Abstract:
While the differences between men and women with regard to entrepreneurial
activity is well-acknowledged, few scholars have explored models explaining the
differences through an objectivist lens. This research addresses this gap by investigating
the relationship between prior entrepreneurial exposure and entrepreneurial action,
moderated by entrepreneurial competencies (ECs). This paper draws from two
psychology theories to develop and test a three-factor model of entrepreneurial
action. The structuration theory formulates a theoretical model that explains how
entrepreneurs’ interaction with their environment, and their concomitantly learned
behavioral scripts (i.e., entrepreneurial competencies), impacts a newly formulated
typology of entrepreneurial gestation activities based on the mindset theory of
action phases. Furthermore, the ECs in this paper are drawn from a systematic
framework of entrepreneurship competency development, which categorizes ECs into
(1) entrepreneurial attitudes and personal characteristics and (2) entrepreneurial motives.
By dividing entrepreneurial action into a predecisional, preactional, and actional phase,
a novel approach is used in taking the context of the entrepreneurial process into
account. It is proposed that prior entrepreneurial exposure is a significant and positive
predictor of future entrepreneurial action in the predecisional and preactional phases.
However, once entering the actional phase, this factor is no longer important, as
women entrepreneurs have crossed the entrepreneurial Rubicon. The sample consists
of South African entrepreneurs of which 346 women entrepreneurs and a sample of 804
male entrepreneurs are used to compare the results of the first hypothesis. Structural
equation modeling (SEM) is used to model the relationship between prior entrepreneurial
exposure and entrepreneurial action. Results confirm that prior entrepreneurial exposure in the form of role models, entrepreneurial parents, or any other form of exposure
to entrepreneurship before starting a business is particularly important to encourage
women to pursue business start-up (action). Furthermore, the development of certain ECs is crucial for improving the strength of the relationship between prior entrepreneurial
exposure and entrepreneurial action for women entrepreneurs. These results have
important implications for women entrepreneurs, educators, as well as entrepreneurship
models, which have been traditionally male dominated.