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More than Words: Do Gendered Linguistic Structures Widen the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurial Activity?

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  • Diana M. Hechavarría
  • Siri A. Terjesen
  • Pekka Stenholm
  • Malin Brännback
  • Stefan LÃ¥ng

Abstract

Leveraging linguistic relativity theory which suggests that language systems structure thought and action, we investigate the relationship between gendered linguistic structures and the persistent gender gap in early–stage entrepreneurial activity. We use country–level data from 105 countries in 2001–2015 with 55 different languages, and incorporate 32 controls covering a broad range of factors previously associated with entrepreneurial activity. We find that in countries where the dominant language's structure incorporates sex–based systems and gender–differentiated pronouns, there is a greater gender gap in entrepreneurial activity. Our results suggest that gendered linguistic structures reinforce gender stereotypes and discourage women's entry into entrepreneurship.

Suggested Citation

  • Diana M. Hechavarría & Siri A. Terjesen & Pekka Stenholm & Malin Brännback & Stefan LÃ¥ng, 2018. "More than Words: Do Gendered Linguistic Structures Widen the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurial Activity?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(5), pages 797-817, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:42:y:2018:i:5:p:797-817
    DOI: 10.1177/1042258718795350
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    2. Welter, Friederike, 2020. "Contexts and gender: Looking back and thinking forward," Working Papers 01/20, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    3. Loderer, Anja & Muehlfeld, Katrin & Wilken, Robert & Moritz, Alexandra & Slomski, Véronique, 2024. "The language barrier as a springboard towards (team) creativity: An exploratory study of foreign language use in teams," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2).
    4. Cornelius A. Rietveld & Pankaj C. Patel, 2022. "A critical assessment of the National Entrepreneurship Context Index of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor," Papers 2204.05749, arXiv.org.
    5. 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).
    6. Ronald S. Burt, 2019. "Network Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs: Density, Hierarchy, and Success in China and the West," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(1), pages 19-50, January.
    7. Tang, Jintong & Yang, Jun & Ye, Wenping & Khan, Shaji A., 2021. "Now is the time: The effects of linguistic time reference and national time orientation on innovative new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(5).
    8. Natalia Vershinina & Gideon Markman & Liang Han & Peter Rodgers & John Kitching & Nigar Hashimzade & Rowena Barrett, 2022. "Gendered regulations and SME performance in transition economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 1113-1130, February.
    9. Chiara Cannavale & Giorgia Rivieccio & Lorenza Claudio & Iman Zohoorian Nadali, 2023. "The impact of gender egalitarianism on entrepreneurial cognition: a multilevel analysis," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(5), pages 4803-4826, October.
    10. Friederike Welter & Ted Baker & Katharine Wirsching, 2019. "Three waves and counting: the rising tide of contextualization in entrepreneurship research," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 319-330, February.
    11. Mingzhi Hu & Zhongfeng Su & Wenping Ye, 2023. "The future-time reference of home-country language and immigrant self-employment: an imprinting perspective," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 521-535, February.
    12. Summerville, Karoline M. & Chen, Victor Zitian & Shoham, Amir & Taras, Vasyl, 2024. "Speaking of diversity: Can linguistic structural differences explain cultural values toward equity, diversity, and inclusion across the globe?," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 59(1).

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