Examining gender in relation to resilience and family business is important given that inclusive businesses, those committed to gender equity, tend to be receptive to innovation and change, and are thereforemore resilient in difficult times. Organisational resilience involves being able to anticipate, respond to and learn from adversity. How family members operate the business, make decisions on an everyday basis, and withstand change and crises, is underpinned by family dynamics including gendered roles and power relations. Understanding how families navigate these gendered relations offers insights into complex dynamics that affect the resilience of the business and family wellbeing. Adversity puts family business longevity at risk, placing a spotlight on leadership and succession practices. Deeply embedded in family business culture, these practices are often shaped by primogeniture and gender bias that affect the family business’s ability to flourish and adapt to change. Better understanding of such practices can provide important lessons for building resilience for the long-term sustainability of the business. Professor Valerie Stead, Director of the Academy for Gender, Work and Leadership The study of resiliencematters in the context of family business because there is a growing concern about how family businesses respond to diverse adverse circumstances in different environments. As family businesses represent the dominant business form around the world, our understanding of how different aspects of place (e.g. history, geography, the weather, cultural identity, a region and its expertise) may influence strategies to address adversity andmay also be an opportunity to understand why family businessesmatter for the resilience of particular locations. For instance, businesses in increasingly deprived or disadvantaged contextsmay be at an increased risk of adverse outcomes, including a lack of growth or business failure. Yet some family businesses experiencing adverse conditions develop diverse strategies based on place-based aspects that allow them to overcome challenges and become resilient. Further understanding of aspects of place that influence family business resilience is needed. Our workshop highlighted diverse perspectives that can help family businesses adapt to changing circumstances. The discussions provided a sounding board for reflection on how family firms can becomemore flexible, in terms of available and unique resources, and adjust the way they work under conditions of uncertainty. Dr Allan Discua Cruz, Director of the Centre for Family Business 14 |
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTI5NzM=