Gender differences in social entrepreneurial activity engagement: The effect of fundamental preferences

Despite recognising social entrepreneurship as a contemporary approach to societal challenges, our understanding of what drives individuals’ engagement in social entrepreneurial activity (SEA) remains underdeveloped. Viewing social entrepreneurship as a choice influenced by societal norms, we emphasise the role of fundamental preferences as normative cultural aspects that inform decision-making and behaviour. Drawing on gender role congruity theory and data from the Global Preferences Survey, we investigate how fundamental preferences and gender interact to shape SEA engagement. Our results indicate that in societies with a strong preference for altruism, men are more likely to engage in SEA than women. Conversely, in societies characterised by negative reciprocity and trust, women exhibit higher SEA engagement than men. By challenging traditional gender role assumptions, our study enhances understanding of multilevel determinants of SEA from a gender role congruity perspective, highlights the role of fundamental preferences, and expands knowledge on gender effects in social entrepreneurship.