Abstract

This chapter discusses the entrepreneurial intentions of Lebanese women students. A gap in the literature about Lebanese entrepreneurial intention, and a lack of comparative studies on gender entrepreneurial goals led us to our research question: “How does the environment affect women’s entrepreneurial intention in Lebanon?” To answer this question a quantitative study was conducted with private university students, both male and female, in order to check the different points of view according to gender. The results demonstrate that the economic and political environment, followed by the socio-cultural one, affects women’s entrepreneurial intention even in a country where women are less subject to culture constraints than other Arab countries. Nevertheless, the motive “to acquire autonomy” is quoted more by women than by men; men might have higher risk propensity since they can engage in entrepreneurship just after their studies, whereas financial issues are the largest constraint for entrepreneurship for both men and women. However, women seem to be more confident than their male counterparts with regard to the appropriateness of engaging in entrepreneurship in Lebanon.