Women’s entrepreneurial orientation in small family firms: Theorizing the role of individual and family human capital

• Sarto, Fabrizia ^[1] ; Saggese, Sara ^[1] ; Viganò, Riccardo ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Naples Federico II

     University of Naples Federico II

     Nápoles, Italia

     
• Localización: Piccola impresa: = Small Business, ISSN 0394-7947, Nº. 3, 2021
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The paper aims to provide a deeper understanding on the implications of women for Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in small family firms by exploratively assessing how their features influence the related EO. The study draws on multiple qualitative case studies of small sized family Italian companies conducted between 2017 and 2019. Findings show that, in small family firms, women entrepreneurs’ conservatism and lateral thinking affect their EO and such relationships are moderated by the pertaining educational degree and financial background. The novelty of the paper relies on the conceptualization of women features implications for the EO of their small family firms through ex post propositions and conceptual framework. Moreover, the article jointly examines the effects of both general and specific human capital on women’s EO. It calls the attention of practitioners on the factors that could drive the entry, presence and succession of women leaders in small sized family firms.