This article draws upon institutional theory to investigate whether and to what extent informal
institutions (masculinity, power distance, individualism, and indulgence) affect the
relationship between formal institutions (the public expenditure on childcare and the length
of parental leave) and the likelihood that women will become entrepreneurs. The main
findings show that societies characterized by high masculinity and/or low individualism
amplify the relationship between the public expenditure on childcare and the likelihood that …