Gender, Entrepreneurship and Social Policy Institute

The Gender, Entrepreneurship and Social Policy Institute (GESPi) will consolidate existing, and drive new, interdisciplinary research in gender, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), entrepreneurship and social policy. It aims to influence policy and social change for inclusive development in the tourism, hospitality and service-related sectors by creating networks and pathways for knowledge exchange between stakeholders. Founded in September 2019, GESPi is a joint initiative between researchers at the University of Surrey and the Open University.

Our vision

Our vision is a future where a large body (the hive) of relevant and interdisciplinary research on gender and entrepreneurship is available to all stakeholders, and where there is fluid transfer of knowledge and tools between networks and a more inclusive environment for entrepreneurs. Though entrepreneurship leads to equality and increasing gender awareness can improve social policy, these three fields have not been studied together. GESPi will define and establish a distinctive new field integrating gender, entrepreneurship and social policy. The longer-term goal is to build, nationally and internationally, research on the critical linkages between gender, entrepreneurship and social policy comparing different specialist industries and localities, in developing countries and beyond.

Our aims

To partner with universities, funders, industry and policy makers to pursue research, consultancy and capacity-building projects.
To create a forum for entrepreneurs, investors (for example gender lens investors, private equity and angel investors, family offices), NGOs and industry researchers to foster creative thinking about how gender equality/equity in the entrepreneurial sector can enhance inclusive development in African countries and beyond.
To disseminate findings through conference presentations, professional publications and reports, workshops, university courses and new media.
To publish peer-reviewed journal articles, books, occasional papers, creative writing pieces and case studies.

Our research areas

Women’s entrepreneurship in its distinctive forms, including family-based ventures, female succession in family businesses.
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and multinational corporations and organisations for sustainable intra/entrepreneurship.
Gender-lens investments in new and established businesses promoting development-led entrepreneurship.
Gender and environmental entrepreneurship, including green innovations, start-up ventures and growth processes of environmentally-friendly women-owned ventures.
Public policies and cross-sector collaborations to facilitate gender equality, diversity and inclusion in the entrepreneurial sector, for example through support for access childcare, public health, education and food security.
Entrepreneurship education, including a focus on encouraging women and young people in engineering entrepreneurship education, and teaching innovations and pedagogical interventions that help empower young (wo)men, girls and boys to engage with entrepreneurship and develop an entrepreneurial mindset.
Sector and area studies, with a focus on (wo)men, youths (and other marginalised groups) and entrepreneurship in hospitality, tourism, leisure, agriculture and healthcare among others.

Research projects

Co-creating equitable, diverse and inclusive travel and tourism (CrEDIT)

Principal investigator: Dr Bora Kim

Start date: August 2022

End date: March 2023

DMOcracy: inclusive, dynamic and empowering destination governance

Principal investigator: Dr Alector Ribeiro

Start date: March 2022

End date: December 2022

Exploring the barriers to co-creating diverse and inclusive travel experiences for BAME tourists

Principal investigator: Dr Yoo Ri Kim

Start date: February 2022

End date: July 2022

Centre stage: women’s empowerment during the covid-19 recovery

Principal investigators: Yanning Li, Albert Kimbu

Start date: August 2021

End date: July 2022

Engaging new travel audiences: understanding the Black travellers’ decision-making process

Principal investigator: Dr Albert Kimbu

Start date: May 2021

End date: September 2021

Benchmarking diversity and inclusivity in the UK event industry: a state of the nation

Principal investigators: Dr Yanning Li, Professor Nigel Morgan, Dr Mike Duignan

Start date: 01 March 2021

End date: 08 August 2021

Surrey Live Commerce project

Principal investigator: Dr Bora Kim

Start date: March 2021

End date: September 2021

Helping to empower the world’s most disadvantaged women

Start date: September 2020

End date: June 2021

AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism

Principal investigator: Dr Albert Kimbu

Start date: May 2020

End date: September 2020

Women's entrepreneurial journeys through tourism in sub-Saharan Africa

Principal investigator: Dr Albert Kimbu

Start date: January 2019

End date: September 2019

Coping with change: livelihood transitions strategies and practices through tourism

Principal investigators: Dr Albert Kimbu, Dr Irma Booyens, Anke Winchenbach

Start date: March 2018

End date: March 2019

Women as vectors of social entrepreneurship in hospitality and tourism

Principal investigator: Dr Albert Kimbu

Start date: May 2014

End date: October 2015

Supporting university curriculum and creativity in engineering entrepreneurship development (SUCCEED)

