Women entrepreneurs in Singapore: are they different?

This paper reports the findings of an exploratory empirical study that examines the differences between men and women entrepreneurs in Singapore with respect to motivation and personality traits to determine the extent of the gender 'gap'. Using a conceptual framework combining the entrepreneurial personality characteristics identified by McClelland (1976) and Brockhaus (1982), the study's main hypothesis was that there were significant gender differences in terms of motivation and personality characteristics between Singaporean entrepreneurs. A survey among 85 entrepreneurs was conducted and the results suggest that there are no significant gender differences in terms of motivation but that there are significant differences in personality traits. The paper concludes by recommending further research be conducted on other aspects of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor's conceptual model that could better explain the differences between men and women entrepreneurs.