Shop Talk: Exploring Daughters Narratives of working in the Family Business

This study focuses on the experiences of daughters working in their family business. It seeks to explore how these individuals, who often inhabit dual identities of family member/child and professional employee, navigate the... [ view full abstract ]

This study focuses on the experiences of daughters working in their family business. It seeks to explore how these individuals, who often inhabit dual identities of family member/child and professional employee, navigate the nebulous roles and expectations emanating from the intertwining of business and family needs. Narratives from eight daughters currently working in family businesses in a variety of industries in Ireland were collected via in-depth interviews. Themes concerning the use of parent/owners as comparators, particularly in cases where the Mother was the founder, to clarify actions and behaviours, and the importance of external experiences in negotiating identities emerged to illuminate how daughters perceive and their positions in family business. This is important as while the increase in research in females in family business is to be welcomed, the existence of gendered norms and expectations are still prevalent in the family business system and needs further unpacking.

Family Business, Women, Gender, Identity, Narratives, Qualitative [ view full abstract ]

Family Business, Women, Gender, Identity, Narratives, Qualitative