Trapped in a “golden cage”! The legitimation of women leadership in family business

Abstract

In family businesses, women who belong to the owning family are increasingly appointed to leadership positions. Nevertheless, their managerial roles do not overlap well with their multiple family roles and family expectations, and they are often trapped in a “golden cage.” Drawing on a multilevel view of legitimacy, we analyze twenty-one in-depth interviews with CEOs, managing directors, and cofounders of family firms to untap the legitimation of women’s leadership. We propose a framework that explores the types of judgments (instrumental, relational, and moral) underpinning such a process. Our findings suggest that multiple role empowerment of women and exposure of daughters to family businesses increase legitimacy, whereas hiding family identities and role conflicts hinder it. The role carry-over that mothers have as chief emotional officers and an organizational context promoting gender equality indirectly contribute to the legitimation of women as leaders.