ifkad articles

The Role of Physical Appearance in the Entrepreneurial Journey: A State-of-the-Art Review from a Feminist Perspective

Michela Colacicco, Mastropasqua Antonio, Francesco Paolo Lagrasta, Barbara Scozzi

The study explores the under-investigated intersection between corporeality and entrepreneurship by conducting a systematic literature review on the role of physical appearance in entrepreneurial processes. Despite traditional interest in the influence of bodily aesthetics—particularly physical attractiveness—within feminist scholarship, current research is largely dominated by theoretical approaches rooted in evolutionary and social psychology. Existing studies, while methodologically rigorous, often lack socio-political depth and fail to critically engage with feminist or intersectional paradigms. By adopting a PRISMA-guided systematic review protocol review, the authors identified a final corpus of 15 core studies. Such studies were subjected to bibliometric framing and deductive qualitative content analysis aimed at identifying dominant theoretical backgrounds, recurring methodologies, sample characteristics, and investigated entrepreneurial stages. Results indicate a pronounced quantitative orientation and a consistent preference for structured entrepreneurial environments and early-stage financing scenarios. The analysis reveals a pervasive attractiveness bias and a lack of critical engagement with its implications, which may contribute to legitimizing existing gender hierarchies within entrepreneurial ecosystems. The study ultimately calls for a broader epistemological agenda that integrates feminist ethics, qualitative inquiry, and a critical perspective on bodily representation in entrepreneurship research. The findings provide a foundation for more inclusive and politically aware investigations into how corporeality shapes entrepreneurial outcomes and imaginaries.

IN: Proceedings IFKAD 2025: Knowledge Futures: AI, Technology, and the New Business Paradigm
PP: 865-873