Start-up conditions and the performance of women - and men - controlled businesses in manufacturing industries

• Main Authors: Otilia Driga, Diego Prior
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad de Murcia 2019-05-01
• Series: Revista de Contabilidad: Spanish Accounting Review
• Subjects: Women controlled firms; performance; growth; initial resources; firm size; financial debt
• Online Access: https://revistas.um.es/rcsar/article/view/375481

Recent research into the economic performance of women-controlled firms suggests that their underperformance may not be the result of differences in the managerial ability of women as compared to men, and that it may in fact be a consequence of differing levels of start-up resources. Using accounting data, we examine the effects that selected start-up conditions have had on the observed economic performance of a sample of 4450 Spanish manufacturing firms. The results, which indicate significant differences in the initial conditions and show lower levels of assets and employee numbers in women-controlled firms, have implications for the economic performance of such firms.