Self-Demand and Entrepreneurial Decision-Making of Female Entrepreneurs: A Dual-Perspective Exploration

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-602-9_11How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Female Entrepreneurs; Self-Demand; Intrinsic Motivation; Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs; Expectancy-Value Theory

Abstract

As female entrepreneurship rates rise globally, scholarly focus on this phenomenon has grown though research into the self-demands and intrinsic motivations shaping women’s entrepreneurial choices remains underdeveloped. This study explores how female entrepreneurs’ self-demands influence decision-making processes, with a focus on the mediating roles of intrinsic motivations and perceived value. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 20 female entrepreneurs across diverse industries and demographics, findings reveal that self-demands aligned with Maslow’s hierarchy (physiological, safety, social, esteem, self-actualization) operate dynamically and non-linearly, guiding industry selection, risk management, and growth strategies. Intrinsic motivations (passion/curiosity, altruism, autonomy) and perceived value (economic, social, personal) act as critical mediators, translating abstract self-demands into concrete actions. Gender-specific experiences, including “prove-it-again” bias, caregiving constraints, and industry stereotyping, further contextualize these dynamics. This research refines need-fulfillment and motivation models for female entrepreneurs, challenging the linearity of traditional Maslowian frameworks and highlighting the collective orientation of women’s self-actualization. Practically, it offers insights for tailored support programs honoring women’s multifaceted priorities and addressing gender-specific barriers.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Yilei Wang
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/13
TI  - Self-Demand and Entrepreneurial Decision-Making of Female Entrepreneurs: A Dual-Perspective Exploration
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 7th International Conference on Economic Management and Model Engineering (ICEMME 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 104
EP  - 112
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-602-9_11
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-602-9_11
ID  - Wang2026
ER  -