TY - JOUR
T1 - More than Words: Do Gendered Linguistic Structures Widen the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurial Activity?
AU - Hechavarria, Diana
AU - Terjesen, Siri
AU - Stenholm, Pekka
AU - Brännback, Malin
AU - Lång, Stefan
N1 - Article ID: ETAP12278
Internal Article ID: 13992932
Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Leveraging linguistic relativity theory which suggests that language systems structure thought and action, we investigate the relationship between gendered linguistic structures and the persistent gender gap in early-stage entrepreneurial activity. We use country-level data compiled from 105 countries in 2001-2015 with 55 different languages, and incorporate 32 controls covering a broad range of factors previously associated with entrepreneurial activity. We find that in countries where the dominant language’s structure incorporates sex-based systems and gendered pronouns, there is a greater gap in entrepreneurial activity. Our results suggest that gendered linguistic structures reinforce gender stereotypes and discourage women’s entry into entrepreneurship.
AB - Leveraging linguistic relativity theory which suggests that language systems structure thought and action, we investigate the relationship between gendered linguistic structures and the persistent gender gap in early-stage entrepreneurial activity. We use country-level data compiled from 105 countries in 2001-2015 with 55 different languages, and incorporate 32 controls covering a broad range of factors previously associated with entrepreneurial activity. We find that in countries where the dominant language’s structure incorporates sex-based systems and gendered pronouns, there is a greater gap in entrepreneurial activity. Our results suggest that gendered linguistic structures reinforce gender stereotypes and discourage women’s entry into entrepreneurship.
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/8482adbf-2824-305e-b4c3-dbd18aab527a/
U2 - 10.1177/1042258718795350
DO - 10.1177/1042258718795350
M3 - Article
SN - 1042-2587
VL - 42
SP - 797
EP - 817
JO - Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
JF - Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice
IS - 5
ER -