Divergence in female entrepreneurial activity: an international comparison

Abstract

The objective of the study is to analyze female entrepreneurship in eighteen countries in America and Europe during the period 2003 to 2015, identifying some factors associated with it. It focuses on the New Institutional Economics, which considers the role played by institutions (formal and informal) in the materialization of entrepreneurship. The study uses a multivariate statistical analysis based on two different sources (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor and World Bank) to explain the phenomenon based on various institutional factors (financing, government programs and policies, social and cultural aspects, administrative procedures, corruption). The results reveal some factors associated with female entrepreneurship, highlighting socio-cultural conditions, government policies, knowledge and skills of female entrepreneurs. These findings provide information derived from various policy adjustments and changes related to female entrepreneurship.