abstract: 'Plain English SummaryOur analysis reveals that the application of labor

  regulation, apparently formulated in a gender-neutral manner, might lead

  to gender differences in entrepreneurial activity, especially in

  developing countries. We find that the link between labor market

  regulation and entrepreneurship tend to weaken for men and women as the

  country''s level of economic development increases, becoming negligible

  in high-income countries. However, in developing countries more flexible

  labor regulation is closely related to lower female early-stage

  entrepreneurial activity. This is because women''s greater opportunity

  costs and risk aversion, along with gender biases that usually

  characterize labor markets in numerous developing economies, might

  prevent them from taking advantage of their capabilities and

  opportunities for new ventures. Consequently, improving labor regulation

  in these countries in aspects such as minimum wages, laws inhibiting

  layoffs, severity requirements, and restraints on hiring and hours

  worked might be particularly advisable in terms of female

  entrepreneurship, rather than the traditional prescription of increasing

  labor flexibility suggested by the liberal paradigm.

  This research examines the extent to which labor regulatory context

  matters for entrepreneurial activity under a gender perspective, using

  institutional economics and feminist theories as the analytical

  framework. We conduct a panel data analysis for 86 countries during the

  period 2004-2018 by differentiating between high-income and developing

  economies. Our findings highlight that while the links between labor

  regulation and entrepreneurial activity seem negligible in high-income

  economies, in developing economies labor flexibility is closely

  associated with female entrepreneurship. However, unlike the

  market-oriented view on the positive association between labor market

  flexibility and entrepreneurship, our results point out that in these

  economies more flexible labor regulation is related to lower early-stage

  female entrepreneurial activity, even though this relationship tends to

  vanish as the level of economic development of the country increases.

  This study contributes theoretically, helping to advance the analysis of

  gender differences in entrepreneurial activity from an institutional

  approach, and practically, providing evidence to policy makers on

  possible gender differences in the application of country-level labor

  market regulation in terms of entrepreneurial activity.'
affiliation: 'Perez-Moreno, S (Corresponding Author), Univ Malaga, Dept Appl Econ
  Econ Policy, Malaga 29071, Spain.

  Angulo-Guerrero, Maria J., Univ Malaga, Dept Business Management, Malaga 29071,
  Spain.

  Barcena-Martin, Elena, Univ Malaga, Dept Appl Econ Stat \& Econometr, Malaga 29071,
  Spain.

  Medina-Claros, Samuel, Univ Malaga, Dept Appl Econ Polit Econ, Malaga 29071, Spain.

  Perez-Moreno, Salvador, Univ Malaga, Dept Appl Econ Econ Policy, Malaga 29071, Spain.'
author: Angulo-Guerrero, Maria J. and Barcena-Martin, Elena and Medina-Claros, Samuel
  and Perez-Moreno, Salvador
author-email: 'mjanguloguerrero@uma.es

  barcenae@uma.es

  smedina@uma.es

  sperezmoreno@uma.es'
author_list:
- family: Angulo-Guerrero
  given: Maria J.
- family: Barcena-Martin
  given: Elena
- family: Medina-Claros
  given: Samuel
- family: Perez-Moreno
  given: Salvador
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1007/s11187-023-00776-0
earlyaccessdate: MAY 2023
eissn: 1573-0913
files: []
issn: 0921-898X
journal: SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMICS
keywords: 'Labor market regulation; Entrepreneurship; Gender; Cross-country

  analysis'
keywords-plus: 'EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION LEGISLATION; WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS; SELF; BUSINESS;

  FEMALE; PERCEPTIONS; LEADERSHIP; FRAMEWORK; NASCENT; IMPACT'
language: English
month: 2023 MAY 5
number-of-cited-references: '112'
orcid-numbers: Medina-Claros, Samuel/0000-0002-6512-9177
papis_id: 7c4148f5ab86d98746b640345f7c1e28
ref: Anguloguerrero2023labormarket
times-cited: '2'
title: 'Labor market regulation and gendered entrepreneurship: a cross-national perspective'
type: Article; Early Access
unique-id: WOS:000982375500001
usage-count-last-180-days: '2'
usage-count-since-2013: '2'
web-of-science-categories: Business; Economics; Management
year: '2023'