Anmari Viljamaa

This research examines how teachers’ entrepreneurial traits and institutional support influence their promotion of entrepreneurship in HEIs. Data from 778 Finnish HEI teachers representing various educational fields were analysed using quantitative methods. In this study, traits refer to teachers’ entrepreneurial characteristics, including innovation ability, risk-taking propensity and problem-solving skills, which can be developed over time. Trait activation theory is applied as a framework to explain the relationship between teachers’ entrepreneurial traits, institutional support, and teachers’ actions promoting entrepreneurship. Findings show that both teachers’ entrepreneurial traits and institutional support from the university have positive effects on teachers’ promotion of entrepreneurship in their HEI. Thus, teachers are more likely to become promoters of entrepreneurship if they themselves have entrepreneurial traits. In addition, if the university’s management and structural systems support entrepreneurship, it will have a positive effect on teachers’ activity in the promotion of entrepreneurship. This study contributes to the literature by showing that organisational context can encourage teachers to act as promoters of entrepreneurship in HEIs. Teachers’ promotion of entrepreneurship is stimulated by structural and managerial support as contextual variables, and structural support mechanisms especially have direct and indirect effects in activating teachers’ entrepreneurial traits.

Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) - the belief in one’s ability to perform entrepreneurial tasks - is a well-established predictor of entrepreneurial entry, persistence, and outcomes (Chen et al., 1998; Zhao et al., 2005; Newman et al., 2019). A large body of research shows systematic gender gaps in ESE, with women consistently reporting lower entrepreneurial confidence than men (Wilson et al., 2007; Shinnar et al., 2012). Yet most evidence comes from Anglo-American contexts, while Nordic welfare states such as Finland, globally recognized for gender equality, remain understudied. Moreover, although ESE is often treated as an antecedent of entrepreneurial behavior, fewer studies examine how entrepreneurial experience itself may reinforce ESE, potentially creating a self-reinforcing cycle that disadvantages women. This study addresses these gaps by analyzing data from the 2025 Finnish Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Adult Population Survey (N = 2,050). We investigate how gender, age, household size, income, role model exposure, and business ownership predict ESE, and whether ownership mediates gender differences. Multinomial logistic regression results show that gender, age, role model exposure, and business ownership significantly predict ESE, while household size and income do not. Women are markedly less likely than men to report moderate (OR = 0.38, p < .001) or strong (OR = 0.67, p < .001) self-efficacy. Business ownership is the strongest predictor: owners are over three times more likely to report moderate ESE and more than eleven times more likely to report strong ESE compared to non-owners (p < .001). Bootstrapped mediation analysis further demonstrates that ownership partially mediates the gender gap: men are more likely to own businesses, and this experience significantly strengthens self-efficacy. While ESE clearly influences entrepreneurial entry, our findings also highlight the reverse pathway: entrepreneurial experience reinforces ESE (Markman et al., 2002). By situating Finland in global debates on gender and entrepreneurship, this study contributes new evidence from a high-equality context and underscores the dynamic interplay between self-belief and entrepreneurial experience. The results suggest that policy measures enabling women to gain entrepreneurial exposure early, even through small-scale or low-risk ventures, could help break the cycle in which lower ESE reduces entrepreneurial engagement and lack of experience further suppresses confidence.

Previous research has demonstrated that female students exhibit lower entrepreneurial intentions compared to their male counterparts, with these intentions also developing less significantly over the course of their studies (Joensuu et al, 2013). However, the precise reasons for this disparity remain unclear. This study examines the issue from two perspectives: entrepreneurship competence and support from one's immediate social circle. The aim of the research is to investigate gender differences in entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurship competence, and the perception of social support. Additionally, the study explores the influence of gender, entrepreneurship competence, and social support (subjective norm) on entrepreneurial intentions. The data for this study were collected in Finland over four different years (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023) from first-year higher education students. The dataset includes a total of 2,795 respondents, with 1,430 men and 1,339 women. The results indicate that women consistently have lower entrepreneurial intentions, entrepreneurship competence, and subjective norm scores than men in every year of data collection. Moreover, linear regression analysis reveals that gender, entrepreneurial competence, and subjective norm explain 51% of the variance in entrepreneurial intentions, with subjective norm being the most significant factor in explaining these intentions. Furthermore, the regression analysis shows that gender moderates the effect of entrepreneurship competence—this effect is stronger for men than for women. For women, subjective norm is particularly significant. The experience of support for entrepreneurship is lower among women, which negatively impacts their entrepreneurial intentions. The findings suggest that societal support for entrepreneurship still favours men, which in turn influences entrepreneurial outcomes. It is possible that families continue to raise children differently based on gender, with entrepreneurship being perceived as more masculine and therefore more suitable for men than for women.

