Contribution to a praxeological reading of the entrepreneurial crisis leadership of female SME managers: the example of the Covid-19 health crisis

The Covid-19 pandemic crisis was an adverse situation for all economic actors. By mobilising the concept of entrepreneurial leadership, this article aims to analyse the organisational actions and leadership postures adopted by senior women managers to guarantee the continuity of their economic activity, and even, to ensure the survival of their company. We will try to show that their actions and practices are not univocal. They are characterised, on the contrary, by a form of contingency crossed by fields of tension and a subtle balance between strategic decisions of exploitation and exploration, and a strategic implementation based on both operational and relational processes. This research work will allow us to grasp the contours of a singular form of entrepreneurial leadership linked to the crisis. We will also question the limits of the use of the notion of gender to apprehend entrepreneurial behaviours and decision-making processes deployed by women entrepreneurs in contexts of adversity.