Sustainable development, wellbeing and entrepreneurship

Principal investigators: Dr Albert Kimbu , Dr Anna de Jong, Dr Manuel Alector Ribeiro, Dr Cristina Figueroa-Domeq, Dr Yanning Li, Dr Xuan (Lorna) Wang, Dr Etienne Bailey

News

Front cover of UNWTO's Snapshot of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment report

Sharing best practice of gender-transformative tourism policies

21 March 2023

Funding success for SHTM from UN Industrial Development Organization

16 February 2023

Experts from SHTM supporting international tourism in the Global South

8 December 2022

Publications

Jang, S., Kim, B., & Lee, S. (2022). Impact of corporate social (ir)responsibility on volume and valence of online employee reviews: Evidence from the tourism and hospitality industry. Tourism Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104501
Kim, Y.R., & Liu, A. (2022). Social distancing, trust and post-COVID-19 recovery. Tourism Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2021.104416
Kimbu N.A., Adam, I., Dayour, F. & de Jong, A. (2021). “COVID-19-Induced Redundancy and Socio-Psychological Well-Being of Tourism Employees: Implications for Organizational Recovery in a Resource-Scarce Context”. Journal of Travel Research, https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875211054571
Kimbu, A. N., Booyens, I., & Winchenbach, A. (2021) Livelihood Diversification Through Tourism: Identity, Well-Being, and Potential in Rural Coastal Communities. Tourism Review International, 26.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3727/154427221X16245632411854
Ma, E., Kim, M., Yang, M., Wu, L., & Xu, S. (2022). On the bright side of motherhood—A mixed method enquiry, Annals of Tourism Research, 92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2022.103350
Ma, E., Wu, L., Yang, W., & Xu, S. (2021). Hotel work-family support policies and employees' needs, concerns and challenges—The case of working mothers’ maternity leave experience. Tourism Management. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104216
Stadlthanner, K. A., Andreu, L., Font, X., Ribeiro, M. A., Currás-Pérez, R. (2022). How environmental gain messages affect cause involvement, attitude and behavioural intentions: the moderating effects of CSR scepticism and biospheric values. Corporate Communications: an International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1108/CCIJ-11-2021-0125
Wejdan, A.L.K., Jin, Z., Priporas, C.V., & Ramakrishnan, S. (2022). Defining family business efficacy: An exploratory study. Journal of Business Research, 141, pp 713-725. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.11.081
Woosnam, K. M. & Ribeiro, M. A. (2022). Methodological and theoretical advancements in social impacts of tourism research, Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2022.2046011
Agapito, D.,  Ribeiro, M.A., & Woosnam, K.M. (Eds) (2022). Handbook on the Tourist Experience. Cheltenham:  Edward Elgar Publishing
Ramakrishnan, S. (2022). ‘Challenging gender norms through diverse guest speakers in Hospitality and Tourism education’, in Kitchener, M. (ed.) Handbook for Creating a Gender-Sensitive Curriculum: Teaching and Learning Strategies [Online]. Available from: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/ocsld/publications/.

Woosnam, K. M., Russell, Z., Ribeiro, M. A., Denley, T. J., Rojas, C., Hadjidakis, E., Barr, J., & Mower, J. (2021). Residents’ pro-tourism behaviour in a time of COVID-19. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1985128.
Woosnam, K. M., Russell, Z., Ribeiro, M. A., Denley, T. J., Rojas, C., Hadjidakis, E., Barr, J., & Mower, J. (2021). Residents’ pro-tourism behaviour in a time of COVID-19. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1-20.
Xu, S., Yang, W., Wu, L., Ma, E., & Wang, D. (2021). Work or baby? Maternity leave in the U.S. lodging industry. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 46, 267-271 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.01.005
Smith, W., Cohen, S. Kimbu, A.N. & de Jong, A. (2021). Reshaping Gender in Aviation Employment. Annals of Tourism Research, 89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2021.103221
Smith, E.W., Kimbu, A.N., de Jong. A., & Cohen, S. (2021) Gendered Instagram representations in the aviation industry, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1932933
Ngoasong, M.Z., Adeola, O., Kimbu, A.N., Hinson, R.E. (Eds.) (2021). New Frontiers in Hospitality and Tourism Management in Africa. Springer. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-70171-0
Ribeiro, A.M., Adam, I., Kimbu, A.N., Afenyo-Agbe, E., Adeola, O., Figueroa-Domecq, C., & de Jong, A. (2021). Women entrepreneurship orientation, networks and firm performance in the tourism industry in resource-scarce contexts. Tourism Management, 86, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2021.104343
Adu-Ampong E. & Kimbu N.A. (Eds) (2021). Sustainable Tourism Policy and Planning in Africa. 1st Edition, Routledge.
Kimbu, A.N., de Jong, A., Adam, I., Ribeiro, A.M., Adeola, O., Afenyo-Agbe, E., & Figueroa-Domecq, C. (2021). Recontextualising gender in entrepreneurial leadership. Annals of Tourism Research, 88C. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2021.103176
Ngoasong, M., Wang, J., Amdam, R., & Bjarnar, O. (2021). The role of MNE subsidiaries in the practice of global business models in transforming economies. Management and Organization Review, 1-28. doi:10.1017/mor.2020.55
Ribeiro, A.M., Adam, I., Kimbu, A.N., Afenyo-Agbe, E., Adeola, O., Figueroa-Domecq, C., & de Jong, A. (2021). Women entrepreneurship orientation, networks and firm performance in the tourism industry in resource-scarce contexts. Tourism Management, 86, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2021.104343
Choe, J., O'Regan, M., Kimbu, A.N., Lund, N.F., & Ladkin, A. (2021) Quality of life perspectives for different social groups in a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure. Tourist Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687976211038758
Eckardt, C., Font, X. & Kimbu, A. (2021) Collaborations in volunteer tourism, Current Issues in Tourism, https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2021.1955842
Kimbu, N.A., Ramakrishnan, S., Kim, Y.R. & Saha, P. (2021) ENGAGING NEW TRAVEL AUDIENCES: Understanding the UK BAME Travellers’ Decision-Making Process. In collaboration with Women in Travel CIC. University of Surrey SHTM. https://www.womenintravelcic.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/WiT-Report-D5-ES.pdf

