Dr. Nan Jiang
This paper employs poststructuralist feminist theory to explore the dynamics between gender expectations, identity work, and the pursuit for independence. Despite the growing presence of women in leadership positions within Chinese family businesses, they continue to encounter significant institutional and cultural obstacles. Through a longitudinal study adopting semi-structured interviews with eight daughters within Chinese family business initially destined to manage the family business, this research explores the decision they made to launch their own entrepreneurial ventures. Our findings reveal the multifaceted motivations behind their decision to bypass the expected leader roles in favor of entrepreneurship, driven by a profound desire for autonomy, independence and recognition. The study demonstrates the critical role of agency in overcoming structural inequalities, thus challenging entrenched traditional gender norms and expectations. By providing a deeper insight into the formation of female entrepreneurial identities in patriarchal contexts, this study makes a significant contribution to the discourse on gender dynamics, cultural expectations, and individual agency within the context of family business succession and entrepreneurship.
