Gender Differences in the Personal Value Systems of Small Business Owner– Managers in Ghana

Abstract

Researchers have suggested that the type of women and men who become entrepreneurs are psychologically distinguishable from each other. Thus the main aim of this study was to examine how these differences are manifested in the personal values systems of male and female owner-managers in Ghana. Six hundred men and women owner-managers rated a modified version of the Rokeach (1973) value survey. The results of the study revealed that female owner-managers gave significantly greater weight than males to power, ambition, social recognition aggressiveness. In contrast, male owner-managers gave greater weight than females to the values of risk taking, personal development, innovation, broadmindedness, capability, courageousness and imagination. The findings thus lend credence to the suggestion that gender differences arise from institutionalised social structures that influence the personal values of small business owners. It is therefore recommended that the socialisation processes both boys and girls go through in Ghana are made gender-neutral.

Keywords: Gender, Personal Value Systems, Small Businesses