No Access

GENDER-ROLE ORIENTATION AS A DETERMINANT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SELF-EFFICACY

STEPHEN L. MUELLER

Department of Management, College of Business, BEP 455, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights, KY 41099, USA

Search for more papers by this author

and

MARY CONWAY DATO-ON

Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789, USA

Search for more papers by this author

https://doi.org/10.1142/S108494670800082XCited by:114

Abstract

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) is often included in entrepreneurial intentions models to explain why some individuals are more likely than others to become entrepreneurs. An unsettled question among researchers is whether ESE differs between men and women. While early studies seem to suggest that men have higher ESE than women, more recent studies are inconclusive. Lacking empirical support for gender differences in ESE compels researchers to look for other factors to explain variation in entrepreneurial self-efficacy.

The present study confirms two recent studies by finding no significant difference in ESE between men and women in a representative sample of MBA students. This finding leads to an investigation of gender-role orientation as a possible determinant of differences in entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Results indicate that the relationship between gender-role orientation and entrepreneurial self-efficacy is complex and multifaceted. Early in the venture creation process, the searching and planning tasks demand creativity and innovation where a strong mix of masculine and feminine traits (androgyny) improves performance. Later in the venture creation process, an individual (male or female) with a strong masculine orientation seems better suited for undertaking entrepreneurial tasks associated with persuading and leading others.

Keywords:

