Title

Genderbased income disparity among selfemployed professionals

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to test two possible explanations for persistent income disparity between male and female selfemployed professionals. First, men are more likely than women to be motivated by the potential for high income to establish a professional practice. Second, men are more likely than women to adopt a thinkingoverfeeling cognitive decisionmaking style. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a gender role/career motivation model to develop a set of hypotheses that explain observed genderbased income disparity among selfemployed professionals. Hypotheses were tested using multivariate regression analysis with data drawn from a largescale national survey of male and female veterinarians in private practice. Findings Male veterinarians showed less empathy toward their clients and were more likely to use a thinkingoverfeeling decisionmaking style than were female veterinarians. Also, practice income was greater for male veterinarians with high client empathy (CE) and feelingoverthinking decisionmaking style than for male veterinarians with low CE and thinkingoverfeeling decisionmaking style. However, there was no significant difference in practice income between female veterinarians with high CE and feelingoverthinking decisionmaking style and female veterinarians with low CE and thinkingoverfeeling decisionmaking style. Research limitations/implications While this study was limited to American veterinarians, future research on income disparity should be expanded to include other selfemployed professionals and/or other national settings. Originality/value This study contributes to research on genderbased income disparity among selfemployed professionals by examining underlying factors that potentially contribute to these differences such as motives for establishing the practice and the practice owner's decisionmaking style. © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1108/17506200710833809

Publication Date

10-23-2007

Journal Title

Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy

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