Women Entrepreneurs and Innovation in Ghana

Date

2020-11-27

Advisors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Type

Book chapter

Peer reviewed

Yes

Abstract

This chapter analyses how the gender of the entrepreneur is associated with firm-level innovation performance, both directly and in conjunction with other firm and manager attributes. Using a unique survey data set collected in 2013 from the DILIC project in Ghana, and formulating a two-stage model, the chapter examines if gender differences exist in firm-level innovation activities in Ghana. Our analyses show significant differences in innovation behaviour between women’s and men’s firms, suggesting that women are less likely to introduce technological and new-to-market innovations, and also sell less of innovative products. However, the results show that women are more active in adopting non-technological, especially marketing, innovation. For policy, the chapter offers new insights into gender differences, and the role of informal firms in the innovation system of Ghana, and suggests that there is a need for new policy redirection towards informality on the one hand and the need for specific institutional arrangements to address this gender gap on the other hand.

Description

Keywords

innovation, entrepreneurship, women, Ghana

Citation

Fu, X., Muchie, M. and Egbetokun, A. (2020) Women entrepreneurs and innovation in Ghana In: Fu, X (Ed.) Innovation under the radar: The nature and sources of innovation in Africa, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 152-187

Rights

Research Institute