What do they think and what do they say? Gender bias, entrepreneurial attitude in writing and venture capitalists’ funding decisions

Malin Malmström*, Aija Voitkane, Jeaneth Johansson, Joakim Wincent

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study shows that women may be at a disadvantage when signaling that they are “entrepreneurial” to venture capitalists. We demonstrate how gender-based disadvantages may arise from role incongruence in entrepreneurship by analyzing multi-source data from 131 venture capital applications, venture capitalists’ cognitions, and their funding decisions. Our analysis indicates that women who signal an entrepreneurial attitude are more likely to elicit prevention considerations from venture capitalists, whereas men who signal such an attitude are more likely to elicit promotion considerations. We also find that promotion considerations increase the amount of financing, whereas prevention considerations decrease the amount of financing. Our study increases knowledge about the gendered cognitions that underlie implicit bias among investors and knowledge about the effects of regulatory focus on funding outcomes by exploring the interaction between gender and entrepreneurial attitude.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere00154
Peer-reviewed scientific journalJournal of Business Venturing Insights
Volume13
Number of pages10
ISSN2352-6734
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 08.01.2020
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article - refereed

Keywords

  • 512 Business and Management
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Gender
  • Role congruity theory
  • Stereotyps
  • Venture capital

Areas of Strength and Areas of High Potential (AoS and AoHP)

  • AoS: Leading for growth and well-being
  • AoHP: Strategic and entrepreneurial praxis

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