Does identity shape an entrepreneurs experience? This question is the main concern of many people especially when it is related to gender identity. I found very interesting article on how gender identity shapes an entrepreneurs experience, which can be found here: https://noppa.lut.fi/noppa/opintojakso/…/referointitehtava_12.pdf (The role of gender identity in explaining sex differences in business owners’ career satisfier preferences by Kimberly A. Eddleston and Gary N. Powell)
According to Eddleston and Powell, “gender identity, represented by the dimensions of masculinity and femininity, serves as a cognitive mechanism that contributes to sex differences in business career satisfier preferences”. Their research was done in the United States on entrepreneur alumni. As a result, “entrepreneurship is a gendered process” because it is viewed in two different ways by women and men.
The main goal in business, according to the authors of the article, is related to career motivation. While men look for financial success and business growth, women are interested in socio-emotional relationship. So, gender identity shapes an entrepreneurs experience. Both, men and women can be satisfied with their entrepreneurial experience and career but in two different ways: men are satisfied when they make more money and their business is growing, while women are satisfied when they have positive socio-emotional relationship with their customers and employees. These two different approaches to business experience, in my opinion, are connected to traditional gender stereotypes. However, sometimes in real life female and male identities can behave in opposite ways: women can look in business experience for financial growth and stability, while some men aim for successful interpersonal relationship.
Different ways of career satisfier lead to two different ways of leading business. Those who are emphasized on financial growth in entrepreneurs experience lead faster growing business then those who are aimed on building socio-emotional career because they need more time to build the relationship. This is the second feature how gender identity shapes an entrepreneurs experience.
Third feature of how identity shapes an entrepreneurs experience is related to influence of sex on gender identity: masculinity and femininity. Personal gender traits are associated again with traditional gender stereotypes. Males are associated with aggressiveness, dominance, and independence, while females with compassion, sensitivity, and warmth. Therefore, people expect from certain gender certain underlined behavior.