Introduction to the Research Handbook of Women’s Entrepreneurship and Value Creation

Abstract

This chapter presents an introduction to the collection of studies and highlight the importance of women as agents of change and would have important implications for policy-making in that they would direct attention to and provide evidence for the positive contribution of women entrepreneurs to the economy, regardless of their businesses’ size and formal status, thus, acknowledging women entrepreneurs’ efforts and supporting their value-creation activities. Through these studies, we hope to challenge the underperformance hypothesis associated with women entrepreneurs and present evidence that women do not underperform in their businesses but that they add value, even in constrained environments. The aim is to shift the focus of research from questions like “what do entrepreneurs do?" to “how do they do it?" (focusing on the unique ways in which each women entrepreneur creates value), and “for whom do they do it?"' (focusing on the multiple value outcomes women entrepreneurs, create and beneficiaries of that value).