Confucian Culture, Gender Stereotype and Female Entrepreneur: Evidence from China

Abstract

Female entrepreneurship activities in China encounter a unique informal institutional situation – Confucian culture favouring masculinity. Drawing on Social Role Theory and Gender Role Congruity Theory, we explore whether and how Confucian culture affects female entrepreneurship. Using 20,531 entrepreneurs’ data from Chinese Private Enterprise Survey over the period of 2002–2014, we find that Confucian culture is negatively associated with female entrepreneurship. In addition, gender stereotypes based on Confucian patriarchal ideology have a partial mediation effect in this relationship. Further analysis demonstrates that managerial experience might be a potential way for women to achieve entrepreneurial breakthroughs in these adverse conditions.