Participation of Female Family Members in New Zealand Family Businesses

Abstract

Despite the growth of female entrepreneurship little significant research has been done in New Zealand on the participation of women in family-owned firms. The purpose of this study is to help fill this gap. This study was based on six case studies and uses the qualitative grounded theory method. The study found that women were motivated to work in a family business for affirmative reasons and regarded their work as both worthwhile and satisfying. Involvement in the family business was seen as a positive dimension of family life. The participants made a deliberate choice to work in the family business, albeit for differing reasons. Working in the family firm was not seen as a ‘less than best’ option but asa positive choice. This contrasts with a common view in the literature that women often end up working in family businesses as a result of negative circumstances.