Past events

New Frontiers in Hospitality and Tourism Management in Africa book cover

New Frontiers in Hospitality and Tourism Management in Africa virtual book launch

Friday, 9 July 2021

The event which had as special guests of honour, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Sierra Leone Hon. Dr Memunatu Pratt, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Ghana, Hon. Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, and the Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation Nigeria, Mr Folorunsho Coker, saw these eminent personalities deep dive into the role of policy in tourism management in their respective countries and Africa as a whole. The intense exchanges highlighted the need for more active collaboration between African academics and industry/government and importantly for Africa to start looking inward and applying home-grown solutions to addressing their challenges, especially in the post-pandemic era. Chapter authors also highlighted not only the tourism management challenges across the continent but importantly identified various innovative empirical and theoretically driven management strategies to overcome these.

Watch the event

Women’s journeys through entrepreneurship in the tourism and hospitality industry

1pm - 2:30pm, Thursday 5 November 2020

This webinar was hosted by the EU-funded project WomENt and the University of Surrey’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management: specifically our Centre for Competitiveness of the Visitor Economy (COVE) and the Centre for Sustainability and Wellbeing in the Visitor Economy (SWELL). This brought together academics and entrepreneurs from the tourism industry to discuss the changing and increasingly pressing gender and entrepreneurship research agenda:

Setting the scene: Women and Entrepreneurship in Tourism. Dr Cristina Figueroa Domecq. University of Surrey
Female entrepreneurship in the Covid-19 era. Alessandra Alonso. Founder & CEO. Women in Travel
Women, technology and entrepreneurship. Patricia Gonzalez. Founder and CEO. Alterhome
Re-evaluating the benefits of women's entrepreneurship: Is it time to reconsider? Prof. Susan Marlow. University of Nottingham
A Feminist Research Agenda in Tourism. Dr Ana Maria Munar. Copenhagen Business School
Moderated by Prof. Allan Williams. Chair of Tourism and Mobility Studies. University of Surrey.

Women in Small Tourism Communities

1pm - 2:30pm, Saturday 10 October 2020, SHTM, University of Surrey, Guildford.

Covid-19 has exacerbated the multiple challenges faced by women in small tourism firms (STF). It is recognised that the tourism sector provides women with employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, both vital for their economic and social independence. For women entrepreneurs, their STFs also act as platforms for the promotion of local development and social transformation and enables them to create ‘new’ self-identities.

In this webinar, two African women tourism micro entrepreneurs explain their journeys and how this has transformed them and others. They discuss the impact of Covid-19 on their businesses and the strategies they have adopted to overcome its challenges in resource-scarce environments. Two tourism industry experts from academia and industry respond to those presentations, sharing their insights into lessons being learnt and best practices during this pandemic and beyond.

Watch the event

Membership

Membership in GESPi is open to staff across disciplines in the University of Surrey, The Open University, Associates and external collaborators with active research interest in gender, entrepreneurship and social policy. The inclusion of regional expertise between Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe will provide for cross-learning, knowledge sharing and cross-cultural perspectives. We also welcome associates from other faculties and institutions.

If you are interested in joining, please contact Dr Albert Kimbu or Dr Michael Ngoasong