Women as role models in (family-)businesses

Role models play an essential part in adolescence and pre-adolescent stages of life. While young people look for role models outside of their reach, the most prevalent and important role models may also be family members.

In fact, people who grew up in self-employed families learn from an early age about the advantages and disadvantages of self-employment. While following generations often decide to take over family business, even apart from this concept, people with self-employed family members are more likely to become self-employed.  The International Journal of Entrepreneurship states in Volume 16 in a Special Issue in 2012: “56% of people whose parents were/had been entrepreneurs wanted to be self-employed themselves compared to 42% of people with a different family background.”. This reinforces that the values people grow up shape their outlay of life, especially in a work environment.

While family businesses and businesses in general traditionally lay in the hands of the male parts rather than the female counterparts, recent trends show that this changes. Mothers have even previously acted as a catalysator transferring generational values to the new generation. Women must be encouraged to become self-employed to not only transfer values that impact newer generations but also act as role models.

What are your insights about women as role models in family business?

Marie Kiel

Sources:

http://jeffreyrobinsonphd.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/WholeIssue-ijevol16si12012-2.pdf#page=25