Women and Entrepreneurship is a careful selection of the most significant previously published material which has been influential in shaping the field of women's entrepreneurship. The volume presents early works which laid the foundations first asking whether women entrepreneurs were different, exploring issues about women entrepreneurs and their businesses and delving into more specific questions on individual, organizational, and environmental matters. An organizing framework connects the works from theory to the conceptual categories of human capital, including personal cognition and goals, social capital, financial capital, strategic choice, performance, outcomes and environment. The volume provides a comprehensive introduction for any researcher entering this field of study and illustrates those areas where additional research is greatly needed.

Enterprising new firms drive economic growth, and women around the world are important contributors to that growth. As entrepreneurs, they seize opportunities, develop and deliver new goods and services and, in the process, create wealth for themselves, their families, communities, and countries. This volume explores the role women entrepreneurs play in this economic progress, highlighting the challenges they encounter in launching and growing their businesses, and providing detailed studies of how their experiences vary from country to country. Statistics show that businesses owned by women tend to remain smaller than those owned by men, whether measured by the number of employees or by the size of revenues. Because women-led firms fail to grow as robustly, the opportunities to innovate and expand are limited, as are the rewards. Based on recent studies that examine the links between entrepreneurial supply and demand issues, this volume provides insights into how women around the world are addressing the challenges of entrepreneurial growth. The first set of chapters consists of country overviews and provides discussions of the state of women growing businesses. The second set of chapters describes research projects under way in different countries and explores more focused topics under the umbrella of women business owners and business growth. The volume concludes with an agenda and projects for future research. Academics and policymakers will gain a greater understanding of women's entrepreneurial behaviors and outcomes through this path-breaking volume. Those who support women through education and training, policymaking, or providing entrepreneurial resources will also find the volume of great practical interest.