Entrepreneurship is inherently shaped by gender, with norms and expectations influencing how women experience their roles as entrepreneurs. Traditionally, entrepreneurship has been aligned with masculine traits such as assertiveness and risk-taking, perpetuating stereotypes that often conflict with societal perceptions of femininity. This disconnect frequently gives rise to biases and structural barriers, including significant disadvantages in securing financing. Beyond financial challenges, women entrepreneurs also contend with gender discrimination and issues related to work-life balance. While there is evidence of a gradual shift toward a more inclusive entrepreneurial image, entrenched gender biases continue to shape the experiences of women in this field. Nevertheless, some scholars argue that entrepreneurship can offer women a means to navigate and counteract gender discrimination. It provides a degree of flexibility and autonomy, enabling a more favorable work-family balance. For many women, entrepreneurship not only serves as an escape from workplace biases but also creates opportunities to assert greater agency and independence in their professional lives. This study seeks to explore how gender influences women’s experiences as entrepreneurs. Using a qualitative approach, interviews with 12 growth-oriented women entrepreneurs reveal complex gendered discourses that both reflect and challenge the dominant, traditionally masculine narrative of entrepreneurship. Through discourse analysis, three distinct discourses were constructed, highlighting how deeply embedded gender norms shape women’s entrepreneurial journeys. These findings provide valuable insights into the unique challenges women encounter and highlight the potential of entrepreneurship as a strategic avenue for achieving work-life balance and personal agency. By examining these gendered discourses, the study contributes to a broader understanding of how entrepreneurship can evolve to be more inclusive, recognizing and addressing the distinct obstacles women face. This research thus underscores the importance of shifting away from a monolithic entrepreneurial model to a more diverse, inclusive one that respects and supports varied gendered experiences in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship of corporate social responsibility (CSR) dimensions on the financial and nonfinancial performance of Finnish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) amidst crises. Design/methodology/approach: Survey data was collected from 204 SME owner-managers in Finland during the COVID-19 pandemic using a purposive sampling technique, focusing on SMEs in South Ostrobothnia representing Finnish SMEs. The study tests the direct and indirect effects of CSR dimensions on both financial and nonfinancial performance during challenging times using linear regression analysis and path analysis with SEM. Findings: The analysis reveals that CSR systems thinking competence positively affects financial performance but does not significantly impact nonfinancial performance. On the other hand, community social responsibility and socially responsible human resource management positively influence nonfinancial performance and have an indirect effect on financial performance. Originality/value: This research underscores the beneficial performance outcomes of SME engagement in CSR during challenging times, emphasizing the enduring value of investing in employees. It highlights that despite industry performance affecting financial outcomes, CSR systems thinking competence contributes to financial performance and community social responsibility and socially responsible human resource management maintain a positive association with nonfinancial performance. Furthermore, this study enriches the existing literature on the CSR-SME performance relationship by exploring its effects within the unique context of a Nordic welfare society facing a crisis.

Green growth involves aligning economic growth with environmental objectives and transitioning toward a resource-efficient, low-carbon economy. The objective of this chapter is to present a taxonomy of green growth and green transition for SMEs and examine the relationship between green SME growth and strategies of exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity. Survey data was gathered from Finnish SMEs and consists of responses from 204 SME owner-managers. Our results show that based on SMEs’ green transition orientation, three different categories can be found. The results indicate that green growth SMEs use strategies of both exploration and exploitation, and that actual green growth is related to an ambidextrous approach. The research contributes to understanding green growth in SMEs as a phenomenon, and its linkages with different exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity strategies. A framework is proposed for classifying SMEs in relation to green growth for use in future entrepreneurship research.

