Purpose -The number of women choosing entrepreneurship as an occupation continues to grow. However, there are very few start-up high-growth ventures in traditionally non-feminine industries, such as manufacturing or technology. The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to the potential impact of implicit and explicit gender stereotypes on women's high-growth entrepreneurial intention, and to examine the role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in this process. The authors aim to argue that there is a dual stereotype associated with high-growth entrepreneurship (HGE), which negatively impacts on women's intention and self-efficacy, thereby limiting their behavior in this arena. Design/methodology/approach -This is a conceptual paper. Through the lens of stereotype activation theory the authors call for researchers to begin examining these phenomena and to utilize more generalizable samples of entrepreneurial students in future research. Findings -The paper finds that by decreasing the masculine stereotype-related barriers associated with HGE and increasing women's HGE self-efficacy it should be possible to increase women's intention to engage in high-growth venture creation.Research limitations/implications -The paper has valuable implications for entrepreneurship educators and trainers. Practical implications -The paper offers specific and practical suggestions on how entrepreneurship educators and trainers can build women's entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Originality/value -In this paper, the authors bring together prior theory and research on entrepreneurship, gender stereotyping and social cognitive theory to provide a research agenda on the relationship between stereotype threat, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and high-growth entrepreneurial intention.

In one of the first studies to examine how positive affect, negative affect, gender, and gender roles interact with entrepreneurial intention, we conducted an online survey of 849 adults from the western, midwestern, and southern regions of the United States. A higher positive affect was associated with greater intention to start a business, however, lower levels of negative affect were not. As in previous studies, women showed less entrepreneurial intention than men, however, the presence of positive affect had a larger positive impact on women’s entrepreneurial intention than men’s. Contrary to expectations, acceptance of traditional gender roles interacted with entrepreneurial intention such that women’s entrepreneurial intention increased as their support of traditional gender roles increased, and for men, entrepreneurial intention decreased slightly as acceptance of traditional gender roles increased.

The aim of this paper is to examine the potential differences in the entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) of female entrepreneurs who own businesses in gender congruent and incongruent industries. Through the lens of social role theory the four antecedents of efficacy are examined. The results of ten in-depth, qualitative interviews show there are overarching similarities in all factors between the groups but nuanced differences in the areas of mastery experiences, social persuasion and vicarious learning. Differences were also found in the areas of social comparisons and perceived gender stereotypes. The paper discusses how ESE manifests for female entrepreneurs based on the gender congruency of the industry in which her business operates. Last, areas for future research are discussed.

means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without written permission from the publisher. Product or company names used in this set are for identification purposes only. Inclusion of the names of the products or companies does not indicate a claim of ownership by IGI Global of the trademark or registered trademark. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataBritish Cataloguing in Publication Data A Cataloguing in Publication record for this book is available from the British Library.All work contributed to this book is new, previously-unpublished material. The views expressed in this book are those of the authors, but not necessarily of the publisher.For electronic access to this publication, please contact: eresources@igi-global.com.Communication and language analysis in the public sphere / Roderick P. Hart, editor.

No abstract