Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice 2026

Crowd Evaluations of Entrepreneurs with Physical Disabilities: Stereotype Subtyping through the Lens of Benevolent Ableism

Silvia Stroe¹; Charlotta Sirén^1,2; Tom Vanacker^3,4

¹ University of St.Gallen · ² University of Applied Sciences St. Gallen · ³ University of Exeter · ⁴ Ghent University

Abstract

We investigate how crowds evaluate pitches by entrepreneurs with versus without physical disabilities. Leveraging stereotype subtyping, we argue that entrepreneurs with physical disabilities are evaluated as a distinct subtype, rather than as people with disabilities or as conventional entrepreneurs. We hypothesize that benevolent ableism shapes how this subtype is evaluated, inflating both warmth and competence perceptions. Three experiments support our hypotheses, and key informant conversations with professional investors and entrepreneurs with disabilities corroborate the proposed mechanisms. Our findings contribute to unconventional entrepreneurship research by examining how bias can manifest as patronizing positivity rather than overt negative discrimination.

DOI

10.1177/10422587261444756

Sources

openalex

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APA 7 MLA 9 Chicago (author–date) Harvard Elsevier Harvard (JFE, JBF…) The Accounting Review Academy of Management American Marketing Association INFORMS (Management Science) Copy citation Copied ✓