Eleanor Hamilton

Whose Story is it Anyway? Narrative Accounts of the Role of Women in Founding and Establishing Family Businesses

The role of women in family business is relatively under-investigated. This article illuminates complex relationships in a family business context, putting the family at the heart of the research as opposed to an individual owner-manager. It draws on narrative accounts of establishing a family business, as told by the founders and by the succeeding generation in three family businesses. Some of the existing literature conceptualizes women in family business as marginalized through the forces of patriarchy or paternalism. The narratives presented in this article point to alternative gender discourses and practices, and to evidence of clear resistance to patriarchy. In so doing it begins to identify the conditions under which patriarchy might be challenged in family businesses.

Intrafamily Entrepreneurship: The Formation and Membership of Family Entrepreneurial Teams

Family entrepreneurial teams are groups of related individuals who engage in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial teams studies emphasize the resources that members bring to the team. Family business studies suggest that relationships and social theories are important. Social capital explains the formation and composition of family entrepreneurial teams (FETs). Analysis is of case studies of FETs based in Honduras. A shared commitment to entrepreneurial stewardship of the familys assets underpins formation of FETs. Trust and shared values were important for membership. This study highlights that families are not internally consistent, and family ties are not equally strong.

Structural approaches to narrative analysis in entrepreneurship research: exemplars from two researchers

Narrative is recognized as a credible source of knowledge for scholars engaged in theory building in entrepreneurship. A wide range of methods for the analysis of narrative empirical material have been adopted in research to date. Thus, researchers have a multitude of ways to engage with data, such that investigators new to narrative analysis may face challenges in approaching and framing analyses of their narrative material. This article presents exemplars from two researchers who used structural approaches to uncover contemporary understandings of entrepreneurship in different contexts. Their experiences suggest a framework that scholars embarking on journeys into narrative analysis can use to their benefit.

The discourse of entrepreneurial masculinities (and femininities)

The overarching concern of this paper is the dominant discourse of entrepreneurship portrayed as a form of masculinity. It argues that this discourse is perpetuated by academic research and by media representations of the entrepreneur. The entrepreneur is represented in the media by a narrow range of male stereotypes, whilst women are under-represented and often that representation is linked to domestic concerns. At the same time, academic studies persistently rely on male experience to theorize entrepreneurship, and women are studied in terms of their difference. This enduring discourse results in entrepreneurial femininities being rendered invisible. This paper argues that studies in entrepreneurship should remain alert to the denial and masking of gender. It calls for entrepreneurship researchers to engage with contemporary debates in gender, culture and media studies and proposes a research agenda to challenge the dominant discourses.

Family firm diversity and development: An introduction:

Issues relating to private family firm diversity and development are discussed with reference to established and emerging debates. Family firm assets and liabilities are highlighted. Key issues for family firms research and practice relating to family firm definition and family firm diversity are raised. Issues relating to context, culture and time are also discussed. Conceptual and empirical ‘types’ of family firms are illustrated. The contributions of ‘invisible’ members, women and couples in family firms are discussed. Various ownership forms relating to the perpetuation of family firms and business ownership transfer issues are highlighted. Articles in this special issue are then briefly summarized.

A study of a university-led entrepreneurship education programme for small business owner/managers

The small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector is crucial to regional and national economies [Thorpe, R., J. Cope, M. Ram, and M. Pedler. 2009. Leadership development in small-and medium-sized enterprises: The case for action learning. Action Learning: Research and Practice 6, no. 3: 201–8; Jones, O., A. Macpherson, and R. Thorpe. 2010. Learning in owner-managed small firms: Mediating artefacts and strategic space. Entrepreneurship and Regional Development 22, no. 7/8: 649–73]. In recognition of this, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been supported through government policy to provide training programmes for SMEs aimed at developing a higher level of skills that will support growth [Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration. 2003. Final Report, KM Treasury, London. http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk; HM Treasury. 2006. The Leitch Review of Skills: Prosperity for all in the global economy – World class skills. London: HM Treasury; DIUS (Department for Business Innovation Universities and Skills). 2007. Implementing ‘The race to the top’: Lord Sainsburys review of governments science and innovation policies. TSO; DIUS (Department for Business Innovation Universities and Skills). 2008. Higher education at work: High skills, high value. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/corporate/migratedD/ec_group/HLSS4_08 (accessed February 7, 2011); Zhang, J., and E. Hamilton. 2010. Entrepreneurship education for owner-managers: The process of trust building for an effective learning community. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship 23, no. 3: 249–70]. This study considers the relationship between entrepreneurship education and SME owner/managers by examining a programme delivered by a HEI for growth-oriented small business owner/managers. It addresses the questions: What factors do participants believe enhance the effectiveness of HEI and SME engagement? And what impact, if any, do participants perceive such engagement has upon them as an individual operating within an SME and their business operations? Qualitative techniques are used to explore the situations of five SME owner/managers at three points during a 5-year period. Findings show that entrepreneurship education delivered a range of benefits to SMEs and the region. Through engaging, owner/managers interacted with others. This extension of their network supported business growth and development. This study demonstrates that enterprise education can deliver positive benefits to SME owner/managers and the wider region in which they are located.

