Gender and family business: New theoretical directions

Purpose: This editorial aims to investigate the interface between gendered processes and family business by exploring the extent to which gendered processes are reinforced (or not) in family business operations and dynamics. This approach will complement the agency and RBV theoretical bases that dominate family business research (Chrisman et al., 2009), and further contribute to extending gender theories.

Design/methodology/approach: Acknowledging that gender is socially constructed, this editorial discusses the interface between gendered processes and family business within entrepreneurship research.

Findings: Despite a growing interest in gender and family business, there is a limited literature that explores gender theory within family business research. A gender theory approach embracing family business research contributes to a needed theoretical deconstruction of existing perspectives on the operations, sustainability and succession of family businesses in the 21st century.

Originality/value: This article makes a contribution to extant scholarship by extending gender theories through an exploration of the gendered processes in family business research.