IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/sbusec/v62y2024i3d10.1007_s11187-023-00795-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

From imposter fears to authenticity: a typology of women entrepreneurs

Author

Listed:
  • Ingrid C. Chadwick

    (Concordia University)

  • Alexandra Dawson

    (Concordia University)

Abstract

Research has established that entrepreneurship is a masculine domain in which women are likely to experience identity conflict due to the diverging meanings and behavioral expectations of being an entrepreneur versus being a woman. In this study, we adopt a social identity perspective to investigate how women entrepreneurs perceive their gender in the face of this potential identity conflict. By analyzing the narratives from 20 in-depth interviews with women entrepreneurs, complemented by three focus groups with 44 further women, we contribute to entrepreneurship literature by offering a typology of women entrepreneurs. Based on their perceived gender-entrepreneurial fit and mindset, we characterize these entrepreneurs as experiencing imposter feelings, acceptance, or authenticity. Through this typology, our research illustrates that there is variation in women’s perception of their gender in entrepreneurship, indicating that, while some women entrepreneurs experience imposter feelings from the identity conflict of being both a woman and an entrepreneur, others avoid or overcome such an identity conflict, finding ways to benefit from being different in the face of male dominated views of entrepreneurial success.

Suggested Citation

  • Ingrid C. Chadwick & Alexandra Dawson, 2024. "From imposter fears to authenticity: a typology of women entrepreneurs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 62(3), pages 1025-1050, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:62:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s11187-023-00795-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-023-00795-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11187-023-00795-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11187-023-00795-x?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. Zoltan Acs & Elena Bardasi & Saul Estrin & Jan Svejnar, 2011. "Introduction to special issue of Small Business Economics on female entrepreneurship in developed and developing economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 393-396, November.
    2. Patrick J. Murphy & Jill Kickul & Saulo Dubard-Barbosa & Lindsay Titus, 2007. "Expert capital and perceived legitimacy: Female-run entrepreneurial venture signalling and performance," Post-Print halshs-00155792, HAL.
    3. Kimberly A. Eddleston & Jamie J. Ladge & Cheryl Mitteness & Lakshmi Balachandra, 2016. "Do you See what I See? Signaling Effects of Gender and Firm Characteristics on Financing Entrepreneurial Ventures," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(3), pages 489-514, May.
    4. Verheul, Ingrid & Uhlaner, Lorraine & Thurik, Roy, 2005. "Business accomplishments, gender and entrepreneurial self-image," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 483-518, July.
    5. Sara Carter & Eleanor Shaw & Wing Lam & Fiona Wilson, 2007. "Gender, Entrepreneurship, and Bank Lending: The Criteria and Processes Used by Bank Loan Officers in Assessing Applications," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(3), pages 427-444, May.
    6. Gartner, William B., 2007. "Entrepreneurial narrative and a science of the imagination," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 613-627, September.
    7. John O. Ogbor, 2000. "Mythicizing and Reification in Entrepreneurial Discourse: Ideology‐Critique of Entrepreneurial Studies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(5), pages 605-635, July.
    8. Matthew Lee & Laura Huang, 2018. "Gender Bias, Social Impact Framing, and Evaluation of Entrepreneurial Ventures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(1), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Ardichvili, Alexander & Cardozo, Richard & Ray, Sourav, 2003. "A theory of entrepreneurial opportunity identification and development," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 105-123, January.
    10. Helene Ahl, 2006. "Why Research on Women Entrepreneurs Needs New Directions," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(5), pages 595-621, September.
    11. Philipp Sieger & Marc Gruber & Emmanuelle Fauchart & Thomas Zellweger, 2016. "Measuring the social identity of entrepreneurs: Scale development and international validation," Post-Print hal-01725410, HAL.
