M3D1: Job Attribute Preference
Upon completion of this activity, you will be able to:
Identify job attributes preferred by men and women.
Analyze how gender influences entrepreneurial success.
Job attribute preference is one of the topics discussed in Chapter 4 of the textbook. Powell (2011) highlights the similarities and differences between men and women when it comes to these preferences. For example, women typically prefer jobs that allow them to more easily fulfill their roles as mothers and wives (flexible work hours, etc.) and that emphasize positive interpersonal relations. However, research has not found much difference between the sexes on job attributes, such as meaningful work, recognition, and responsibility.
This week’s module will assist you in preparing for the final project in this course, the topic of which is female entrepreneurship and the female market. Given what Powell presents in Chapter 4 on job attribute preference, one alternative for many men and women seeking meaningful work, recognition, and responsibility is to go into business for themselves. Research has found little difference between male and female entrepreneurs, though men tend to see their entrepreneurial ventures more as machines to be built and maintained while women prefer to treat theirs as living organisms to be nurtured.
Keeping this in mind, respond to the following:
Search the internet and find information on the characteristics of entrepreneurs. Share it in the forum.
Given the characteristics you discovered, discuss whether or not you believe gender influences entrepreneurial success.
Post your primary response. Be sure to review your writing for grammar and spelling before posting.
Read any postings already provided by your instructor or fellow students.
Remember to read the feedback to your own major postings and reply to it throughout the module.
See the rubric for due dates for posts and responses.
Keep the following points in mind:
Characteristics of entrepreneurs are described and properly explained.
Gender influence on entrepreneurial success is explained with pertinent examples.
Consult the Discussion Posting Guide for information about writing your discussion posts. It is recommended that you write your post in a document first. Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to make your initial post, click “Reply.” Then copy/paste the text into the message field, and click “Post Reply.”
To respond to a peer, click “Reply” beneath her or his post and continue as with an initial post.
Evaluation
This discussion will be graded using the discussion board rubric. Please review this rubric, located on the Rubrics page within the Start Here module of the course, prior to beginning your work to ensure your participation meets the criteria in place for this discussion. All discussions combined are worth 25% of your final course grade.
Expert Answer
Discussion
Entrepreneurs possess certain characteristics that distinguish them from other people. These characteristics enable them to achieve success in the process of building a new idea into a successful business venture. Entrepreneurs are ambitious and self-confident. Entrepreneurs are people who are intellectually active. They see problems all around them and attempt to fix them (Drucker, 2014). They become impatient about the identified problems. It is not enough to identify a problem. An entrepreneur takes the extra step to attempt to fix the problem. Through self-confidence, an entrepreneur believes that they are uniquely positioned to solve problems. Entrepreneurs have the willingness to take a leap of faith (Cohen & Wirtz, 2018). They are not risk evaders. Entrepreneurs have a high level of risk tolerance. They know how to weigh risks and take calculated risks. Being ambitious and self-confident is not adequate to build an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs take a leap of faith by believing that a problem is solvable and that they are fit to solve it. They are also passionate about the ideas that they have.
An entrepreneur is decisive since they have to make hard decisions within a short period of time. In addition, entrepreneurs are people who are open to learning. They keep themselves updated on the current affairs and adapt to changes in the business and market environment. Creativity and vision are also important characteristics of a successful entrepreneur. Based on these characteristics, one may argue that gender may have an influence on entrepreneurial success since there are assumptions when it comes to characteristics such as risk tolerance and self-confidence. Many people believe that men generally have a higher tolerance for risks and are more self-confident, compared to women (Gupta et al., 2009). Women are assumed to be risk-averse. However, where two people of different gender possess similar entrepreneurial characteristics, the possibility of success would not be affected by their gender.
References
Cohen, L., & Wirtz, P. (2018). Characteristics of Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurial Finance, and Growth Paths.
Drucker, P. (2014). Innovation and entrepreneurship. Routledge.
Gupta, V. K., Turban, D. B., Wasti, S. A., & Sikdar, A. (2009). The role of gender stereotypes in perceptions of entrepreneurs and intentions to become an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 33(2), 397-417.