Foucault, feminism, shame, and the dynamics of discourse: theorising entrepreneurship on the borders of established convention

This paper employs the micro-sociological theories of pride, shame, and deference, together with Foucauldian concept of discourse, and feminist theory to theorise the process of entrepreneurship as occurring at the boundary of established convention. By employing two examples of female entrepreneurs operating in a cultural environment normally regarded as antagonistic to female endeavour we show how power relations can be re-negotiated through a process of discourse revision and rewriting which allows the construction of activities that significantly challenge the status quo. We argue that entrepreneurialism as a process is associated with the rediscoursing dynamics that occur in sites where power struggles are played out at the boundary between dominant and alternative discourses.