Aging is a great challenge for European societies. When the time comes for the entrepreneur to retire, either a business transfer takes place or the firm ceases to exist. This means there is an increasing need for ‘takeover entrepreneurs’. Entrepreneurship education to improve entrepreneurial competencies or learn about starting a business is common in European HEIs, but there is relatively little attention given to family business succession as a career choice and practically none to entrepreneurship through acquisition. Entrepreneurship courses focus on starting a business, implicitly carrying the assumption that this is the sole way of becoming an entrepreneur or implementing a business idea. In this descriptive paper, a Buyer School and a Successor School developed by one university to bridge the gap is showcased and the rationale behind their development is discussed. The authors conclude that Successor and Buyer Schools show promise in closing the distance between HEI entrepreneurship education and the lived experience of entrepreneurial life. It is hoped that other HEIs are encouraged to offer similar courses or, failing that, to refer to takeover entrepreneurship in their other courses.

The intersection of gender and innovation is increasingly explored in entrepreneurship research. However, the existing literature on women's entrepreneurship often focuses on challenges and gender disparities. Despite the growing participation of women entrepreneurs, barriers to their innovation persist. Previous studies highlight that gender operates as a limiting factor in innovation systems, and the overall construction of innovation carries masculine connotations. Our research seeks to delve into the personal meaning’s women entrepreneurs attribute to innovation. Specifically, we pose the question: How do women entrepreneurs conceptualise innovation? Employing Appreciative Inquiry (AI), we conducted interviews with 12 Finnish women entrepreneurs, emphasising strengths and positive aspects rather than problem-solving. The AI process included four stages: discovery, dream, design, and delivery. Each participant underwent two interview rounds, covering different stages. The analysis, conducted through discourse analysis, identified three discourses in women entrepreneurs' constructions of innovation: 1) Innovation is me, 2) Touch of something new, and 3) Vague concept. While prior research has often associated innovation with masculine traits, our results reveal a nuanced perspective. The positive approach of AI uncovered constructive views of innovation, such as the strong identity formation with innovation depicted in the discourse of "Innovation is me”. By providing rich qualitative insights, our research contributes to a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs engaged in innovation, challenging conventional notions and highlighting positive constructions of innovation.

Purpose: The purpose is to examine the relationship between entrepreneurs’ exit strategies and modes of entry. The topic of exit strategies in the context of approaching retirement warrants further attention.Design/methodology/approach: We apply logistic regression to analyse 1,192 responses to an online survey of firms with entrepreneurs aged over 55.Findings: Family successors are more likely to choose family succession and buyers to choose to sell, but the association between founding and exit mode cannot be confirmed. Firm size is also significant. Our findings suggest that entry and exit via a business transfer are linked. Entrepreneurs might be influenced by their form of entry when choosing their exit strategy.Research limitations/implications: The data were collected from a single European country, limiting generalisation. Future research should incorporate intervening variables not controlled for here, such as, entrepreneurial experience. Future studies should also seek to test the existence of imprinting directly, as it is implied rather than verified here.Practical implications: If the entry mode has a lasting effect on the entrepreneur as our results suggest, thus influencing the exit strategy selected, entrepreneurs could benefit from greater awareness of the imprinting mechanism. Increasing awareness of imprinted biases could unlock the benefits of exit strategies previously overlooked.Originality/value: The study is the first to consider sale, family succession and liquidation as exit strategies in relation to the original entry mode of ageing owners. It contributes to the understanding of exit strategies of ageing entrepreneurs and proposes using entrepreneurial learning and imprinting as lenses to clarify the phenomenon.

The aim of this paper is to understand how sustainable entrepreneurship competence impacts entrepreneurial intentions in two educational contexts: in higher education and in secondary education. We applied the sustainable entrepreneurship framework, which includes six competencies of sustainable entrepreneurship, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. The data were gathered from seven European countries and consist of 486 responses from higher education students and 642 responses from secondary-level students. The results show that sustainable entrepreneurship competence (SEC) is a significant factor that can explain entrepreneurial intentions. It has a significant direct effect on entrepreneurial intentions in both educational contexts. Perceived behavioral control (PBC) moderates the relationship between SEC and entrepreneurial intentions; the effect of SEC decreases when PBC increases. The moderating effect was found only with higher education students, not with secondary-level students. This study demonstrates a connection between sustainable entrepreneurship competence and entrepreneurial intentions and contributes to a better understanding of the role of sustainable entrepreneurship competence in shaping students’ aspirations for an entrepreneurial career in different educational contexts.