Documenting Essex-Boy as a local gendered regime.

Smith, Robert

Abstract

Purpose: As a social construct, entrepreneurship is portrayed as an unashamedly masculine endeavour. This forms the basis for much feminist research in entrepreneurship. Despite a sustained research effort in the field of gendered entrepreneurship research this polarised viewpoint remains under researched from the perspective of masculinity. Rather than perpetuate the polarity this short article aims to consider the concept of gendered entrepreneurial regimes as an explanatory variable. Design/methodology/approach: Using documentary analysis techniques this article seeks to document the existence of a particular gendered local regime in the form of "Essex-Boy culture". Findings: The findings although tentative indicate that as a recognised gendered local regime Essex-Boy identity manifests itself physically at a conceptual, gendered, geographic, community and cultural level. Semiotically it can be expressed as a legitimate business identity, a criminal identity, a celebrity status, a political identity, as parody, caricature and as metaphor. It can be expressed as an ideology, a doxa, class position, a culture or as an initiating dream. It also exists at a narrative level via memoires, biographies, jokes or scripted insult. Research limitations/implications: Given that this is a preliminary study based on secondary documents there is clearly scope for other studies to be conducted into this interesting phenomenon. Social implications: The study has implications for what can be legitimately studied under the rubric of gendered entrepreneurial research. Originality/value: This study is original in its exclusive use of documentary research/analysis to uncover gendered aspects of an under studied entrepreneurial regime.

Citation

SMITH, R. 2013. Documenting Essex-Boy as a local gendered regime. International journal of gender and entrepreneurship [online], 5(2), pages 174-197. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1108/17566261311328846

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 20, 2013
• Online Publication Date: Jun 20, 2013
• Publication Date: Aug 31, 2013
• Deposit Date: Sep 24, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 24, 2013
• Journal: International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship
• Print ISSN: 1756-6266
• Electronic ISSN: 1756-6274
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 174-197
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17566261311328846
• Keywords: Culture; Entrepreneurship; Gender theory; Masculinity; Social structure; Women
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/869