Gender, Self-Employment and Motivational Factors in a Slovak Context

Abstract The aim of this article is to examine and analyze the relationship between gender motivation for self-employment in the Slovak Republic. The article examines potential differences in motivational factors for entering self-employment between men and women based on 13 motivational factors, which were divided into two categories: “pull” and “push”. For the evaluation of the data from the primary questionnaire survey in which more than 300 respondents were involved, we used the Jamovi statistical software, while for statistical testing we used the Mann-Whitney U test. Our results showed that statistically significant differences exist in the two evaluated factors (I wanted better working conditions, I had the opportunity to get the resources to start a business). We did not demonstrate statistical significance between men and women in the other evaluated motivational factors for self-employment. In the aggregate statistical testing of the influence of pull and push factors by taking gender into account, we also did not demonstrate statistical significance. However, our results indicate that the respondents were motivated to start a business more by pull factors.