Speaker: Professor Susan Marlow (Haydn Green Institute, University of Nottingham)
Hosted by: University of Liverpool Management School's Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship
Open to: Management School staff and students, with no sign up needed
Date: Wednesday 22 November 2023
Time: 14:00 - 15:30
Place: Management School - Seminar Room 5
Abstract
Whilst it was vital to challenge the masculinised bias informing perceptions of who and what is a typical entrepreneur, evident in early theorising upon entrepreneurship, have we now fallen for an almost evangelical discourse that entrepreneurship is ‘a good thing’ for women?
And as such, more women must be encouraged to pursue self-employment for their own benefit and that of the economy.
Susan challenges this premise and question whether we have come to confuse two key strands of thought.
First, that women should not be subordinated by their gender if they chose to become entrepreneurs (most would agree with this sentiment); and second, on a global basis, more women must be encouraged to pursue self-employment.
She challenges the second premise as false and indeed, detrimental to many women.
Evidence indicates that for women, returns to self-employment are significantly poorer than to comparable employment, there is very limited access to welfare benefits and much vaunted flexibility is gained at the expense of income and venture survival.
Thus, we need to be more discerning in our critique of the alleged benefits of self-employment for both women and society - particularly in light of the normative assumptions which appear intent upon proselytising entrepreneurship as particularly empowering and liberating for women.
Speaker
Susan is Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Nottingham and Holder of the Queens Award for Enterprise; Fellow of the UK Institution for Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Editor of the International Small Business Journal and Field Editor of Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice Journal and Editor for the Entrepreneurship category of the CABS journal rating committee.
Her research interests, funding awards and published work range across issues related to entrepreneurship per se with a particular focus upon the impact of gender upon entrepreneurial behaviour.
The Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship
The University of Liverpool Management School's Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship exists to help students, graduates and staff create real-world impact through entrepreneurial knowledge leadership.
Our mission is to develop and harness the power of entrepreneurship across our international collaborative network, through three pillars of activity: research, education and impact.
Find out more about the Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship
Back to: Management School