The Education Impact on the Innovativeness of Female Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The women's education and its potential impact on entrepreneurship and innovation represent a growing interest in socioeconomic academic research (Paoloni and Manzo, 2023; Pereira, 2020; Bishu and Alkandry, 2017). The present paper makes a systematic literature review based on the topic of Gendered Education and Innovation in female entrepreneurship, considering the evolution over almost the last two decades and the current state of the art. The study is based on the Scopus database. It examines articles, books, and indexed conference proceedings that have focused on the influence of women's education on their entrepreneurial journey and innovative capabilities. The studies having in Abstract, Title, or Keywords "education " AND " innovation " AND " entrepreneur* " OR "enterprise*" AND "gender" are 257. Source types, year of publication, field of research, source title, keywords, country/territory, and language classify studies. After this, the most cited studies were analyzed to answer the RQs. The studies reviewed show a positive correlation between women's level of education and the likelihood of engaging in entrepreneurial activities. Education provides technical and managerial skills, boosts self-confidence and expands networking, facilitating access to resources and opportunities (de las Mercedes Barrachina Fernández et al., 2021; Gupta et al., 2009). From a theoretical point of view, the research contributes to gender studies about female entrepreneurship, focusing on the relationship between education and innovation. Analyzing how education influences women's entrepreneurship can help identify and address educational and socio-cultural barriers that limit women's access to entrepreneurship and active participation in innovation. From a managerial perspective, the results of such research can inform public policy, guiding government and organizational efforts in promoting specific educational programs that encourage women's entrepreneurship and innovativeness. Promoting women's innovativeness and entrepreneurship can contribute to overall economic development, as greater inclusion of women in the business landscape can lead to increased diversity, competitiveness and innovation (Minniti and Nardone, 2007; Morton et al., 2016; Pereira, 2019; Pereira and Salaris, 2019; ).