Sex Differences and Risk-Taking Propensity of Entrepreneurs
使用标准问卷，检验了企业家与经理人、男性与女性在风险承担倾向上是否存在差异，结果发现均无显著差异。
ABSTRACT: RAPPORTS ENTRE LE SEXE DES ENTREPRENEURS ET LEURS TENDANCES A PRENDRE DES RISQUES Il a ete souvent suggere que les entrepreneurs etaient enclins a prendre plus de risques que les gerants, et que les hommes prenaient plus de risques que les femmes. Le but de cette etudetait d'examinerces deux propositions en utilisant un instrument standard,leKogan and Wallach Choice Dilemma Questionnaire (CDQ). Elle s'inspire des recherches conduites par Brockhaus pour determiner la difference d'attitude entre les entrepreneurs et les gerants dans le domaine des prises de risques. Elle en corrobore les resultats: il n'y a aucune difference significative entre la tendance a prendre des risques parmi les entrepreneurs et les gerants. Il en est de meme en ce qui concerne la difference entre hommes et femmes. entrepreneur's and manager's roles have always involved risk taking. Entrepreneurs, however, widely believed to be willing to take more risks than managers. In addition, women have been stereotyped as conservative and risk-averse-males viewed as taking more risks than females. purpose of this article is to present results of a study conducted to determine whether male entrepreneurs and female entrepreneurs in United States differ in risk-taking propensity. A secondary purpose of study was to replicate research conducted by Brockhaus comparing risk-taking propensity of entrepreneurs and managers..sup.1 BACKGROUND Previous researchers have either openly stated or implied that both entrepreneurs and managers risk-taker..sup.2 According to Burch, The antithesis of entrepreneur is a person who never loses because he or she never puts himself or herself at risk..sup.3 Research conducted prior to 1960s investigating differences between males and females in various situations typically found females to be more conservative than males..sup.4 Wallach and Kogan concluded that women more conservative when they make decisions under conditions of uncertainty; however, they more extreme in their judgments when conditions certain..sup.5 This result is generally explained by reference to constraining influences females exposed to in socialization process. Males reinforced for exploratory (i.e., risk-taking) behavior; females encouraged to be more conservative. women's movement which took shape in 1960s and 1970s has had a major influence on societal value systems. Its primary emphasis has been on achieving legal equality and increasing employment opportunities for women, including preparing women for managerial roles, in part by developing awareness of risk-taking..sup.6 During 1980s, literature addressed female entrepreneurship and actual risk-taking, which demonstrated women's advancement into entrepreneurial and risk-taking roles.sup.7 Statistics show that during this period, women started more small businesses than men, and women-owned businesses were fastest growing segment of small business in North America.sup.8 From 1972 to 1982, number of self-employed women increased by 59 percent; five times rate of increase among men..sup.9 It appears, therefore, that sex differences with respect to risk taking may no longer exist. DEFINITIONS Many characteristics and attributes have been attributed to the entrepreneurial personality..sup.10 Some writers have suggested defining entrepreneurs in terms of role rather than attributes.sup.11 debate as to what actually constitutes an entrepreneur has not been resolved. For purposes of this article, entrepreneur is defined as a major owner of a small business or major owner and manager of a small business. A manager is defined as a person who manages, but does not own a small business. As for definition of risk-taking, Baty has said a question to ask when considering an entrepreneurial venture is are potential rewards commensurate with risks? …