Research on the motivation of female entrepreneurs’ legitimacy acquisition strategy: the configuration matching of strategy selection and personal characteristics

Purpose Entrepreneurial legitimacy has consistently been a frequently discussed issue in the realm of entrepreneurship research. Faced with a complex internal and external environment, entrepreneurs confront challenges in establishing organizational legitimacy, a task that is perceived as particularly arduous for female entrepreneurs. This article delves into the pathways through which female entrepreneurs can gain legitimacy. Design/methodology/approach Utilizing a sample of 36 startups led by female entrepreneurs, this research undertakes an in-depth exploration of the legitimacy acquisition strategies employed by female entrepreneur. This is achieved by constructing a configuration model that integrates conforming legitimacy advantage, strategic alliance and networking strategy with the crisp set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA). Findings The results reveal that the absence of strategy adoption by some female entrepreneurs during the process of establishing entrepreneurial legitimacy can be attributed to their desire to avoid the implicit transaction costs associated with strategic alliance and networking strategy. As a result, the primary motivation for female entrepreneur in pursuing legitimacy strategies stems from the cost avoidance afforded by minimizing transaction costs, revealing that their choice of legitimacy strategy is meticulously deliberated, indicating a significant incentive for cost optimization. Practical implications The study proves that women entrepreneurs can gain organizational legitimacy without imitating masculine entrepreneurial identity or altering their own. Originality/value This study conducted a configuration matching analysis of personal characteristics of female entrepreneurs and their strategic behaviors. This article offers a clear answer to the question of what kind of network embedding strategy female entrepreneurs with diverse capabilities and characteristics should adopt to gain organizational legitimacy.