Gendered Role Expectations and Satisfaction Outcomes Among Mompreneurs: A Role Identity Perspective

Why It Matters

Understanding the psychological drivers of mompreneur satisfaction helps policymakers and incubators design support that boosts entrepreneurial well‑being, not just financial performance. It signals that fostering role enrichment can be a more effective lever than conflict mitigation.

Key Takeaways

• Gendered expectations boost both role conflict and enrichment
• Role enrichment strongly raises mompreneur satisfaction
• Conflict has limited negative impact on satisfaction
• Positive identity integration outweighs conflict reduction

Pulse Analysis

Mompreneurs sit at the intersection of family duties and business ambitions, a duality that traditional entrepreneurship research has often overlooked. By merging Role Identity Theory with Gender Role Theory, this study fills a scholarly gap, offering a nuanced view of how culturally embedded expectations shape the psychological experience of women who run enterprises. The Indian context, particularly Tamil Nadu, provides a fertile ground for such inquiry, given its vibrant informal sector and strong family norms.

The empirical findings reveal a paradox: gendered role expectations simultaneously heighten role conflict and role enrichment. While conflict modestly dents satisfaction, enrichment delivers a robust positive boost, suggesting that the presence of supportive, identity‑affirming experiences can neutralize or even eclipse the strain of juggling responsibilities. For accelerators, investors, and policy makers, the implication is clear—programs that celebrate and integrate motherhood into the entrepreneurial narrative can enhance well‑being and, by extension, business resilience.

Looking ahead, the research invites a broader, longitudinal lens to test whether these dynamics hold across cultures and over time. Incorporating variables such as social support networks and self‑efficacy could sharpen predictive power and guide targeted interventions. For practitioners, the takeaway is actionable: design mentorship, financing, and networking opportunities that reinforce role enrichment, positioning the mompreneur not just as a business owner but as a fulfilled individual balancing multiple identities.