    12. Patricia G. Greene & Candida G. Brush & Myra M. Hart & Patrick Saparito, 2001. "Patterns of venture capital funding: Is gender a factor?," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 63-83, January.
    13. Vandewalle, Don, 2012. "A Growth and Fixed Mindset Exposition of the Value of Conceptual Clarity," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(3), pages 301-305, September.
    14. Orla Byrne & Dean A. Shepherd, 2015. "Different Strokes for Different Folks: Entrepreneurial Narratives of Emotion, Cognition, and Making Sense of Business Failure," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(2), pages 375-405, March.
    15. Matthew P. Lynch & Andrew C. Corbett, 2023. "Entrepreneurial mindset shift and the role of cycles of learning," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(1), pages 80-101, January.
    16. Hmieleski, Keith M. & Sheppard, Leah D., 2019. "The Yin and Yang of entrepreneurship: Gender differences in the importance of communal and agentic characteristics for entrepreneurs' subjective well-being and performance," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 709-730.
    17. 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.
    18. Jennings, P. Devereaux & Greenwood, Royston & Lounsbury, Michael D. & Suddaby, Roy, 2013. "Institutions, entrepreneurs, and communities: A special issue on entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 1-9.
    19. Rachel S. Shinnar & Olivier Giacomin & Frank Janssen, 2012. "Entrepreneurial Perceptions and Intentions: The Role of Gender and Culture," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(3), pages 465-493, May.
    20. Susan Marlow & Maura McAdam, 2015. "Incubation or Induction? Gendered Identity Work in the Context of Technology Business Incubation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(4), pages 791-816, July.
    21. Diana M. Hechavarría & Siri A. Terjesen & Amy E. Ingram & Maija Renko & Rachida Justo & Amanda Elam, 2017. "Taking care of business: the impact of culture and gender on entrepreneurs’ blended value creation goals," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 225-257, January.
    22. W. Allen & William Curington, 2014. "The Self-Employment of Men and Women: What are their Motivations?," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 143-161, June.
    23. Daniela Gimenez-Jimenez & Linda F. Edelman & Alexandra Dawson & Andrea Calabrò, 2022. "Women entrepreneurs’ progress in the venturing process: the impact of risk aversion and culture," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 1091-1111, February.
    24. Rey-Martí, Andrea & Tur Porcar, Ana & Mas-Tur, Alicia, 2015. "Linking female entrepreneurs' motivation to business survival," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 810-814.
    25. Frederic Delmar & Per Davidsson, 2000. "Where do they come from? Prevalence and characteristics of nascent entrepreneurs," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(1), pages 1-23, January.
    26. Francisco Liñán & Inmaculada Jaén & Domingo Martín, 2022. "Does entrepreneurship fit her? Women entrepreneurs, gender-role orientation, and entrepreneurial culture," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 1051-1071, February.
    27. Roxana Barbulescu & Matthew Bidwell, 2013. "Do Women Choose Different Jobs from Men? Mechanisms of Application Segregation in the Market for Managerial Workers," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 24(3), pages 737-756, June.
    28. Pierre Azoulay & Benjamin F. Jones & J. Daniel Kim & Javier Miranda, 2020. "Age and High-Growth Entrepreneurship," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 2(1), pages 65-82, March.
    29. Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Powell, Gary N., 2008. "The role of gender identity in explaining sex differences in business owners' career satisfier preferences," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 244-256, March.
    30. Sieger, Philipp & Gruber, Marc & Fauchart, Emmanuelle & Zellweger, Thomas, 2016. "Measuring the social identity of entrepreneurs: Scale development and international validation," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 542-572.
    31. Manuel Feldmann & Martin Lukes & Lorraine Uhlaner, 2022. "Disentangling succession and entrepreneurship gender gaps: gender norms, culture, and family," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 997-1013, February.
    32. Vishal K. Gupta & Daniel B. Turban & S. Arzu Wasti & Arijit Sikdar, 2009. "The Role of Gender Stereotypes in Perceptions of Entrepreneurs and Intentions to Become an Entrepreneur," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(2), pages 397-417, March.
