Gender heterogeneity,
entrepreneurial orientation and
international diversification
Monica A. Zimmerman
Management Department, West Chester University,
West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA, and
Keith D. Brouthers
Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship,
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Abstract
Purpose – Although diversifying internationally appears to be beneficial, relatively few small and
medium-sized firms actually participate. Building on recent research exploring the international
diversification of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) the purpose of this paper is to examine
the relation among ownership and management team gender heterogeneity, entrepreneurial
orientation, and firm international diversity.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors’ hypotheses were tested using data gathered from
members of Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), a national (US) public policy organization that
advocates for women in business.
Findings – Results indicate that top management team gender composition and entrepreneurial
orientation are significantly related to international diversification but that ownership gender
composition is not. The authors found that team entrepreneurial orientation may be useful when teams
are more homogeneous on relations-oriented characteristics such as gender.
Originality/value – The paper’s findings suggest that women-only management teams high in
entrepreneurial orientation are more likely to pursue international diversification, dispelling the idea
that international diversification is more difficult for women.
Keywords United States of America, Women, Entrepreneurs, Small to medium-sized enterprises,
International business, Women entrepreneurs
Paper type Research paper
Although diversifying internationally appears to be beneficial, relatively few small- and
medium-sized firms actually participate. Building on recent research exploring the
international diversification of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) we examine
the relation among ownership and management team gender heterogeneity,
entrepreneurial orientation, and firm international diversity. We tested our
hypotheses using data gathered from members of Women Impacting Public Policy
(WIPP), a national (US) public policy organization that advocates for women in business.
Results indicate that top management team (TMT) gender composition and
entrepreneurial orientation are significantly related to international diversification
but that ownership gender composition is not. We found that team entrepreneurial
orientation may be useful when teams are more homogeneous on relations-oriented
characteristics like gender. Our findings suggest that women-only management teams
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1756-6266.htm
IJGE
4,1
20
Received 4 March 2011
Revised 30 June 2011,
13 August 2011,
22 October 2011
Accepted 3 November 2011
International Journal of Gender and
Entrepreneurship
Vol. 4 No. 1, 2012
pp. 20-43
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1756-6266
DOI 10.1108/17566261211202963