National Culture and its Impact on Entrepreneurial Teams: A Gendered Perspective

Abstract

Grounded in gender stereotype activation theory, this study examines how cultural perceptions towards women entrepreneurs affect team processes, namely team reflexivity and consequently the team’s resources. We test our hypotheses combining data from 64 entrepreneurial teams comprised of members from different countries with measures of national culture from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Results show that the proportion of women in a team is positively related to the team’s resources via the mediating effect of team reflexivity. However, the effect of the proportion of women in a team on team reflexivity and, ultimately, on a team’s resources, is stronger when team members are from countries with a more favorable national perception of women’s entrepreneurship. These findings provide evidence for framing the quality of team processes as contingent to the interaction between the proportion of women in a team and national culture towards female’s entrepreneurship and contribute to the literature on women entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial teams and culture.