The Dynamics of Women's Roles as Family Business Managers

Abstract

This study investigates the professional experiences of female heirs in a variety of family businesses located in three states of the Brazilian Southeast. The aim is to analyze both how the family and business structures affect the daughters' visibility in managerial positions and the resulting gender relations. Twelve open‐ended, in‐depth interviews were conducted. The responses were analyzed, and pathways were classified according to the Gersick, Davis, Hampton, and Lansberg (1997) three‐dimensional development model of family businesses. Three groups were formed to describe the daughters' experiences: invisible, professional, and anchor.

Navigating the family business: A gendered analysis of identity construction of daughters

“…In addition, having a predominantly feminine clientele may contribute to tempered disruption. Industries are not stable, and many will probably feature more women in senior roles in the future, which should ease the passage of an aspiring female successor (Curimbaba, 2002).…”

“…They could also exploit their role as owners to make the most of motherhood and benefit from the flexibility offered by working in the family business (Curimbaba, 2002). Constructing a successor identity starts early, long before succession is on the agenda.…”

A experiência de sucessão para herdeiras de empresas familiares do Rio de Janeiro

“…Utilizando a classificação das herdeiras desenvolvida por Curimbaba (2002), a maior parte das nossas entrevistadas poderia ser classificada no grupo das herdeiras âncoras, já que pertencem a famílias em que há apenas descendentes mulheres (E2, E4 e E7) ou com poucos homens (E1, E3 e E5), e em que a responsabilidade de liderar a empresa esteve presente desde a infância (E1, E3, E4 e E6). Além disso, mesmo bem preparadas, todas essas herdeiras afirmaram sentir-se angustiadas diante da responsabilidade de serem bem-sucedidas, mas estarem ao mesmo tempo divididas entre a vida pessoal e o trabalho.…”

“…Se um fundador não possui herdeiros, ou não pretende colocá-los na gestão da empresa, sua firma não poderia ser chamada de familiar. Sharma (2004) apresenta ainda uma escala, desenvolvida por Astrachan, Klien e Smyrnios (2002( apud SHARMA, 2004, para determinar a influência familiar nesse tipo de empresa, com o objetivo de encorajar os pesquisadores a se afastarem das definições bipolares, classificando mais adequadamente as pesquisas nesse campo. A escala é formada por três categorias: poder, experiência e cultura.…”

Gender theory and the family business

“…Daughters often join the family firm at times of crisis or when their father has no sons (Curimbaba, 2002;Dumas, 1992Dumas, , 1998. Many family firms use the primogeniture criterion, where the firstborn male child will take over the family firm, thus freeing fathers from the disagreeable task of comparing and choosing between their children.…”