Comparative Profiling of Female and Male Entrepreneurship Using Empirical Evidence: A Meta-Analysis Examining the Relationships Between Gender, Personality Profiles, Ethics, and Successes of Entrepreneurs and Startups

Abstract

Are there any noticeable differences among entrepreneurs who founded small businesses and their successes or failures based on their ethical intentions, gender, personality profiles, and leadership styles? Are female entrepreneurs who founded small businesses more likely to succeed than their male counterparts? Do personality characteristics impact decisions and intentions of an individual to become an entrepreneur? Do female entrepreneurs differ from male entrepreneurs in regard to the big five personality attributes? This meta-analysis includes evidentiary support from over 50 prior research articles as well as some qualitative analyses further analyzing over twenty research articles to gain fresh insights from entrepreneurs around the world regarding their entrepreneurial successes and failures of small business startups. It concludes that female entrepreneurs are more likely to have ethical intentions in general across a variety of geographies and landscapes, and, in general, entrepreneurs with ethical intentions are more likely to succeed. The second conclusion is that personality constructs play an essential role in both the decision to become an entrepreneur and in overall entrepreneurial performance.