A Discourse Analysis on Research Texts on Copreneurs

The Small Over the previous few years, a considerable number of articles have been written about the rapid spread of entrepreneurship, the area of coprenurs are still under research field. Departing from a social constructionist approach, this study examines how entrepreneurial couples are constructed in research articles. The Methodological approach of this study is supported by discourse analysis. Discourse analysis was enabled to disclose the hidden motivations behind the text to interpret that text. Findings reveal that seven hegemonic statements : the love bond between a husband and wife grows stronger with involvement in a copreneurial venture, socially constructed men and women, the division of business and household responsibilities is traditional, blending of work and family dimensions creates new opportunities for tensions, conceptions of the female entrepreneur as problematic, female copreneurs and challenges of being in business with spouse and key patterns of couples in multiplex relationships. These influences reproduce the notion of essential gender differences and the idea of the female as the weaker sex. The findings of the study are dependent on the particular context in which the articles are constructed. This means that their results and assumptions cannot be generalized to other contexts uncritically. By discussing research findings, the study opens the avenues for alternative ways of theorizing and researching entrepreneurial couples. Suggestions for alternative research practices include the adding of an institutional approach to the research agenda, such as family policy, and legislation.