2019. "The efficacy of gender-based federal procurement policies in the United States," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 491-515, August.
    18. Dautzenberg, Kirsti & Müller-Seitz, Gordon, 2011. "Technologieorientierte Unternehmensgründungen als Männerdomäne?," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 65(3), pages 238-262.
    19. Charles Ackah & Richard Osei Bofah & Derek Asuman, 2017. "Who Are Africa’S Entrepreneurs? Comparative Evidence From Ghana And Uganda," Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship (JDE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(04), pages 1-23, December.
    20. Sabarwal, Shwetlena & Terrell, Katherine, 2008. "Does Gender Matter for Firm Performance? Evidence from Eastern Europe and Central Asia," IZA Discussion Papers 3758, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:intemj:v:12:y:2016:i:2:d:10.1007_s11365-014-0341-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.