From perception to practice: integrating gender inclusivity in business incubators

Purpose Business incubators play a central role in supporting entrepreneurship, yet scholarly debates often overlook gendered disparities in promoting and supporting start-ups. Despite public commitments to inclusion, women entrepreneurs frequently encounter unequal support. This paper investigates how business incubators enact gender inclusivity by extending Goffman’s (1959) impression management theory, introducing an “onstage” level that captures tensions between external rhetoric and internal practice. Design/methodology/approach This study involved a single qualitative exploratory case study of a Dutch business incubator. The data consisted of observations, interviews with employees and participants (n = 10; duration = 60 min) and document analysis. Findings This study found that the incubator struggles to embed gender inclusivity in its daily operations. This reveals significant discrepancies between the projected image of inclusivity and the actual practices. Recognizing the “onstage” level in Goffman’s impression management theory is crucial for understanding these discrepancies and improving organisational practices. Our findings highlight the need for a more thorough integration of inclusive practices and values across all levels of the organisational framework to ensure clarity and consistency in the promotion of gender inclusivity. Originality/value This study makes three key contributions to the literature. First, by adding an “onstage” level to Goffman’s impression management theory (1959). Second, it highlights the lack of a comprehensive understanding of gender inclusivity. Third, it shows that discrepancies between stages can cause significant reputational damage to organisations and individuals.