Women Employees, Entrepreneurs, and the Economy: A Tale of Two Ceilings

Abstract

Women in the workforce face multiple glass ceilings. As employees, they face leadership restrictions and earnings constraints that motivate them to become entrepreneurs. As entrepreneurs, women face impediments to capital access which stymy revenue generation, job creation, and business expansion. With more women participating in the workforce, these glass ceilings have damaging, long-term economic impacts. Our economy depends on women in the workforce and their success is more important in a lean, green, new economy. Now, programs and policies are necessary which eliminate gender bias in the workplace, promote the involvement of women in all business sectors, prevent gender-based barriers to individual and enterprise success, and enable women to realize their potential as employees and entrepreneurs. This paper explores distinctions in entrepreneurial motivation, industry concentration, and business performance across gender to better understand macroeconomic implications and identify policy proposals that can overcome damaging impacts to women in the workforce. This study supports an emerging research agenda on the implementation of universal policies which support women entrepreneurs and stimulate economic outcomes.