Family dynamics and relationships in female entrepreneurship: an exploratory study

Abstract

PurposeGiven the recent emergence of China as a dominant economy and internal changes that have led to the encouragement of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial initiatives, this paper explores whether family dynamics and relationships still play an important role in women's decision to become entrepreneurs. It aims to understand whether there has been a shift in family dynamics and decision-making that supports female entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachGiven that the purpose of the study is to understand the role of relationships and family dynamics in their career choice, this study has taken a qualitative approach and carried out interviews with fifteen Chinese female entrepreneurs to understand the role of relationships and family dynamics in their career choice.FindingsThe results note that though there are changes in family dynamics that encourage female entrepreneurship, women still find it difficult to choose entrepreneurship as a career and there are unfair expectations that are placed on them. The expectations create undue stress which directly affects their ability to carry out their professional duties. The research suggests that to foster the development of female entrepreneurship, government agencies and local government bodies should provide further access to family support services that can facilitate women's empowerment and foster entrepreneurial thinking without feeling guilty about family commitments or unfair expectations.Originality/valueRecent studies on women's entrepreneurship have focused on various facets. The role of family dynamics and relationships has long been studied in the context of female entrepreneurship. In emerging economies like China, family dynamics and relationships determine whether women can choose entrepreneurship as a career choice or not. However, there is very limited research on the topic, in the geographical context of China. Hence, this paper is among pioneer research addressing family dynamics in the female entrepreneurship debate in China.

Analyse the Role of Family in Entrepreneurship Education: Effective Support and Assistance

“…First of all, the family can act as a motivator for individuals who want to learn entrepreneurship. In a family with an entrepreneurial culture, individuals may feel motivated to follow in the footsteps of their parents or other family members in running a business (Bloemen-Bekx et al, 2019) and (Dewitt et al, 2022). In addition, families can also provide moral support and motivation so that individuals do not give up quickly in facing challenges in running a business.…”

Cyber risk assessment in small and medium‐sized enterprises: A multilevel decision‐making approach for small e‐tailors

“…The existing literature on SME cyber risk management is sparse. Few studies that have been undertaken have focused on risk classification (Dewitt et al, 2022;Grant et al, 2014) TA B L E 8 Experts' information…”

“…The existing literature on SME cyber risk management is sparse. Few studies that have been undertaken have focused on risk classification (Dewitt et al., 2022; Grant et al, 2014) and others on success factors (Ključnikov et al, 2019). Our work extends the current work done in risk classification in the context of SMEs.…”

Guest editorial: Gender, entrepreneurship and family business

“…The analysis of all eight papers in this special issue has yielded several potential directions for academics, researchers and businesses. Here are a few recommendations (Bağış et al , 2023; Chaudhuri et al , 2023; Dewitt et al , 2023; Franco et al , 2023; Marín-Palacios, 2023):Promoting efforts to reduce the gender gap in entrepreneurial activities within family-owned businesses.Presenting a conceptual framework that elucidates the integration of multiple perspectives to better understand the gender dynamics in family business succession.Suggesting future studies that explore gender as both a biological and non-binary social construct, thereby assessing the gender perception of successors who do not identify with traditional binary categories.While cross-sectional studies provide valuable insights within a specific time frame, it is recommended to conduct longitudinal studies to capture the evolving nature of partner and family relationships. This will help assess the impact on female entrepreneurs in terms of decision-making, business growth and performance.These suggestions aim to inspire further exploration and research in the field, offering valuable insights and opportunities for advancement etc.…”

“…The analysis of all eight papers in this special issue has yielded several potential directions for academics, researchers and businesses. Here are a few recommendations (Ba gıs ¸et al, 2023;Chaudhuri et al, 2023;Dewitt et al, 2023;Franco et al, 2023;Mar ın-Palacios, 2023):…”