Title: Women's entrepreneurial narrative: making sense of the partner's role

Authors: Sophia Belghiti-Mahut; Anne-Laurence Lafont; Angélique Rodhain; Florence Rodhain

Addresses: CORHIS, University Montpellier 3 Paul Valery, Route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier, Cedex, France ' Montpellier Research in Management (MRM), University of Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, bâtiment 19, 34095 Montpellier, Cedex, France ' Montpellier Research in Management (MRM), University of Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, bâtiment 19, 34095 Montpellier, Cedex, France ' Montpellier Research in Management (MRM), University of Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, bâtiment 19, 34095 Montpellier, Cedex, France

Abstract: The present research explores the role the partner plays in women's motivation for entrepreneurship and how spousal support influences the female entrepreneurship process. A qualitative study, using life-story methodology, was conducted with 29 French women entrepreneurs. It was found that women perceived the partner's support as explicit, implicit, or absent. Women who perceive significant and visible support from their partners are clearly grateful to their partners, without whom their entrepreneurial journey might not have commenced. A majority of respondents perceived the tacit approval of the partner and sometimes his income as implicit support. Finally, a certain proportion of female entrepreneurs experienced no support, which they considered mostly as a hindrance or a challenge.

Keywords: female entrepreneurs; partners; support; entrepreneurship; life story; typology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2020.105009

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2020 Vol.12 No.1, pp.19 - 35

Received: 31 Jul 2018
Accepted: 26 May 2019
Published online: 10 Feb 2020 *

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