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Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to enhance understanding of the effects of gender on family business succession. It comprises three interrelated papers, each forming a separate chapter. The first chapter presents a comprehensive review of existing literature, tracing the historical trajectory of women’s involvement in family firms across generational stages and national contexts. It develops an integrative framework that synthesizes current knowledge and identifies potential directions for future research, highlighting that women remain an underutilized resource in family business management and continuity worldwide.

To empirically examine this notion, the second chapter reports a quantitative study investigating the drivers and mechanisms shaping next-generation family members’ succession intentions and potential gender differences. Drawing on survey data, the study finds that family business exposure affects succession intention only indirectly through affective commitment and self-perceived leadership ability. Gender shows no moderating effect; however, a mother’s visibility in the business reduces next-generation exposure, particularly among sons.

The third chapter adopts a qualitative approach to explore in depth how next-generation family members develop their succession intentions in both intact families and those that have experienced family ruptures (divorce, remarriage, or death). The findings propose a rupture-driven model of next-generation succession intention, showing that while gendered access to leadership persists across family structures, ruptures shape emotional bonds, leadership alignment, identity formation, and kinship dynamics in distinct ways depending on the rupture type and cause.

Overall, this dissertation advances understanding of succession from the next generation’s perspective within family businesses. Its findings offer practical implications for incumbents suggesting the importance of introducing equitable and early business exposure programs for both sons and daughters. Moreover, it provides valuable insights for scholars and advisors in designing support mechanisms that account for the relational and emotional complexities of succession, particularly by fostering psychological resilience and relational awareness among next-generation members in the face of potential family ruptures.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Departments:	Bayes Business School > Bayes Business School Doctoral Theses Bayes Business School > Faculty of Management Doctoral Theses

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