PRACTICE AND PERCEPTIONS: GENDER, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND BOURDIEU’S FORMS OF CAPITAL (SUMMARY)

摘要: PRACTICE AND PERCEPTIONS: GENDER, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, BOURDIEU’S FORMS OF CAPITAL Amanda Brickman Elam, Department of Sociology, University North Carolina at Chapel Hill ABSTRACT Explanations for the extensive variation in rates entrepreneurship across countries and gender are scarce hampered by a lack comprehensive multilevel theory entrepreneurship. I propose an alternative view based soundly on contemporary social theory. The resulting practice model provides set theoretical propositions hypotheses that fit well with existing evidence from field other studies work. Results series 2-level random coefficient models investigating relative impacts micro- macro-level correlates nascent strongly support proposed INTRODUCTION Entrepreneurship is popularly linked to creation wealth, jobs innovations and, those reasons, deemed critical economic life prosperity any given society. New businesses produce much innovation, new markets, employment drive growth thought ultimately improve standards living all levels society (Minniti, Arenius, & Langowitz, 2005; OECD, 2005). Despite beliefs importance entrepreneurship, we only beginning understand this phenomenon. Of particular interest explanations variations groups, such as gender. Recent estimates suggest that, average, little over 9% adults aged 18-64 either starting or managing young around world each year. Yet vary extensively low 1.2% Japan 38.1% Peru (Acs, Hay, Minniti, Women are, about half likely men start less high-growth, high-profit firms Reynolds, Bygrave, Autio, 2004). pattern fairly consistent – is, female participation consistently lower countries. However, extent which varies quite bit In one study 29 countries, gap ranged 0.3% Italy 14.4% Mexico (Reynolds, Cox, 2003). Another using same dataset confirmed these results, but also reported no statistical difference between male like Thailand, China, South Africa (Minniti 2003; recent advancements cross-national data collection measurement, remain elusive. Cross-national have often focused macroeconomic explanations. Rates level national wealth growth, example (Sternberg Wennekers, S Wennekers Thurik, 1999; S. v. W. Andre; Roy; Paul, findings factors offer very way explanation cross-country (OECD, 2001; Countries tend hold rank years throughout macro-economic fluctuations, suggesting non-material may best explain differences (Schramm, Litan, al., include higher necessity found many developing economies. crossnational patterns