    33. Barbara Bird & Candida Brush, 2002. "A Gendered Perspective on Organizational Creation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 26(3), pages 41-65, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Avnimelech, Gil & Rechter, Eyal, 2023. "How and why accelerators enhance female entrepreneurship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    2. Ladge, Jamie & Eddleston, Kimberly A. & Sugiyama, Keimei, 2019. "Am I an entrepreneur? How imposter fears hinder women entrepreneurs’ business growth," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 62(5), pages 615-624.
    3. 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.
    4. Malin Malmström & Jeaneth Johansson & Joakim Wincent, 2017. "Gender Stereotypes and Venture Support Decisions: How Governmental Venture Capitalists Socially Construct Entrepreneurs’ Potential," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(5), pages 833-860, September.
    5. Yang, Shu & Kher, Romi & Newbert, Scott L., 2020. "What signals matter for social startups? It depends: The influence of gender role congruity on social impact accelerator selection decisions," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(2).
    6. Alice Civera & Michele Meoli, 2023. "Empowering female entrepreneurs through university affiliation: evidence from Italian academic spinoffs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 1337-1355, October.
    7. Gupta, Vishal K. & Goktan, A. Banu & Gunay, Gonca, 2014. "Gender differences in evaluation of new business opportunity: A stereotype threat perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 273-288.
    8. Murnieks, Charles Y. & Cardon, Melissa S. & Haynie, J. Michael, 2020. "Fueling the fire: Examining identity centrality, affective interpersonal commitment and gender as drivers of entrepreneurial passion," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(1).
    9. Yalin Wang & Yaokuang Li & Juan Wu & Li Ling & Dan Long, 2023. "Does digitalization sufficiently empower female entrepreneurs? Evidence from their online gender identities and crowdfunding performance," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 325-348, June.
    10. Milanov, Hana & Justo, Rachida & Bradley, Steven W., 2015. "Making the most of group relationships: The role of gender and boundary effects in microcredit groups," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 822-838.
    11. Francis J. Greene & Liang Han & Susan Marlow, 2013. "Like Mother, Like Daughter? Analyzing Maternal Influences upon Women's Entrepreneurial Propensity," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(4), pages 687-711, July.
    12. Elitzur, Ramy & Solodoha, Eliran, 2021. "Does gender matter? Evidence from crowdfunding," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 16(C).
    13. Malmström, Malin & Voitkane, Aija & Johansson, Jeaneth & Wincent, Joakim, 2018. "When stereotypical gender notions see the light of day, will they burst? Venture capitalists' gender constructions versus venturing performance facts," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 9(C), pages 32-38.
    14. Juan Wu & Yaokuang Li & Daru Zhang, 2019. "Identifying women’s entrepreneurial barriers and empowering female entrepreneurship worldwide: a fuzzy-set QCA approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 905-928, September.
    15. Kimberly A. Eddleston & Jamie J. Ladge & Cheryl Mitteness & Lakshmi Balachandra, 2016. "Do you See what I See? Signaling Effects of Gender and Firm Characteristics on Financing Entrepreneurial Ventures," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(3), pages 489-514, May.
    16. Lauto, Giancarlo & Salvador, Elisa & Visintin, Francesca, 2022. "For what they are, not for what they bring: The signaling value of gender for financial resource acquisition in academic spin-offs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(7).
    17. 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.
    18. Jörg Prokop & Dandan Wang, 2022. "Is there a gender gap in equity-based crowdfunding?," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 1219-1244, October.
    19. 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.
    20. Aparicio, Sebastian & Audretsch, David & Noguera, Maria & Urbano, David, 2022. "Can female entrepreneurs boost social mobility in developing countries? An institutional analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; Gender; Social identity; Authenticity; Imposter phenomenon;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:kap:sbusec:v:62:y:2024:i:3:d:10.1007_s11187-023-00795-x. 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.