Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T17:32:10.360Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spotlights and shadows: Preliminary findings about the experiences of women in family business leadership roles

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Mary Barrett  and
Ken Moores
Mary Barrett
Affiliation:
School of Management & Marketing, University of Wollongong, Wollongong NSW, Australia
Ken Moores
Affiliation:
Australian Centre for Family Business, Bond University, Gold Coast QLD, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In an earlier study (Moores & Barrett 2002) we found successful CEOs had learned leadership of family controlled businesses (FCBs) in a series of distinct learning phases. Because that study's sample did not include many women, our present study focuses on women in FCBs to better understand how they exercise leadership and entrepreneurship in the family firm context. Case study analysis of an international sample of women FCB leaders, using frameworks which avoid essentialist assumptions about women's and men's approach to leadership, suggests there are some characteristic ways women leaders learn FCB leadership and entrepreneurship roles. We have tentatively labelled them stumbling into the spotlight, building your own stage, directing the spotlight elsewhere, and coping with shadows. Some interviewees had failed to attain leadership; we labelled their journey becoming invisible. This paper uses Eisenhardt's (1989) framework to elaborate on the stumbling into the spotlight and coping with shadows journeys and what can be learned from them.

Keywords

womenfamily businesslearningleadershiprolesentrepreneurship
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , July 2009 , pp. 363 - 377
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ahl, H (2004) The Scientific Reproduction of Gender Inequality: A Discourse Analysis of Research Texts on Women's Entrepreneurship. Liber: Copenhagen Business School Press.Google Scholar
Arregle, J-L, Hitt, MA, Sirmon, DG and Very, P (2007) The Development of Organizational Social Capital: Attributes of Family Firms, Journal of Management Studies, 44: 73–95.Google Scholar
Best, DL and Williams, JE (1997) Sex, gender and culture. In Berry, JW, Segall, MH and Kagitcibasi, C (Eds) Handbook of Cross-Cultural Psychology Vol 3: Social Behavior and Applications. Needham Heights MA: Allyn and Bacon, pp 163–212.Google Scholar
Birdthistle, N and Fleming, P (2005) Creating a learning organization within the family business: an Irish perspective, Journal of European Industrial Training 29: 730–750.Google Scholar
Brown, JS and Duguid, P (1991) Organizational learning and communities of practice: Toward a unified view of working, learning and innovation, Organization Science, 2: 40–57.Google Scholar
Bull, I and Willard, GE (1993) Towards a theory of entrepreneurship, Journal of Business Venturing 8: 183–195.Google Scholar
Busenitz, LW and Lau, C-M (1996) A Cross-Cultural Cognitive Model of New Venture Creation. Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 20: 35–39.Google Scholar
Bussey, K and Bandura, A (1984) The influence of gender constancy and social power on sex-linked modelling, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 47: 1292–1302.Google Scholar
Chrisman, JJ, Chua, JH and Steier, L (2005) Sources and consequences of distinctive familiness: An introduction, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 29: 237–247.Google Scholar
Chrisman, JJ and Sharma, P (1999) Toward a reconciliation of the definitional issues in the field of corporate entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 23: 11–27.Google Scholar
Cole, P (1997) Women in family business, Family Business Review 10: 353–371.Google Scholar
Collins, OF and Moore, DG (1964) The Enterprising Man. East Lansing MI: Michigan State University Press.Google Scholar
Corbetta, G and Salvato, C (2004) Self-serving or self-actualizing? Models of man and agency costs in different types of family firms: A commentary on ‘Comparing the agency costs of family and nonfamily firms: Conceptual issues and exploratory evidence’, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 28: 355–362.Google Scholar
Craig, JBL and Lindsay, N (2002) Incorporating the family dynamic into the entrepreneurship process, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development 9: 416–430.Google Scholar
Craig, JBL, Cassar, G and Moores, K (2006) A 10-year longitudinal investigation of strategy, systems, and environment on innovation in family firms, Family Business Review 19: 1–10.Google Scholar
Curimbaba, F (2002) The dynamics of women's roles as family business managers, Family Business Review 15: 239–252.Google Scholar
Davis, JH, Schoorman, FD and Donaldson, L (1997) Toward a stewardship theory of management, Academy of Management Review 22(1): 20–47.Google Scholar
Dibrell, C and Craig, JBL (2006) The natural environment, innovation, and firm performance: A comparative study of family and non-family firms, Family Business Review 31: 275–287.Google Scholar
Dugan, AM, Krone, SP, LeCouvie, K, Pendergast, JM, Kenyon-Rouvinez, DH and Schuman, AM (2008) A Woman's Role: the crucial roles of women in family business. Marietta GA: The Family Business Consulting Group.Google Scholar
Dumas, CA (1989) Understanding father-daughter and father–son dyads in family-owned businesses, Family Business Review 2: 31–46.Google Scholar
Dumas, CA (1990) Preparing the new CEO: Managing the father–daughter succession process in family businesses, Family Business Review 2: 169–181.Google Scholar
Dumas, CA (1992) Integrating the daughter into family business management, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 16: 41–55.Google Scholar
Eisenhardt, K (1989) Building theories from case study research, Academy of Management Journal 14: 532–550.Google Scholar
Evans, M (2005) Coutts 2005 Family Business Survey. Accessed 19 July 2008 from http://www.directorbank.com/graphics_uploaded/coutts2005_family_business_survey.pdf.Google Scholar
Fischer, E, Reuber, AR and Dyke, LS (1993) A theoretical overview and extension of research on sex, gender, and entrepreneurship, Journal of Business Venturing 8: 151–168.Google Scholar
