Exports and Female Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The UK's decision to leave the European Union based on the 2016 referendum has created considerable uncertainty in the UK economy. For UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to survive, export markets may become more important. This chapter examines the impact from the presence of foreign direct investment (FDI). The influence of gender on this relationship has not been previously investigated. Using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) regression approaches are applied. A negative relationship is found between foreign influence and export propensity and intensity. No evidence is found for female entrepreneurs as a whole being affected to a greater extent. However, female entrepreneurs with less human capital are affected to a greater extent. These findings suggest that when seeking to attract FDI policymakers must be aware of the potential negative consequences. Training offered to the most vulnerable female entrepreneurs in collaboration with foreign affiliates might counter any negative effects to achieve greater positive knowledge spillovers.