Budget: 510 362
Start and finish date: 01.03-2019-28.02.2022
Funder: Irish Research Council, EU
Consortium (Coordinating organisation in bold): Dublin City University, Nord University Business School, Center for Gender Studies, Karlstad University, Kinneret Academic College
Researchers at FSV:
- Elisabet Ljunggren (Leadership and innovation)
- Anne Wally Ryan (Environment, international relations, northern areas and social security)
Abstract:
Underlying most regional entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem frameworks is the assumption that all entrepreneurs have equal access to resources, participation and support, as well as an equal chance of a successful outcome (venture start-up). However, women are underrepresented in successful entrepreneurial ecosystems and a persistent gender bias continues to exist in entrepreneurship discourse and practice.
The UN SDG on Gender states that women suffer from “disadvantages in education [which] translate into lack of access to skills and limited opportunities in the labour market”. We aim to address this, by providing a nuanced understanding of how gender is a decisive factor, i.e. how women and men are influenced by and, in turn, influence entrepreneurial ecosystems differently. In order to achieve this, we will focus on a specific facet of gender in entrepreneurship: namely women’s technology entrepreneurship and how this relates to accepted femininity and masculinity norms in different contexts.
We will focus on the cultural embeddedness and interactions of gender, technology, entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems. Our comparison between Ireland, Sweden, Norway, and Israel will help to explain variations and similarities with regard to gender in technology entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem frameworks.
The findings generated will inform policy development aimed at inclusivity and sustainability, thus benefiting both women and men.
