The literature on entrepreneurial masculinity has primarily focused on how hegemonic masculinity is constructed and performed in entrepreneurship. Little is known about how…
Abstract
Purpose
The literature on entrepreneurial masculinity has primarily focused on how hegemonic masculinity is constructed and performed in entrepreneurship. Little is known about how non-hegemonic masculinity is performed by male entrepreneurs who do not fit the dominant and traditional form of masculinity in a specific context. Focusing on a cohort of Black male entrepreneurs who practised entrepreneurship in a predominantly white context, this paper explores how non-hegemonic entrepreneurial masculinity is constructed.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to analyse qualitative data collected through semi-structured interviews with nine Black male entrepreneurs living and doing business in the Northeast of England.
Findings
The study found that Black male entrepreneurs construct a distinct form of entrepreneurial masculinity by leveraging the identity of White women to construct a respectable entrepreneurial masculinity. The form of masculinity the men engaged in is theorised as transactional masculinity. This is enacted through relationships with White women which is seen as a symbol of respect and social acceptance, and as a “rite of passage” in entrepreneurship. The study presents a model of entrepreneurial masculinity to explain how transactional masculinity is constructed in relation to femininity and other forms of masculinity.
Originality/value
The study theorises how non-hegemonic entrepreneurial masculinity is enacted through the concept of transactional masculinity. It presents a model of entrepreneurial masculinity and gives voice to the experiences of male entrepreneurial actors with non-hegemonic masculinity.