WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN SWITZERLAND: SITUATION, CHARACTERISTICS, MOTIVATION AND ENTREPRENEURIAL BEHAVIOR OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN SWITZERLAND

Entrepreneurs are important for national labour markets and economies in that they contribute significantly to economic growth as well as provide the majority of jobs and create new ones (OECD, 2000; van Praag & Versloot, 2007). According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor's "Report on Women and Entrepreneurship" (Allen, Elam, Langowitz and Dean, 2007), investment in women's entrepreneurship is an important way to exponentially increase the impact of new venture creation. Finding ways to empower women's participation and success in entrepreneurship are critical for more sustainable and successful economic development. Our results confirm that they are strong differences between men and women entrepreneurs The reasons for this male preponderance seems to be the lack of specific business skills, the less extensive social network, and the lack of identification patterns among women. Those differences can be explained by the fact that women still have fewer opportunities to make a career. If this is correct, we can predict an increasing proportion of women among entrepreneurs in the next years. Concerning the development of an favorable environment for developing and enhancing women entrepreneurship activities, our results show the insertion in a network and the role of a model doubtless represent elements determining in the choice to launch an entrepreneurship activity, as well as a precious resource for the success of her company.