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(In)visibility in the margins: COVID-19, women entrepreneurs and the need for inclusive recovery

Gina Grandy (Hill and Levene Schools of Business, University of Regina, Regina, Canada)
Wendy Cukier (Ted Rogers School of Business, Ryerson University Ted Rogers, Toronto, Canada)
Suzanne Gagnon (School of Business, University of Manitoba Asper Winnipeg, Canada)

Gender in Management

ISSN: 1754-2413

Article publication date: 24 September 2020

Issue publication date: 15 December 2020

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to extend Lewis and Simpson’s (2010) work on the complexity of (in)visibility and explores what it means to women’s entrepreneurship in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This piece contributes to the special issue on COVID-19 and the impact on women entrepreneurs. Specifically, it applies an (in)visibility lens to argue that responses to COVID-19 in Canada negatively affect women entrepreneurs disproportionately and that while initiatives such as the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) are threatened, they can also serve as an agitator during this time to advocate for an inclusive recovery approach.

Findings

Despite progress through such government funded initiatives as the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), which is targeting more than $2bn (Cdn) in investments towards women entrepreneurs, structural inequality and the (in)visibility of women’s entrepreneurship has been amplified during COVID-19. Through a particular understanding of the (in)visibility vortex notion (Lewis and Simpson, 2010), it is concluded the (in)visibility of women entrepreneurs as deeply embedded and that there is a continued need to advocate for a gender and diversity lens, to ensure inclusive recovery that benefits women and diverse entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

An (in)visibility lens brings an important addition to the literature on women’s entrepreneurship, as well as illuminates the important differences within this broad category, deepening the understanding of these trends and their impact during COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how the complexities of intersectionality are critical to understand, and their recognition can help to drive a clear evidence base, as well as advocacy. The piece call researchers and practitioners alike to consider the question under COVID-19, will these conditions create a new vortex in this domain, or can the work of organizations and researchers position gender and intersectionality in women entrepreneurship as a disrupter for the future?

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The editors invited the authors to be a part of this special issue on COVID-19.

Citation

Grandy, G., Cukier, W. and Gagnon, S. (2020), "(In)visibility in the margins: COVID-19, women entrepreneurs and the need for inclusive recovery", Gender in Management, Vol. 35 No. 7/8, pp. 667-675. https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-07-2020-0207

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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