Books and journals Case studies Expert Briefings Open Access
Advanced search

Gender in family business management: a multinational analysis

Matthew C. Sonfield (Department of Management, Entrepreneurship and General Business, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, USA)
Robert N. Lussier (Department of Management, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA)

Journal of Family Business Management

ISSN: 2043-6238

Publication date: 28 September 2012

Abstract

Purpose

–

The purpose of this study is to investigate five well‐established issues of gender stereotype, analyzing data obtained from 811 family businesses in eight diverse countries, with the objective of testing the relationship between male and female owner/managers of these businesses and these stereotypes in a managerial context.

Design/methodology/approach

–

This eight country study involved survey research using hierarchal regression to test five hypotheses involving gender stereotypes relating to family business management. The eight countries, USA, Egypt, France, Argentina, Serbia, Kosovo, Kuwait, and Croatia, provided a mixture of entrepreneurial demographics and context.

Findings

–

Only one hypothesis supported a gender stereotype. As the percentage of female managers increases, so does the use of group rather than individual decision‐making. The other four variables – formal versus informal management style, conflict among family members, use of sophisticated financial analysis, and use of outside consultants, advisors and professional services – did not change significantly with the percentage of female owner/managers. For control variables, as the number of employees increased, the percentage of female owner/managers decreased, and females tended to own/manage service, rather than product, firms.

Practical implications

–

These findings offer “theory into practice” implications for owner/managers of family businesses, as well as for those who assist such businesses.

Originality/value

–

These findings provide a theoretical contribution to the study of family business because clear answers to gender management similarities and differences in family firms remain elusive, and these results expand, modify and clarify the understanding of gender issues in family business.

Keywords

  • Gender
  • Family business
  • Multinational
  • Family firms
  • USA
  • Egypt
  • France
  • Argentina
  • Serbia
  • Kosovo
  • Kuwait
  • Croatia

Citation

Sonfield, M.C. and Lussier, R.N. (2012), "Gender in family business management: a multinational analysis", Journal of Family Business Management, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 110-129. https://doi.org/10.1108/20436231211261862

Download as .RIS

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Please note you do not have access to teaching notes

You may be able to access teaching notes by logging in via Shibboleth, Open Athens or with your Emerald account.
Login
If you think you should have access to this content, click the button to contact our support team.
Contact us

To read the full version of this content please select one of the options below

You may be able to access this content by logging in via Shibboleth, Open Athens or with your Emerald account.
Login
To rent this content from Deepdyve, please click the button.
Rent from Deepdyve
If you think you should have access to this content, click the button to contact our support team.
Contact us
Emerald Publishing
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
  • Opens in new window
© 2021 Emerald Publishing Limited

Services

  • Authors Opens in new window
  • Editors Opens in new window
  • Librarians Opens in new window
  • Researchers Opens in new window
  • Reviewers Opens in new window

About

  • About Emerald Opens in new window
  • Working for Emerald Opens in new window
  • Contact us Opens in new window
  • Publication sitemap

Policies and information

  • Privacy notice
  • Site policies
  • Modern Slavery Act Opens in new window
  • Chair of Trustees governance statement Opens in new window
  • COVID-19 policy Opens in new window
Manage cookies

We’re listening — tell us what you think

  • Something didn’t work…

    Report bugs here

  • All feedback is valuable

    Please share your general feedback

  • Member of Emerald Engage?

    You can join in the discussion by joining the community or logging in here.
    You can also find out more about Emerald Engage.

Join us on our journey

  • Platform update page

    Visit emeraldpublishing.com/platformupdate to discover the latest news and updates

  • Questions & More Information

    Answers to the most commonly asked questions here