A COMPARISON OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND MANAGERS IN POLAND
Richard
T. Bliss, Babson College
Lidija Polutnik, Babson College
Ewa Lisowska, Warsaw School of Economics
Principal Topic
Extensive research has explored the differences between entrepreneurs and managers and between male and female entrepreneurs. The role of entrepreneurship in transitioning economies has also been carefully analyzed. In this paper, we combine these lines of research by comparing women entrepreneurs and managers in Poland.
Social, political, and economic changes brought on by the collapse of socialism have changed the traditional roles of women and men in Poland, and it is more socially acceptable for women to have their own careers and/or start their own companies. As the number of women entrepreneurs and managers and their role in the post-communist economy increases, it is important to assess their characteristics, motivations, and goals, and understand how women entrepreneurs in Poland differ from women managers.
Method
This paper uses recent data collected from a survey of approximately 2,000 Polish women managers and entrepreneurs. Women managers and women entrepreneurs who participated in this survey provided responses along demographic, social, economic, career, and management style dimensions. This data is analyzed and key differences between managers and entrepreneurs are identified and discussed. Finally, the paper explores the types of business started by Polish women, their motivation and their backgrounds relative to women who have chosen to pursue a management career.
Results and Implications
Our preliminary findings provide strong support for the influence of human capital variables for the success of women managers, while family background and family structure seem to be most powerful in explaining success of women entrepreneurs in Poland. Specifically, women managers tend to be more educated than women entrepreneurs, while women entrepreneurs are more likely to be married and significantly less likely to be the head of household.
A comprehensive view of women entrepreneurs and their enterprises in Poland provides the necessary framework to further public policy aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and can provide a model for other transitioning economies. A better understanding of the success factors for career-oriented women will provide policymakers with valuable insights and aid the formulation of family-friendly public policy for the workplace.
CONTACT: Richard T. Bliss, Babson College, Babson Park, MA 02457; (T) 781-239-5883; (F) 781-239-6465; blissr@babson.edu
2002 Babson College. All Rights Reserved. Last Updated March 2003.