When Family Support Fuels Women’s Entrepreneurial Success in Hostile Markets

What is it about?

This study examines how family-induced work happiness—the positive emotions entrepreneurs gain from supportive family ties—affects the performance of women-led firms. Based on Conservation of Resources theory, it argues that emotional resources from family support enhance women entrepreneurs’ ability to pursue entrepreneurial orientation (EO), including innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking. The study highlights how personal well-being, strategic behavior, and environmental factors interact to drive entrepreneurial success. Using survey data from women entrepreneurs in Denmark, the study finds that family-induced work happiness boosts firm performance indirectly through entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Emotional support at home increases energy, confidence, and optimism, driving proactive and innovative actions. Notably, this effect strengthens under high market hostility—rather than draining energy, adversity amplifies the motivational power of family-derived happiness, as entrepreneurs channel emotional strength into strategic efforts to overcome threats. By linking emotional well-being to strategic behavior and performance, the study reframes family influence not as a constraint but as a vital emotional resource for female entrepreneurs. It shows that when family relationships foster happiness and resilience, women are better equipped to thrive—particularly in difficult markets. The results underscore the strategic value of emotional resources in entrepreneurship, demonstrating how family support can serve as a competitive advantage that sustains innovation and performance.

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Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is unique in integrating family-induced work happiness, entrepreneurial orientation, and market hostility into a single resource-based framework. It advances COR theory by showing that emotional energy from family relationships operates as a powerful resource that enhances strategic behavior and firm outcomes. By demonstrating that adverse environments can strengthen rather than weaken this link, it reframes emotional well-being as a catalyst for entrepreneurial resilience and performance. It is also timely, as women entrepreneurs worldwide continue to balance family responsibilities with growing market challenges. In contexts such as Denmark—where work-life balance and gender equality are central societal values—the study provides evidence that emotional resources from family life remain essential for sustaining entrepreneurial drive. The findings highlight how cultivating happiness through supportive family ties not only improves well-being but also fuels competitiveness, innovation, and firm success in uncertain environments.