Grandori, A (2001): Neither hierarchy nor identity: Knowledge-governance mechanisms and the theory of the firm, Journal of Management and Governance 5: 381–399.Google Scholar
Greer, MJ and Greene, PG (2003) Feminist theory and the study of entrepreneurship. In Butler, JE (Ed), New perspectives on women entrepreneurs. Greenwich CT: Information Age Publishing, pp 1–24.Google Scholar
Habbershon, TG and Williams, ML (1999) A resource-based framework for assessing the strategic advantages of family firms, Family Business Review 12: 1–25.Google Scholar
Hofstede, G (1980) Culture's consequences: International differences in work-related values. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Hofstede, (1998) Masculinity and femininity: the taboo dimension of national cultures. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Hollander, BS and Bukowitz, WR (1990) Women, family cultures, and family business, Family Business Review 3: 139–151.Google Scholar
Hurley, A (1999) Incorporating feminist theories into sociological theories of entrepreneurship, Women in Management Review 14: 54–62.Google Scholar
Iannarelli, CL (1993) The socialization of leaders: A study of gender in family business, Dissertation Abstracts International 53: 3283–3284.Google Scholar
Knight, F (1964) [1921] Risk, Uncertainty and Profit. New York: Sentry Press.Google Scholar
Lave, J (1988) Cognition in Practice. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Lave, J and Wenger, É (1991) Situated Learning and Peripheral Participation. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Litz, RA (1995) The family business: toward definitional clarity, Family Business Review 8: 71–81.Google Scholar
Lyman, AR (1988) Life in the family cycle, Family Business Review 1: 383–398.Google Scholar
Makino, S and Neupert, KE (2000) National culture, transaction costs, and the choice between joint venture and wholly owned subsidiary, Journal of International Business Studies 31: 705–713.Google Scholar
Mass Mutual Financial Group (2007) Study: Family businesses growing steady and strong but face future risks: 2007 American Family Business Survey highlights opportunities and challenges for family firms across the US. Press release 1 November 2007. Accessed 8 June 2008 from http://www.massmutual.com/mmfg/about/pr_2007/11_1_2007.htmlGoogle Scholar
McGrath, R, MacMillan, IC and Scheinberg, S (1992) Elitists, risk-takers and rugged individualists? An exploratory analysis of cultural differences between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs. Journal of Business Venturing 7(2): 115–135.Google Scholar
Metcalfe, BD (2006) Exploring cultural dimensions of gender and management in the Middle East, Thunderbird International Business Review 48: 93–107.Google Scholar
Metcalfe, BD (2007) Gender and HRM in the Middle East, International Journal of Human Resource Management 18: 54–75.Google Scholar
Miller, D and Le Breton-Miller, I (2005) Management insights from great and struggling family businesses, Long Range Planning 38: 517–530.Google Scholar
Mitchell, RK, Smith, JB, Morse, EA, Seawright, KW, Peredo, AM and McKenzie, B (2002) Are entrepreneurial cognitions universal? assessing entrepreneurial cognitions across cultures, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 26: 9–32.Google Scholar
Moores, K and Barrett, MA (2002) Learning family business: paradoxes and pathways. Aldershot UK: Ashgate Publishing.Google Scholar
Mueller, SL and Thomas, AS (2000) Culture and entrepreneurial potential: a nine country study of locus of control and innovativeness, Journal of Business Venturing 16: 51–75.Google Scholar
Nelson, T and Levesque, LL (2007) The status of women in corporate governance in high-growth, high-potential firms, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 31: 209–232.Google Scholar
Ogbor, JO (2000) Mythicizing and reification in entrepreneurial discourse: ideology critique of entrepreneurial studies, Journal of Management Studies 37: 605–635.Google Scholar
Orr, J (1996) Talking about machines: An ethnography of a modern job. Ithaca NY: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
Ruble, DN (1987) The acquisition of self-knowledge: A self-socialization perspective. In Eisenberg, N (Ed) Contemporary topics in developmental psychology. New York: Wiley, pp 243–270.Google Scholar
Salganicoff, M (1990) Women in family business: Challenges and opportunities, Family Business Review 3: 125–137.Google Scholar
Semin, GR and Zwier, SM (1997) Social Cognition. In Berry, JW, Segall, MH and Kagitcibasi, C (Eds), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology Vol 3: Social behavior and applications. Needham Heights MA: Allyn and Bacon, pp 51–76.Google Scholar
Sexton, DL and Bowman-Upton, N (1990) Female and male entrepreneurs: Psychological characteristics and their role in gender-related discrimination, Journal of Business Venturing 5: 29–36.Google Scholar
Sharma, P (2008) Commentary – Familiness: Capital stocks and flows between family and business, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 34: 971–977.Google Scholar
Silverman, D (1985) Qualitative Methodology and Sociology. Hants UK: Gower Publishing.Google Scholar
Sonnenfeld, J (1988) The Hero's Farewell: What Happens When CEOs Retire. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Stinchcombe, AL (1965) Social structure and organizations. In March, JG (Ed) Handbook of Organizations. Chicago: Rand McNally, pp 142–193.Google Scholar
Vera, CF and Dean, MA (2005) An examination of the challenges daughters face in family business succession, Family Business Review 18: 321–345.Google Scholar
Wenger, É (1999) Communities of practice: learning, meaning and identity. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Wenger, É (2000) Communities of practice and social learning systems, Organization 7: 225–246.Google Scholar
Westhead, P and Cowling, M (1998) Family firm research: the need for a methodological rethink, Entrepreneurship: Theory & Practice 23: 31–56.Google Scholar
Whetten, D (1989) What constitutes a theoretical contribution? Academy of Management Review 14: 490–495.Google Scholar
Yin, RK (1984) Case study research: design and methods. Beverly Hills CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Zimmerman, M and Zeitz, G (2002) Beyond survival: Achieving new venture growth by building legitimacy, Academy of Management Review 27: 414–431.Google Scholar