Hello!
In class on Monday we discussed mainly gender issues that can emerge
during the succession stages. Until now we have never analysed the role that
wives have in family businesses therefore I thought it would have been
interesting to post a paper about it.
In a nutshell the paper highlights the key role of CEO spouses
as stewards of the family legacy
and facilitator of communication within the family. They tend to strengthen the
family unity. I am attaching below the reading I found by Poza and Messer who
are two influential authors in the field of gender issues in succession
planning.
However, I feel and fear that most spouses prefer to keep their distances
from the family business unless the company is going through a critical moment
and their intervention is necessary in order to keep the family still in charge
of the business.
As far as I am concerned, gender norms are even more ingrained in
spouses than daughters successors when it comes to take the reins of a family
business because they will not be the actual owners of the business, so somehow
they will feel more under pressure.
I am really curious to read your opinions about this topic.
I am probably
conditioned by the Italian culture where spouses STILL tend to take steps back
from these responsibilities because their opinions would not be too welcomed by
the rest of the family, "the initial owners".
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