SystHIM Change: How to engage and inspire university women in male- dominated spaces VentureWell OPEN 2016 Dr. Audrey Iffert-Saleem, Oregon State University Dr. Marla Parker, Arizona State University Susan Halverson, Arizona State University

find a team (3-4) and introduce yourself; read the case study

our assumptions about women and women entrepreneurs

the context: women’s engagement in entrepreneurship

“ [Women’s Entrepreneurship] is an economic growth issue, and to the extent that half of the American population and more than half of our educated population are not fully participating in the engine of growth and innovation, it is an opportunity to avoid the “secular stagnation” that is now expected for the American economy.” Sources of Economic Hope: Women’s Entrepreneurship, Nov 2014

The Good As of 2014, it is estimated that there are nearly 9.1 million women-owned businesses in the United States, generating over $1.4 trillion in revenues and employing nearly 7.9 million people. Between 1997 and 2014, when the number of businesses in the United States increased by 47%, the number of women-owned firms increased by 68%—a rate 1½ times the national average.

More Good Women-owned firms now account for 30% of all enterprises, and are growing faster in number and employment than most other firms. Entrepreneurship among women of color has exploded, where 33% of women business owners are minorities, with African American women business owners being the fastest growing group.

Hmmm…Not So Good Women’s business ownership is more confined to small firms as opposed to larger firms. Women-owned businesses are not generating as much employment as businesses owned by men. Few women are participating in venture capital/angel investment based funding (in large part due to lack of mentoring). Fewer women than men are occupying entrepreneurial positions in certain fields (e.g. technology).

Also Not So Good Women demonstrate less entrepreneurial self-efficacy than men. Women face challenges in attaining funding not coming from personal assets/savings. Women face challenges in developing robust, functional social capital that could lead to further business opportunities. Women face challenges in balancing entrepreneurial demands and family demands.

There is no single archetype of a woman entrepreneur. We repeat. There is no single archetype of a woman entrepreneur.

What do we mean by that? Though women predominately own businesses in health and social service industries, they have a presence as entrepreneurs across many fields. A third of women in entrepreneurship are women of color. Women entrepreneurs include those who are younger, middle aged, older. Business ownership is pursued by early, middle or late career women as a primary, secondary or even third profession.

What do we mean by that? Entrepreneurship is appealing to and pursued by single, married and divorced women, as well as those with and without immediate family obligations. There are a variety of motivations for women becoming entrepreneurs: wanting to capitalize on business idea, could not/did not want to pursue traditional employment, external encouragement, freedom, etc.

Entrepreneurship as a masculine activity Entry and success of women in entrepreneurship should prompt a reconsideration of defining that space in strict “masculine” and “feminine” terms that foster segregation (i.e. gendered division of labor), build boundaries, create different definitions of success and limits the creation of diverse images of women entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship and gender Masculine: driven, enterprising, cunning, sharp, risk- taking, problem-solving, rational, negotiating, take- charge. Feminine: nurturing, social/relational, sympathetic, soft-spoken, listening, emotional, caring, gentle, passive/yielding.

design thinking exercises & women’s engagement in entrepreneurship

{ design thinking discover/research interpret ideate experiment evolve

How might we include more women in our entrepreneurship programs? How might we build an accelerator program that is inclusive of women? How might we create an application process that is inclusive of women? How might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we…. macro micro

step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? who are our audiences (direct and indirect influencers)? 2 min

why might women need, want or engage with the accelerator? step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 3 min

what do we know about engaging women in our accelerator? step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 3 min

what do we not know about engaging women in our accelerator? step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 3 min

who would have an interesting perspective on the problem? step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 2 min

who would have an extreme perspective, positive and negative, on the problem? step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 2 min

role play in your a team; elect someone to play the “interesting perspective”; someone to play the “negative”; someone to play the “positive”; ask each person WHY WHY WHY step 1. discover/research the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 6 min

share with the group: what frustrated him/her; motivated him/her; what was most memorable and/or surprising? Step 2. interpret/share how others see the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 2 min

what do your findings suggest you need to consider when solving the problem? Step 2. interpret/share how others see the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 2 min

the seven rules of open brainstorming Step 3. ideate on the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session? 1 min

methods to find a needle in a haystack brainstorming exercise; give your team 3 min to shout out as many answers as possible 2 min Step 3. ideate on the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session?

focus on your team’s problem; give your team 10 min to write their ideas on post it notes and post them to the board. Silently, read and build on one another’s ideas as you brainstorm 10 min Step 3. ideate on the problem: how might we encourage more women to attend our accelerator application process info session?

organize the ideas by stacking related ideas in clusters or on top of each other 3 min Step 3. ideate on the problem: how might we…

share your favorite ideas with your team and nominate five ideas to share with the larger group 3 min Step 3. ideate on the problem: how might we…

share the five ideas your team has chosen with the larger group 10 min Step 3. ideate on the problem: how might we…

next steps in building inclusive programming

SystHIM Change: How to engage and inspire university women in male- dominated spaces VentureWell OPEN 2016 Dr. Audrey Iffert-Saleem, Oregon State University Dr. Marla Parker, Arizona State University Susan Halverson, Arizona State University