Entrepreneur Gender and Firm Innovation Activity: A Multilevel Perspective

Using a multilevel approach, we explore the entrepreneur gender-innovation relationship in new ventures. We investigate individual education, interfirm network ties, and firm regional location using a sample of 4265 new Korean firms. Results show that male entrepreneurs, compared with female, are more likely to complete engineering or natural science degrees, maintain heterogeneous interfirm network ties, and locate firms in clustered regions. Further, engineering or natural science degrees, heterogeneous interfirm network ties, and locating in clustered regions are positively associated with firm innovation. We find that individual education, interfirm network ties, and firm regional location mediate the entrepreneur gender-firm innovation relationship.