Building gender-aware ecosystems for learning, leadership, and growth

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to examine processes of entrepreneurial learning and leadership development (ELLD) for women involved in growth-oriented businesses. It considers how ELLD can be supported by building gender-aware ecosystems for growth. Design/methodology/approach: Data are from a small-scale study of a growth accelerator program in Canada run by Alberta Women Entrepreneurs. The study uses a mixed-methods approach, drawing on interview, document, and observational data. Findings: The study finds that three key activities – formal learning, informal learning and peer / community support – are central to women entrepreneurs’ learning and leadership development. In line with emerging scholarship, entrepreneurial learning is found to be strongly relational, with social capital playing a central role in the formation of human capital. Originality/value: This study contributes to the understanding of the micro-foundations of growth, the processes involved in ELLD and the importance of developing gender-aware ecosystems.