Naegels, VanessaMori, NeemaD’Espallier, Bert2021-06-162021-06-162021-06Naegels, V., Mori, N., & D'Espallier, B. (2021). The process of female borrower discouragement. Emerging Markets Review, 100837. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ememar.2021.100837http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/5775Recent entrepreneurial finance literature identifies ‘borrower discouragement’ as an important phenomenon explaining why female entrepreneurs hold less capital to grow their venture. But how do you become a discouraged borrower? We apply grounded theory to interviews with Tanzanian female entrepreneurs and model the process via which these entrepreneurs become discouraged. Our model suggests that entrepreneurs hold negative perceptions regarding loan application, allocation and payback procedures shaped by both internal and external information sources. We demonstrate that negative perceptions cause an unfavorable attitude towards formal loans which together with entrepreneurs’ perceptions of societal norms lead to a low intention to apply.enEntrepreneurial FinanceBorrower DiscouragementFemale EntrepreneurshipGrounded theoryJournal Article, Peer Revieweddoi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ememar.2021.100837