Spaces of Innovation and Women Rural Entrepreneurship in Italy

Abstract

This paper deals with “gendering innovation”, with the purpose of exploring the entrepreneurial spaces of innovation among Italian farms managed by women. More precisely, the hypothesis is that entrepre-neurial orientation has to be considered the engine of innovation adoption in different rural contexts, by creating new spaces for innovation. The research is grounded on primary sources using a questionnaire administered to a sample of women farmers in all regions of Italy, with the purpose of investigating complex dimensions behind the decision of innovation uptake, with a special focus on the relevance of entrepreneurial orientation. Empirical analysis lets different “worlds of female innovation” to emerge, which are grounded on both conventional and alternative agrifood networks. Taking on the perspective of entrepreneurial spaces of innovation implies to design a diversified set of policy action with the purpose of affecting these entrepreneurial spaces. This is particularly urgent in the perspective of gender main-streaming of rural development policies of the European Union.

Personal Characteristics and Strategic Entrepreneurial Behaviour of Rural Female Entrepreneurs: Insights From Oman

“…Nonetheless, despite limited resources, the vast majority of responders exhibited entrepreneurial orientation by forging ahead. A recent study posits that entrepreneurial orientation must be considered the engine of innovation adoption in different rural contexts (De Rosa et al, 2021).…”

“…Interestingly, parents are favored as business partners over spouses, demonstrating the significant impact of family dynamics on business decisions (Ghouse et al, 2021). Financial resources and incentives are important to stimulate entrepreneurship (De Rosa et al, 2021), which leads to the expansion of rural firms in emerging economies (Gyimah & Lussier, 2021). Some previous researchers have proposed that in patriarchal societies, societal norms and religious beliefs might stifle female participation in employment and business (Koburtay et al, 2018).…”