Family business performance: The effects of gender and management

This study investigates whether the gender of family business owners moderates the relationship between various business management practices and gross revenue. Data are from the National Family Business Panel, a national, representative household family business sample. Introducing new production methods has a large positive effect on gross revenue for both genders. Personnel management has a much larger effect (nine times greater) on gross revenue for female than male owners. Gender moderates responses to disruptions (sleeping less, hiring temporary help during busy times, family members donating time to business, and using family income for the business), and those effects are so large that the effects of responses to disruptions on gross revenue are the opposite for females and males. The gender main effect remains significant after responses to disruptions are controlled and after interactions with innovations, management practices and responses to disruptions are included in the analyses.