Female Entrepreneurs’ Thirst for Knowledge and the Dark Side of Customer Learning Actions

Abstract

This study investigates whether male and female entrepreneurs exhibit systematic differences in the customer learning actions they pursue, and how those actions convert to venture performance. Drawing from a dyadic sample of founders and startup advisors in the high-technology context, we explore the effects of two alternative customer learning actions—customer involvement as an information source (CIS) and customer involvement as co-developers (CIC). We find that, compared to male entrepreneurs, female entrepreneurs engage in higher levels of both types of customer learning actions (CIS and CIC). Contrary to research from the large established firm context, we find CIS and CIC have conflicting startup performance implications—CIS is beneficial, but CIC is detrimental.