GENDER AND INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT OF EARLY-STAGE SOCIAL SERVICE ENTREPRENEURS: THE ROLES OF ENTREPRENEURIAL EXIT EXPERIENCE AND INNOVATION

The paper empirically examines how gender affects international market engagement through its effects on entrepreneurial exit experience and innovation in early-stage social service ventures across different countries. Empirical findings from generalized linear mixed models with SAS GLIMMIX procedures support the direct effect of gender on international market engagement and the indirect effect of gender on international market engagement through entrepreneurial exit experience and innovation in early-stage social service ventures. The study shows significant gender gaps in the international market engagement of early-stage social service ventures owned by male and female entrepreneurs. The gaps appear to be rooted in gender differences in experiential learning resulting from entrepreneurial exit experience and innovation. The paper calls on governments to build gender-aware ecosystems that engage female entrepreneurs in experiential learning and innovation, thereby empowering them to grow through active international market engagement in early-stage social service ventures.