Entrepreneurial aptitude and gender-related ste-reotypes. A research on competencies, policies and practices to foster entrepreneurial culture in a less favoured environment

The present work explores gender stereotypes and perception of entrepreneur-ship in the island of Sardinia, an Italian region characterized by unfavourable socio-economic conditions. Exploring the relation between entrepreneurial ap-titude, competencies, and social environment is of primary importance for de-veloping entrepreneurship and understanding the evolution of regional human capital. Results of a questionnaire administered to a sample of aspiring, actu-al, and attempted Sardinian entrepreneurs, suggest that gender stereotypes and perceived inequalities endanger entrepreneurial networks, in spite of pre-existing feminine norms, and gender equality of education, aptitude, compe-tencies and regional opportunities. The findings suggest that a pervasive mas-culine discourse on entrepreneurship can hinder entrepreneurial perception and outcomes, and supplement the extant literature on the importance of a multiple culture perspective. It is suggested that policy-makers should pay at-tention to gender-related stereotypes and to entrepreneurial aptitude in order to convert detrimental regional and social networks into innovation systems. Practises for future investigations and recommendations to develop knowledge competencies are also discussed.