BUSINESS SUCCESS AND GENDER IN RURAL TOURISM

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the
relationship between business success and gender
in the fi eld of rural tourism in Galicia (Spain),
employing fi nancial (or economic) and non-fi nancial
elements as factors for success. The small size of the
fi eld for research allows control of structural factors
(industry, location and company size), employed by
the existing literature to explain the relationship
between business success and gender. The paper
provides new knowledge about this relationship
in a rural environment, with specifi c industry
characteristics related to diversifi cation, small size
and owner motivation. The fi ndings suggest the
existence of a signifi cant relationship between
gender and success, measuring success with both
subjective measures (related to profi t orientation)
and objective measures, related to employment.
The perception of success appears to be higher for
women, with signifi cant gender differences.