Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/142423 
Year of Publication: 
2016
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 9984
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
In virtually all industrialized countries, women are underrepresented in entrepreneurship, and the gender gap exhibits a remarkable persistence. We examine one particular source of persistence, namely the prevalence of gendered networks and associated peer effects. We study how early career entrepreneurship is affected by existing entrepreneurship among neighbors, family members, and recent schoolmates. Based on an instrumental variables strategy, we identify strong peer effects. While men are more influenced by other men, women are more influenced by other women. We estimate that differences between male and female peer groups explain approximately half of the gender gap in early career entrepreneurship.
Subjects: 
early career entrepreneurship
peer effects
gender gap
instrumental variables
JEL: 
L26
M13
J16
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.