Rethinking international entrepreneurship through a gender lens: A systematic literature review

This research examines the relationship between gender and international entrepreneurship by utilizing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. A total of 24 journal articles published from 2000 to 2024 were analyzed to map the theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and empirical findings related to women entrepreneurs' participation in the global market. The review revealed gender-specific such as limited access to strategic networks, financing, policy support, and cultural legitimacy-that hinder the internationalization process of women-owned businesses. On the other hand,, the existing literature highlights the crucial role of digital platforms, inclusive mentoring programs, and gender-sensitive policies in facilitating international expansion. This study also presents aconceptual framework that integrates entrepreneurial ecosystem theory, network theory, and social identity theory to explain the interaction mechanism between gender identity and ecosystem factors. Finally, this SLR identifies research gaps-including the dominance of crosssectional designs, the lack of Global North-South comparative studies, and the lack of in-depth qualitative approaches-and formulates a future research agenda that encourages the development of gender-aware frameworks, mixed-methods designs, and cross-regional studies. The findings are expected to enrich academic understanding as well as provide policy recommendations to create a more inclusive global entrepreneurship ecosystem for women entrepreneurs.