AUTHORS
Holger Görg, Ina C. Jäkel
Abstract
In this paper, we investigate how gender norms and institutions can act as a constraint to the growth of female businesses. We exploit novel and unique micro data on startups in Denmark, which we combine with information on individual-level characteristics of the entrepreneur as main decision maker of the firm. We overcome the challenge of disentangling norms and institutional biases against women from other constraints and hurdles that female businesses might face by exploiting detailed trade data. In this trade context, we study the relative performance of firms across markets with varying institutions, while controlling for other factors that affect female businesses uniformly across all markets. We provide evidence that the gender gap in export participation becomes exacerbated in countries with higher gender inequality and more severe institutional biases against women. We also perform an event study of a concrete policy change – the introduction of quotas for the share of females on the boards of directors in Norway – and how it has affected the gender gap in export participation.
Publication Date
August 2024
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