Anyone Can Be an Entrepreneur—But Not on

Reality Television

An Examination of the Media Representation of Female Entrepreneurs on Season 1 of “Shark Tank”

Mandy WheadonPhD student, Technology, Leadership & Innovation

background

Positive themes in entrepreneurship research:

• Driver of job creation & economic development• One of the fastest growing subjects in today’s educational curricula • Increasingly vital skill

Fill existing jobs

Actively create new jobs

problem

Problematic themes in entrepreneurship research:

• Lack of diversity

Race

White

Black

Latino

Asian

Source: Fairlie, R. (2014). Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity.

problem

Problematic themes in entrepreneurship research:

• Gender gap

problem

• Beliefs about ability (self-efficacy)

• Career intention

• Access

• Earnings

impact

• Women entrepreneurship

• Substantial societal & individual losses $

gap in research

How does entrepreneurship theory explain the gender gap?

Basic talent?

Innate differences?

Biology? Genetics?

theoretical framework

Gender Theory

It’s never simply biology (especially when money is

involved).

How do other theories explain the gender gap?

How do other theories explain the gender gap?

Linguistics Theory

Implicit associations

&conceptual baggage

influence understanding

theoretical framework

gap in research

How do other theories explain the gender gap?

Mass Communication Theory

Media Framing Theory:

the way something is portrayed (or “framed” by communicators

influences how receivers interpret the concept

research question

What is the role of the media in the production and reproduction of stereotypes about entrepreneurship?

the media

Why reality television?

• Occupies a unique space between “real life” and “entertainment”

• Audiences overestimate the amount of actual “reality” depicted in reality TV shows

the media

Social identity, acceptance, and influence

• Over time, group prototype develops

• Self-identification & credibility influenced by amount of similarity/difference to prototype

• Power & influence determined by by degree to which a person fits prototype

• Reproduces & perpetuates status quo

Source: Hogg (2001)

the project

Study design

Purpose

• Systematically analyze the media frames surrounding entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in the first Season of the reality TV show “Shark Tank

• Examine media constructed representations of women as entrepreneurs by analyzing texts, images, and other symbolic materials, sorting the content into categories, and then quantifying and interpreting the results

the project

Study design

Methodology• Media framing analysis (MFA)

• specifically used for conducting analyses of media discourses

• draws on a diverse range of quantitative and qualitative methods, such as content analysis, discourse analysis, grounded theory, narrative analysis and rhetorical analysis

the project

Study design

Scope

• Specifically examines how female participants are framed during the fifteen episodes that originally aired between August 9, 2009 and February 5, 2010.

the project

Research findings

Results

• 15 episodes (Season 1 of “Shark Tank” reached an average of 4.8 million viewers per episode)

• Included 68 presentations (or “pitches”) by 90 entrepreneurs

• 57 males

• 33 females

the project

Research findings

Identity• narrator: “Tonight, hopeful entrepreneurs who believe they have the next big business idea will enter

the Shark Tank seeking the financial backing to make their dreams come true.”

the project

Research findings

Identity

the project

Research findings

Funding

Participant Gender

Average

Investment

Requested ($)

Average Equity

Offered (%)

Average

Investment

Received ($)

Average

Equity

Given Up

(%)

Female 169, 050 24 171,818 51

Male/Female pair 202,000 22 270,000 45

Male 275,474 20 229,688 53

Average amount of money requested and equity offered by gender:

the project

Research findings

Types of entrepreneurship

• 75% of female entrepreneurs—products related to babies & children and/or marketed to other women

• 80% of participants who described business as a “hobby” were women

• 64% of entrepreneurs involved with shoes, makeup, or fashion/design were pitched by female entrepreneurs

• 16% of female entrepreneurs hold a patent

the project

Research findings

Relational representations

• 73 % backstories showed females in their kitchens, even though their product had nothing to do with food or cooking.

• Women always discuss marital status—not men

• Asked if they want to “call their husbands” to consult him about the investment offer

conclusion

Change needed

• a change in the prevailing cultural mindsets about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship will not happen by itself—especially with an increasing number of accessible and stereotypical media representations of entrepreneurship

• these mindsets limit the ability of individuals who fall outside of traditional conceptualizations of “the entrepreneur” to identify themselves as entrepreneurs or to seek out entrepreneurial skills.

Questions?mwheadon@purdue.edu

conclusion

Change needed

• Alternative role models and representations of entrepreneurship that challenge stereotypes must be promoted

• “When women do not participate equally in entrepreneurship, society loses out on the value that can be created by half its populace”

(Kickul, Wilson, Barbosa, Marlino, & Griffiths, 2009, p.5).