This literature review examined the differences between male and female entrepreneurs and small business owners, concentrating on five selected topics: differences in motivations for small-business start-ups, discrepancy in education and managerial skills among genders, differences in leadership styles, gender and industry choice, and organizational performance. The review examined a number of articles from scholarly business journals. There were differences in industry selection, amount and quality of managerial experience, family obligations, and income discrepancy. Despite these differences, women were not any less successful than men in managing a small business. Gender played a minor role in leadership styles, education, and motivations. It did not, however, determine the degree of business success.

While ownership of small businesses has been predominantly male over the course of history, the last half of the 20th century demonstrated a remarkable increase in the number of female entrepreneurs. This great influx of women into small-business ownership has spurred numerous studies on gender-related issues, including

Analysis of several studies regarding motivations for small-business start-ups resulted demonstrated that there were no significant differences in motivations for male and female business owners. A number of studies agreed on the fact that men were inclined to be more motivated by increasing wealth, while women used small businesses as a way of handling family situations. Surprisingly, none of the studies found any discrepancy between “pull” factors for men and women, such as desire for achievement, autonomy, and work satisfaction.

Ljunggren and Kolvereid (1996) The study demonstrated that women tend to own small businesses in service and retail trade while men prefer such sectors as construction, manufacturing, and technology industries.

Loscocco and Leicht (1993) This research determined that men’s success was attributed mostly to the size and age of their businesses. The study also concluded that women were more likely to be married, have more domestic duties, and operated smaller and younger businesses.

Catley and Hamilton (1998) The literature review found that previous research studies contradicted each other. Some proposed that there was no significant difference between male and female entrepreneurs, while others concluded that females were better able to adapt to new experiences and circumstances, but had more preference for the certainty of outcomes.

Some topics in this essay:
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