Chapter 2: Gender Equality and Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership in Tourism: A Systematic Review

Globalization is a term widely discussed in relation to the demise of the nation-state and the erosion of economic sovereignty (Cable, 1995), the limits and legitimacy of the nation-state in the post-communist era (Barša, 2000), and the number of factors that participate in decision-making processes on the various policy-making levels (Baylis & Smith, 2005). As such, globalization is linked to changes occurring to a variety of sectors of global politics, including the transformation of global power games in the field of gender equality, leadership, and differentiation. However, according to Lenz (2003), this transformation has a contradictory impact on gender roles and existing perspectives. Specifically, this author argues that even though globalization processes add to the disintegration of the traditional gender realities and perceptions, they are also structured on the foundations of historical disparities. Yet, he sees globalization as a major opportunity and a framework for the construction of policies that can advance gender equality. In the framework of economic globalization, he considers the contemporary operation of transnational corporations (TNCs), nongovernmental organizations and global communication tools, as major actors in the field of gender segregation and the promotion of gender equality.