References

B. Allgood-Meten and J. Stockard, Sex Roles 25, 129 (1991). Google Scholar
A. Bandura , Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control ( Freeman Press , New York , 1977 ) . Google Scholar
R. A. Baron, G. D. Markman and A. Hirsa, Journal of Applied Psychology 86, 923 (2001). Crossref, Google Scholar
S. L. Bem, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 42, 155 (1974). Crossref, Google Scholar
S. L. Bem , A Manual for the Bem Sex Role Inventory ( Consulting Psychologist Press , Palo Alto, CA , 1981 ) . Google Scholar
N. E. Betz and G. Hackett, Journal of Counseling Psychology 28, 399 (1981). Crossref, Google Scholar
W. Bigoness, Journal of Organizational Behavior 9, 139 (1988). Crossref, Google Scholar
C. Bonnett and A. Furnham, Journal of Economic Psychology 12(3), 465 (1991). Crossref, Google Scholar
D. D. Bowen and R. D. Hisrich, Academy of Management Review 11(2), 393 (1986). Crossref, Google Scholar
N. G. Boyd and G. S. Vozikis, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 18(4), 63 (1994). Crossref, Google Scholar
J. M. Bristor and E. Fischer, Journal of Consumer Research 518 (1993). Google Scholar
C. G. Brush, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 16(4), 5 (1992). Crossref, Google Scholar
E. H. Buttner and D. P. Moore, Journal of Small Business Management 35(1), 34 (1997). Google Scholar
D. B. Carter, Psychological Reports 57, 763 (1985). Crossref, Google Scholar
C. C. Chen, P. G. Greene and A. Crick, Journal of Business Venturing 13, 295 (1998). Crossref, Google Scholar
N. Chodorow , The reproduction of mothering ( University of California Press , Berkeley, CA , 1978 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
N. Choi, Journal of Psychology 138(2), 149 (2004). Crossref, Google Scholar
S. Clement, Journal of Occupational Psychology 60, 257 (1987). Crossref, Google Scholar
A. Constantinople, Psychological Bulletin 80, 389 (1973). Crossref, Google Scholar
J. V. Couch and J. N. Sigler, Psychological Reports 88, 693 (1988). Crossref, Google Scholar
L. W. Cox, S. L. Mueller and S. E. Moss, International Journal of Entrepreneurship Education 1(2), 229 (2002). Google Scholar
R. De Martino and R. Barbato, Journal of Business Venturing 18(6), 815 (2003). Crossref, Google Scholar
A. De Noble , D. Jung and S. Ehrlich , Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research ( Babson College , Boston, MA , 1999 ) . Google Scholar
W. G. Dyer, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 19(2), 7 (1994). Crossref, Google Scholar
F. F. Flaherty and J. B. Dusek, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 38, 984 (1980). Crossref, Google Scholar
M. E. Gist and T. R. Mitchell, Academy of Management Review 17, 83 (1992). Google Scholar
G. Hackett and N. E. Betz, Journal of Vocational Behavior 18, 326 (1981). Crossref, Google Scholar
J. L. Holland , Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Careers ( Prentice-Hall , New York , 1973 ) . Google Scholar
J. L. Holland , Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments , 2nd edn. ( Prentice-Hall , Englewood Cliffs, NJ , 1985 ) . Google Scholar
M. Hosada and D. L. Stone, Perceptual and Motor Skills 90, 1283 (2000). Crossref, Google Scholar
P. Jonsson and I. Carlsson, Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 41(4), 269 (2000). Crossref, Google Scholar
R. M. Kelly , The Gendered Economy ( Sage Publications , Newbury Park, CA , 1991 ) . Google Scholar
R. L. Kent and S. E. Moss, Academy of Management Journal 37(5), 1335 (1994). Crossref, Google Scholar
M. L. Kourilsky and W. B. Walstad, Journal of Business Venturing 13, 77 (1998). Crossref, Google Scholar
N. F. Krueger Jr. and D. V. Brazeal, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 18(3), 91 (1994). Crossref, Google Scholar
Layton, PL (1984). Self-Efficacy, Locus of Control, Career Salience, and Women's Career Choice. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota . Google Scholar
R. W. Lent and G. Hackett, Journal of Vocational Behavior 30, 347 (1987). Crossref, Google Scholar
J. Lorber , Paradoxes of Gender ( Yale University Press , New Haven , 1994 ) . Google Scholar
D. Lubinski, A. Tellegen and J. N. Butcher, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 40, 722 (1981). Crossref, Google Scholar
C. H. Matthews and S. B. Moser, Journal of Small Business Management 34(2), 29 (1996). Google Scholar
T. Matsui, Journal of Vocational Behavior 45, 177 (1994). Crossref, Google Scholar
T. Matsui and M. L. Onglatco, Journal of Vocational Behavior 39, 241 (1991). Crossref, Google Scholar
A. C. McCabe, W. R. Ingram and M. Conway Dato-on, Journal of Business Ethics 64(2), 101 (2006). Crossref, Google Scholar
S. L. Mueller, Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship 9(3), 199 (2004). Google Scholar
S. L. Mueller and S. Goic, International Journal of Entrepreneurship Education 1(4), 613 (2003). Google Scholar
S. L. Mueller and A. S. Thomas, Journal of Business Venturing 16(1), 51 (2001). Crossref, Google Scholar
S. L. Mueller, A. S. Thomas and A. M. Jaeger, Advances in International Management 14, 221 (2002). Google Scholar
R. L. Mullis and K. McKinley, Journal of Adolescent Research 4, 506 (1989). Crossref, Google Scholar
National Women's Foundation (2004). Capturing the impact: Women-owned businesses in the United States Center for Women's Business Research [http://www.nfwbo.org/pressreleases/nationalstatetrends/capturingtheimpact.htm] . Google Scholar
D. D. Nevill and D. I. Schlecker, Psychology of Women Quarterly 12, 91 (1988). Crossref, Google Scholar
T. Norlander, A. Erixon and T. Archer, Social Behavior and Personality 28(5), 423 (2000). Crossref, Google Scholar
J. L. Schereret al., Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice 13(3), 53 (1989). Crossref, Google Scholar
R. Scherer, J. Brodzinski and F. A. Wiebe, Journal of Small Business Management 28(2), 37 (1990). Google Scholar
J. A. Schumpeter , The Theory of Economic Development ( Harvard Press , Cambridge, MA , 1934 ) . Google Scholar
J. M. Sequeira , J. E. McGee and S. L. Mueller , An empirical study of the effect of network ties and self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intentions and nascent behavior , Proceedings of the Southern Management Association 2005 Meeting ( 2005 ) . Google Scholar
D. L. Sexton and N. Bowman , Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research , eds. R. Ronstadt et al. ( Babson College , Wellesley, MA , 1986 ) . Google Scholar
D. L. Sexton and N. Bowman-Upton, Journal of Business Venturing 5, 29 (1990). Crossref, Google Scholar
S. Shane, L. Kolvereid and P. Westhead, Journal of Business Venturing 6, 431 (1991). Crossref, Google Scholar
E. H. Sinar, Journal of Vocational Behavior 7, 99 (1975). Crossref, Google Scholar
Small Business Administration, (2004). [http://www.sba.gov/financing/soecuak/women.html] . Google Scholar
J. T. Spence and R. L. Heimreich , Masculinity and Femininity: Their Psychological Dimensions, Correlates and Antecedents ( University Press , Austin , 1978 ) . Crossref, Google Scholar
J. T. Spence and R. L. Helmreich, Psychology of Women Quarterly 5, 147 (1980). Crossref, Google Scholar
V. Valian , The Advancement of Women ( MIT Press , Cambridge, MA , 1998 ) . Google Scholar
R. Vonk and R. D. Ashmore, Social Psychology Quarterly 56, 278 (1993). Crossref, Google Scholar
J. E. Williams and D. L. Best , Measuring Sex Stereotypes ( Sage Publications Inc. , Beverly Hills, CA , 1982 ) . Google Scholar
J. E. Williams, R. C. Satterwhite and D. L. Best, Sex Roles 40(7/8), 513 (1999). Crossref, Google Scholar
R. Wood and A. Bandura, Academy of Management Review 14, 361 (1989). Crossref, Google Scholar
H. Zhao, S. E. Seibert and G. E. Hills, Journal of Applied Psychology 90(6), 1265 (2005). Crossref, Google Scholar

Vol. 13, No. 01

Metrics

History

Received 1 January 2007

Revised 1 July 2007

Keywords

PDF download

System Upgrade on Tue, Oct 25th, 2022 at 2am (EDT)

GENDER-ROLE ORIENTATION AS A DETERMINANT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SELF-EFFICACY

Abstract

References

Recommended