Stemming the gender gap in STEM entrepreneurship \u2013 insights into women\u2019s entrepreneurship in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Katherina Kuschel,Gry Agnete Alsos,Cristina Díaz-García,Kerstin Ettl

doi:10.1007/s11365-020-00642-5

Abstract

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are notably important for innovation and technological development, which in turn are seen as drivers of social and economic growth. Hence, researchers and policy-makers have paid substantial attention to analyzing and promoting high-growth ventures in STEM fields. However, STEM fields are highly gender-skewed, regardless of whether the population considered is students, faculty members, graduates, top managers, or entrepreneurs. This is noticeable in the small number of women entrepreneurs with STEM backgrounds. This underrepresentation of women in innovation-driven business startups highlights existing gender biases and systemic disadvantages in social structures, making visible the double masculinity that exists at the intersection of STEM and entrepreneurship. This article addresses this issue by combining insights from research about women’s entrepreneurship and research about the gender aspects of STEM fields. We emphasize institutional, organizational, and individual factors influencing women’s entrepreneurship in STEM fields, laying the foundation for the articles included in this special issue. Finally, we discuss the way forward for research on the gender aspects of STEM entrepreneurship to help us create the knowledge needed to close this gender gap.

Highlights

Innovative entrepreneurship contributes to the wealth of nations and their economic dynamism (Decker et al 2014) through, for instance, job creation (Kuschel et al 2018).Extended author information available on the last page of the articleInternational Entrepreneurship and Management Journal (2020) 16:1–15Many of those innovative entrepreneurs and their businesses relate to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM fields)
The systemic disadvantages that lead to this gender gap in career and occupational choices have been extensively discussed in the literature
An increasing number of jobs that once required human effort, physical strength and resistance are being replaced with technology, rigid work structures are being dissolved through virtual communication technologies and women are increasingly empowered and educated, so logically we could expect a reduction of gender disparities in the labor market and STEM fields

Summary

Introduction

Innovative entrepreneurship contributes to the wealth of nations and their economic dynamism (Decker et al 2014) through, for instance, job creation (Kuschel et al 2018).Extended author information available on the last page of the articleInternational Entrepreneurship and Management Journal (2020) 16:1–15Many of those innovative entrepreneurs and their businesses relate to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM fields). Considering the current knowledge base and the contributions from the included articles, we discuss implications and highlight areas for future research needed to help us close the gender gap in STEM fields.

Results

Conclusion