Advantages for women and for the business

What women have to offer to family businesses is manifested at different levels. As the authors of the study remind us, women are often considered as the ‘glue’ of the family and the business, they are more engaged in the emotive and the relational than men are and have more talent in defusing conflicts. They are also more sensitive to the needs of others and lean more towards collaboration and interaction. In the final analysis, they have a different management style which for some authors has the characteristics required of a good leader (communication, empathy, listening, etc.). Last but not least, they can also directly or indirectly contribute financially to the development of the family business. Being in a family business environment also offers women certain advantages such as, for example, access to predominantly male industries such as construction. Let us also note a greater flexibility in working hours, a better salary or greater job security. Certain of these advantages can also contribute to women’s motivation and commitment to the family business. Thus the decision to join the latter, ‘when it matches up with the objectives women aim for (for example, devoting time to the family and their children), can constitute a reason for their professional orientation choices or their involvement in the family business,’ emphasise the authors. As far as commitment goes, they also point to emotional engagement, corresponding to an emotional attachment, a commitment to continuity which is rather similar to the feeling of ‘being caught in the trap’ in the relationship they have with the business and the prescriptive or ‘moral commitment’ behind which one finds the feeling of an obligation as regards others.

A limited presence on decision making bodies

The first part of the study, the quantitative analysis, aims to take stock of the situation of women in francophone Belgian family businesses in 2012 and takes the form of two objectives: on the one hand to describe the ‘roles’ women occupy in the family business and the posts they hold within them today; on the other hand bringing to light, with a view to forecasting, the precursor signs of emergent factors which could develop in the near or further off future, such as the qualities a daughter should have in order to succeed a current director. A questionnaire was sent to 2.491 family businesses which feature in the database of the Family Business Institute (IEF). The response rate was 5.25% (131 questionnaires). The sample is representative from the point of view of activity sector, the company’s legal status, business turnover and employment. Out of the respondents 64.9% are men and 29.8% are women (with 5.3% none specified). Over 80% are aged over 40, 71.8% have a higher education qualification and 81% live within a couple. Finally over 60% occupy the post of CEO.

Amongst the results gathered, there was observed ‘an absence of women in the family businesses’ decision making bodies, and this is more marked for the Boards of Directors.’ Thus for example, as far as Boards of Directors are concerned, women are in the majority in only 11% of cases, they have an equal presence 22% of cases, and are in the minority in 27% of cases. What is particularly striking is that women are absent from Boards of Directors in 40% of cases. As far as managerial positions are concerned, the authors note that ‘women are occupied in administrative posts (women are in the majority in this post in 56% of the businesses questioned, whilst men are in the majority in this post in 24% of the businesses questioned), and those of human resource management posts (women are in the majority in 47% of businesses questioned, whilst men are in the majority in only 38% of cases). Men are in the majority in financial, marketing and sales positions and are very largely in the majority in operational positions or in a CEO post.’