Women in Family Business Leadership Roles

Daughters on the Stage

Mary Barrett, Professor of Management, School of Management and Marketing, University of Wollongong, Australia and Ken Moores, Founding Director and Professor, Australian Centre for Family Business, Faculty of Business, Technology and Sustainable Development, Bond University, Australia

Mary Barrett and Ken Moores breathe new life into research on one of the largest and yet frequently overlooked business sectors. They analyse thirteen international cases of women in family business to discover how women attained leadership or, sometimes, failed to do so.

By examining in detail how women have reached the top in the traditionally conservative environment of family business, the book avoids essentialist assumptions about women as leaders. It illuminates classic issues of entrepreneurship in a family business context, particularly the dual imperatives of innovation and business continuity. Women in Family Business Leadership Roles presents contemporary research that looks at the patterns of success and failure, and understand whether this is the result of gender or other factors.

‘. . . the book is undoubtedly a significant contribution to the body of knowledge on female entrepreneurship generally, and on women’s leadership in family businesses specifically. It should be a “desk set” choice for anybody interested in advancing their own understanding, or the understanding of others, about female entrepreneurship in the family business context.’
– Kate Lewis, Gender in Management

‘Using the metaphor of the stage, the authors shed light on experiences of women who stumbled into the leadership spotlight in their family firms, and others who methodically built their own stage. An interesting strategic leadership tactic of directing the spotlight on others is found useful by some others. Not all stories are positive though as some find themselves struggling to cope with shadows or the leadership spotlight eludes them. This book is a must read for progressive men and women interested in entrepreneurial leadership of family firms.’
——编辑,Famil Pramodita Sharmay Business Review and Concordia University, Montreal, Canada

‘Barrett and Moores delve into the real essence of women in leadership roles, specifically but not exclusively in family business. In doing so they dispel many myths, provide compelling concepts to nurture, grow and sustain women business leaders and examples of how women in all types of business can deliver outstanding results through dynamic leadership, high emotional intelligence and a desire to achieve and succeed.’
– Jaqui Lane, CEO and Founder, Focus Publishing