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Gender, Risk and Venture Creation Intentions

Author

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  • Dawson, Christopher

    (University of Bath)

  • Henley, Andrew

    (Cardiff University)

Abstract

This paper is concerned with whether women are less likely to express business start-up intentions because of a less favourable attitude to risk. Previous research suggests that attitude to risk differs significantly between genders, but has not addressed the question of whether this contributes to lower levels of female interest in venture creation. This paper describes a conceptual basis for this question, and investigates it using a survey of business start-up intention from across a sample of European universities. A large proportion of the difference in average levels of intention between genders appears to be associated with attitude to risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Dawson, Christopher & Henley, Andrew, 2012. "Gender, Risk and Venture Creation Intentions," IZA Discussion Papers 6947, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6947
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    2. Boutin, Delphine & Petifour, Laurene & Megzari, Haris, 2023. "Permanent Instability of Preferences after COVID-19 Crisis: A Natural Experiment from Urban Burkina Faso," IZA Discussion Papers 16075, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Alfonso Expósito & Amparo Sanchis-Llopis & Juan A. Sanchis-Llopis, 2023. "CEO gender and SMEs innovativeness: evidence for Spanish businesses," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 1017-1054, September.
    4. Armin Falk & Fabian Kosse & Pia Pinger & Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch & Thomas Deckers, 2021. "Socioeconomic Status and Inequalities in Children’s IQ and Economic Preferences," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 129(9), pages 2504-2545.
    5. A. Arrighetti & F. Landini & L. Caricati & N. Monacelli, 2015. "Entrepreneurial intention in the time of crisis: a field study," Economics Department Working Papers 2015-EP05, Department of Economics, Parma University (Italy).
    6. Mazrekaj Leonita, 2024. "Gender Entrepreneurial Behaviour: A SSLR (Semi-Systematic Literature Review) Approach," South East European Journal of Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 19(1), pages 77-95.
    7. Rajoana, Jakia & Saxena, Gunjan, 2022. "Role of Sundarbans bagh bidhwa entrepreneurs in tourism," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    8. Giulia Nevi & Chiara Ancillai & Federica Pascucci & Rosa Palladino, 2025. "Investigating female entrepreneurship: a micro-perspective of drivers and barriers for aspiring and experienced women entrepreneurs," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-28, December.
    9. Kay, Rosemarie, 2023. "Zur Unterrepräsentanz von Frauen im Unternehmertum," Daten und Fakten 34, Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn.
    10. Stefania Basiglio & Paola De Vincentiis & Eleonora Isaia & Mariacristina Rossi, 2019. "Credit Access and Approval," Working papers 061, Department of Economics, Social Studies, Applied Mathematics and Statistics (Dipartimento di Scienze Economico-Sociali e Matematico-Statistiche), University of Torino.
    11. 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.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    attitude to risk; entrepreneurship intentions; gender difference;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups

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