Narratives of enterprise as epic tragedy

Purpose – The pupose of this paper is to explore the power of narrative in management and enterprise research. It is inspired by Paul Ricoeurs philosophical understanding of the relationship between life and narrative. He draws on Aristotles Poetics and the notion of emplotment (muthos in Greek), which embodies both imaginary story (fable) and well‐constructed story (plot). This study identifies aspects of narratives of enterprise, which resonate with Aristotles key elements of emplotment in tragedy.Design/methodology/approach – This qualitative, interpretive study relies on narrative as a way of knowing and as a form of communication. The stories as told by 16 participants in in‐depth interviews, are analysed and interpreted in terms of the key elements set out in Aristotles Poetics – reversals, recognition and suffering.Findings – This form of literary interpretation throws into relief aspects of the founding of a family business across the generations. The dynamics of the “family” in the business, ...

Entrepreneurial Narrative Identity and Gender: A Double Epistemological Shift

A double epistemological shift is proposed to challenge the enduring dominance of the discourse of entrepreneurial masculinity, which impedes our understanding of entrepreneurship. First, a reframing of the epistemological status of narrative supports philosophical and theoretical approaches to the constitution of narrative identity. Second, an epistemological shift to understand gender in entrepreneurship through the constitution of gendered identities in discourse is proposed. These shifts invoke the ontological dimension of narrative and contemporary theories of gender to understand entrepreneurial identity as co‐constituted and located in repertoires of historically and culturally situated narrative. This offers new theoretical and methodological possibilities in entrepreneurship.

The story of a university knowledge exchange actor-network told through the sociology of translation: A case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to tell the story of the evolution of knowledge exchange (KE) activity within a department in a university in the north west of England and to understand this activity through the lens of actor‐network theory.Design/methodology/approach – Applying the sociology of translation to one qualitative interview shows how different actors were enrolled and mobilized into a KE actor‐network. The process of translation consists of four stages, problematisation, enrolment, interessement and mobilisation of allies which have been applied to the data to tell the story of the KE actor‐network. This is a cross‐disciplinary approach using a theoretical framework from sociology and applying it to a management/organizational context.Findings – This framework brings fresh ways of looking at the importance of KE networks within universities. Although limited to one interview, the methodology allows for an in‐depth reading of the data and shows how resilient and flexible this actor‐netwo...

What is (the Point of) an Entrepreneur in Residence? The Lancaster University Experience, with Some Worldwide Comparisons

The teaching of entrepreneurship as an academic subject, as opposed to the apprenticeship route, is the subject of ongoing debate. The authors suggest that there is a middle road and that, by integrating the business world into teaching in a significant way, the best of both approaches can be achieved. In a similar vein, the credibility of some university interaction with small business has been called into question. The authors discuss how they have used the role of ‘entrepreneur in residence’ (EIR) to integrate and improve research, teaching and academic-business interaction. The paper describes the experiences of the EIR hosted at Lancaster University Management Schools Institute for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (IEED) in the UK and examines the outcomes of his work and his perceptions of university life; how his presence challenged internal thinking; and how his fellowship led to service innovation in the host organization. Other formalized EIR activities within and outside the UK are also reviewed; and the authors conclude by proposing how UK HEIs might best make use of similar opportunities, with a challenge to non-management departments. The paper demonstrates one way in which the perceived gulf between entrepreneurship teaching and the business world can be bridged to good effect.