Navigating The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Unveiling The Confirming And Restricting Power of Women Entrepreneurs’ To Create Belonging And Embeddedness With Their Agency

S. Stoker, I.A.M. Wakkee, Ana Cruz Garcia

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademic

Abstract

Abstract
Purpose – Being embedded in the entrepreneurial ecosystem is crucial for entrepreneurs as it determines access to resources and support (Jack & Anderson, 2002); thus facilitating success and well-being. For women entrepreneurs, becoming embedded is relatively difficult due to gender disparities and potential exclusion (Roos, 2021; Welter, 2020; Yousafzai et al., 2021). Regardless of their level of embeddedness, the literature has evidenced how women entrepreneurs may still experience a sense of (not) belonging (Stead, 2017). Belonging pertains to how entrepreneurs feel connected, valued, and integrated within the ecosystem(s). Despite extensive coverage of embeddedness in entrepreneurship, few studies have addressed how women entrepreneurs ’embeddedness connects to their sense of belonging and vice versa and how this relationship in turn affects their success in venture creation. By adopting a post-structural feminist lens, we explore the reciprocal relationship between women entrepreneurs' experiences of belonging and embeddedness in their entrepreneurial ecosystem. By doing so, our objective is to contribute to the research on women entrepreneurship and shed light on the factors that contribute to the success and well-being of women entrepreneurs within their entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Design/methodology/approach – This exploratory study draws on 33 semi-structured in-depth interviews with opportunity-driven women entrepreneurs in Ireland and The Netherlands. Data collection was conducted during 2021 and included both online and face-to-face interviews. The sample included both experienced and early start-up entrepreneurs. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to capture the main understandings of both belonging and embeddedness. The themes are based on Stead (2017)’s sense of belonging (by concealment, by identity-switch, tempered disruption, by modelling the norm, belonging by proxy) and Nahapiet and Ghoshal (1998)’s relational, cognitive and structural dimensions of embeddedness.

Findings – Our findings shed light on the embeddedness of women entrepreneurs within the larger entrepreneurial ecosystem. For many women entrepreneurs, their integration into this entrepreneurial ecosystem is limited. While they do manage to acquire essential resources and support despite encountering gender-related challenges, there are noticeable gaps in their cognitive embeddedness (shared goals and values) and relational embeddedness (trust) when it comes to mixed-gender networks. Consequently, many turn to women-only networks to fulfil both moral and practical support needs. Within these women-only networks, cognitive and relational embeddedness and belonging are generally high. However, these networks appear somewhat isolated from the broader ecosystem, despite providing access to valuable contacts and potential customers. Some participants therefore express concerns that these women-only networks may unintentionally create silos, and it remains uncertain if the resources obtained from them can truly compete with those available in the broader ecosystem. Conversely, many women entrepreneurs, even when embedded and connected to the ecosystem, still felt like outsiders and did not belong. They cope with this by employing strategies such as "identity switching" and "modelling the norm," rather than actively seeking to “disrupt” the system.
Originality/value - Our study addresses a significant literature gap by examining the gendered reciprocal relationship between women entrepreneurs' embeddedness and their sense of belonging. Furthermore, our study recognizes that women entrepreneurs may still grapple with a sense of not fully belonging, even when they are embedded into the ecosystem, nor does an increased sense of belonging seem to enhance embeddedness. Interestingly, while frequent involvement in women-only networks might suggest collective action towards change, these networks often serve as individual workarounds to gain necessary, rather than platforms for systemic change within the ecosystem. Future studies might delve deeper into the motivation of entrepreneurs to engage in both individual and collective action to create a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Overall, this research has implications for supporting and promoting women entrepreneurs. It underscores the need for more inclusive practices to equate embeddedness with belonging and offers insights into how women entrepreneurs can leverage forms of agency ultimately contributing to success and well-being.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationRENT conference 2023
Publication statusPublished - 5 Nov 2023

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