Networking towards (in)equality: Women entrepreneurs in technology

Abstract

Deploying a multidimensional framework focusing on individual, organizational and societal factors, we investigate gendering practices through which women entrepreneurs become disadvantaged in the technology sector. Through qualitative fieldwork, we focus on women entrepreneurs' experiences networking to access valuable entrepreneurial resources and examine the role of technology incubators and accelerators in facilitating this access. These organizations have the potential to mitigate gender inequities by adopting gender‐aware practices such as increasing access to networks and resources that might otherwise be unreachable for women technology entrepreneurs. Focusing simultaneously on the complex intersections of networking, organizational practices at incubators and accelerators, and institutionalized gender norms in society, we outline how different gendering practices work separately and in tandem to marginalize women technology entrepreneurs. We observe that these organizations engage in ‘gender neutral’ recruitment practices and promote transactional networking which result in the replication rather than eradication of gender inequality. Moreover, organizational attempts to address ‘gender issues’ as they relate to technology entrepreneurs re‐inscribe rather than disrupt societal gender norms. Our research offers new insights for understanding the interrelated individual, organizational and societal factors contributing to gender inequality in technology entrepreneurship and provokes discussion on the possibilities for social change.

Family as a eudaimonic bubble: Women entrepreneurs mobilizing resources of care during persistent financial crisis and austerity

“…Understanding symbolic caring that locates and shapes resources of connectedness, also deserves more space in the gender and entrepreneurship literature. Extant literature has highlighted the dominance of knowledge, networks and strategies to early start-ups, as well as the challenges women face in accessing these resources (Foss, 2010;Ozkazanc-Pan & Clark Muntean, 2018). The findings of this research complement these studies by revealing how familial actions based on care and cooperation created the conditions that enable women entrepreneurs to effectively access resources of connectedness and negotiate the gendered challenges during persistent financial crisis and austerity.…”

“…Extant literature has highlighted the dominance of knowledge, networks and strategies to early start-ups, as well as the challenges women face in accessing these resources (Foss, 2010;Ozkazanc-Pan & Clark Muntean, 2018). Understanding symbolic caring that locates and shapes resources of connectedness, also deserves more space in the gender and entrepreneurship literature.…”

“…As Participant 8, who started a nursery, explains: Calling on professional networks is considered one of the most crucial resources for business viability. As mentioned earlier, women business owners tend to be excluded from important networks and are in a disadvantageous position to grow their social capital (Ozkazanc-Pan & Clark Muntean, 2018). While all participants have highlighted the significance of networking, they have also mentioned the difficulties in accessing important networks that could also generate income, in some cases.…”

“…Outcomes in entrepreneurial careers are inherently gendered with women disadvantaged by access to entrepreneurial resources not least because they bear the burden of domestic responsibilities (Acker, 2006;Bourne & Calás, 2013;Lewis, 2006). The result of this structural ordering of individual lives and associated cultural conceptions regarding the rights and duty of actions is critical in terms of resource distributionwhether resources are defined as access to opportunities or actual material goodsand experiences of work (Marlow & Patton, 2005;Ozkazanc-Pan & Clark Muntean, 2018;Risman, 1998). This suggests that because of resources ostensibly required by enterprise activities, women are likely to experience significant challenges to creating value-added sustainable enterprises.…”

Precarity, gender and care in the neoliberal academy

“…There has been relatively little reflection on the gendered aspects of precarity on women in academia. Analysing the gendered aspect of precarity within a polarized labour force (Kalleberg, ) is important as it allows us to better understand why women are over‐represented in part‐time and fixed‐term appointments in elite fields like higher education: it enhances understanding of the complex interface between gender and ‘… women's lived experiences, organizational practices and societal norms’ (Ozkazanc‐Pan & Clark Muntean, , p. 380). Refocusing the theoretical discussion on women's relational and caring lives also advances understanding of gender equality more generally (Powell, Ah‐King, & Hussénius, , p. 127).…”