| dc.description.abstract | How is entrepreneurship represented in Norwegian regional newspapers? Are the representations gendered? And could the representations be linked to rural places? The main goal of this thesis is to identify possible discourses of entrepreneurship as constructed in newspapers. The primary focus has been directed towards trying to understand if and how entrepreneurship is gendered in the newspapers, and if and how the portraying of rural places has an impact of the understandings. This study is a response to the lack of research on constructions of entrepreneurship as gendered, and the places of where the phenomenon occurs. Despite extensive attempts to enhance women's entrepreneurship in Norway, acknowledging entrepreneurship as a key driver for growth, a gender gap continues to exist. According to statistics, women entrepreneurs comprise just about one third of all people involved in entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurship is used to change the entrepreneur’s life and those of others and, in the process, changes places where they live, especially in rural areas. Newspapers convey an important and powerful channel in communicating understandings. Thus, in this thesis, I argue that discourses as shown in newspapers contributes to regulate the nature of women's entrepreneurship, as they contain information about ‘typical’ and ‘socially desirable’ behavior of women as well as of entrepreneurs in general.
This Master’s thesis was conducted through an analysis of portrait articles of entrepreneurs in four regional newspapers throughout one year (2012), searching for discursive constructions of entrepreneurship as gendered and affected by rural places in Norway. Newspapers are influencing and thus recreating understandings of masculinity and femininity in regards to entrepreneurship. This thesis is focusing not only on the previous research of entrepreneurship in relation to gender and rural places, but it also comprises a forward look on possible strategies and policies towards enhancing women’s entrepreneurship.
Overall, the regional newspapers portray positive stories of entrepreneurs. Whereas national newspapers are focusing on big business, the regional newspapers are focusing more on small establishers and SMEs. However, entrepreneurship is still portrayed as a predominantly male activity. This thesis contributes to developing an understanding of the relevance of newspaper representation of the entrepreneurship phenomenon for influencing the propensity towards entrepreneurial activity. | nb_NO |
