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Ties That Bind or Blind? The Role of Identity and Place in Understanding Women Entrepreneurs’ Support Needs

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  • Norin Arshed
  • Graeme Martin
  • Stephen Knox

Abstract

This article explores how women entrepreneurs enact identity work to construct their identities at the intersection of gender and entrepreneurship while facing challenges to their legitimacy as entrepreneurs. These legitimacy challenges trigger reflections into who they are as entrepreneurs, and where they belong within entrepreneurial contexts. We draw on 24 focus groups with women entrepreneurs and 30 interviews with enterprise support organizations. We present a model which advances our understanding of the complex identities of women entrepreneurs and how their use of identity work enables them (or not) to become legitimate members of an entrepreneurial community.

Suggested Citation

  • Norin Arshed & Graeme Martin & Stephen Knox, 2023. "Ties That Bind or Blind? The Role of Identity and Place in Understanding Women Entrepreneurs’ Support Needs," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(6), pages 2205-2232, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:47:y:2023:i:6:p:2205-2232
    DOI: 10.1177/10422587221134786
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Norin Arshed & Dominic Chalmers & Russell Matthews, 2019. "Institutionalizing Women’s Enterprise Policy: A Legitimacy-Based Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 43(3), pages 553-581, May.
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    4. Mathias, Blake D. & Williams, David W., 2018. "Giving up the hats? Entrepreneurs' role transitions and venture growth," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 261-277.
    5. Shepherd, Dean & Haynie, J. Michael, 2009. "Birds of a feather don't always flock together: Identity management in entrepreneurship," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 316-337, July.
    6. Alistair R. Anderson & Lorraine Warren & Jo Bensemann, 2019. "Identity, Enactment, and Entrepreneurship Engagement in a Declining Place," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(4), pages 1559-1577, October.
    7. O'Neil, Isobel & Ucbasaran, Deniz & York, Jeffrey G., 2022. "The evolution of founder identity as an authenticity work process," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 37(1).
    8. Yasuyuki Motoyama & Susan Clark Muntean & Karren Knowlton & Banu Ozkazanc-Pan, 2021. "Causes of the gender divide within entrepreneurship ecosystems," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 36(3), pages 187-204, May.
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