Gender's Influence on Starting a Social Business by User-Innovators:

Abstract

Our research investigates the influence of gender on user-innovator' characteristics in starting a social business. Specifically, we examine the extent to which unmet personal needs, being ahead of the trend, experiencing high expected benefits to develop a solution to overcome these needs, use experience and product-related knowledge influence these entrepreneurs in starting a social business. We use a sample of 142 (nascent) social entrepreneurs (64 men and 78 women) who enrolled in a social entrepreneurship training program in the Netherlands. A mixed-method approach was used that combines quantitative (survey) and qualitative (19 in-depth interviews) research. Using Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparison Analysis (FsQCA) to examine the gender-related differences and the user-innovator characteristics' influence in starting a social business, we find different configurations for men and women. With our research, we gain more insight into gender's influence on the lead user characteristics in this process. We also gain an understanding of the interplay of these specific conditions, which is a methodological contribution to the underlying assumptions regarding data asymmetry, equifinality, and causal conjunction. Our findings are useful to social entrepreneurs to better understand what drives them and to entrepreneurial development and education programs to develop more effective training and support with less masculinization by showing how gender may influence the factors that facilitate social business startups.