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

Citation

Arshed N, Martin G & Knox S (2023) Ties That Bind or Blind? The Role of Identity and Place in Understanding Women Entrepreneurs’ Support Needs. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 47 (6), pp. 2205-2232. https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587221134786

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.

Keywords
women entrepreneurs; identity work; legitimacy; gendered business support; identity motives

Journal
Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice: Volume 47, Issue 6

• Published Version