Understanding the Motivations of Female Entrepreneurs

Abstract

This paper investigates the psychological factors of female entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on personality and motivational factors — addressing a weakness in the existing literature. Through the use of two psychometric measures, the Measure of Entrepreneurial Tendencies and Abilities, and the Motives, Values and Preferences Inventory, female entrepreneurs are strongly motivated by a need for power, commerce, logical decision making, aesthetics and a need for change. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.