Wives, Heiresses, Businesswomen: Historical Case Studies of Women’s Changing Roles in Family Businesses

In the public imagination, small and medium-sized family businesses have always been male-dominated organisations, with those headed by women regarded as barely noteworthy exceptions to the rule. These ideas and associations are far from telling the full story; the proportion of women among Germany’s self-employed population remained above 20 per cent throughout the twentieth century. A surge of interest in female entrepreneurs among academic researchers and in the political and media spheres has resulted in increasing recognition of their achievements past and present. There nevertheless remains a persistent tendency to overlook the fact that women have always made a vital contribution to the success of family businesses, even where they did not directly handle these companies’ business affairs. This volume presents new insights into the diverse roles of women in family businesses, as daughters, wives, mothers, widows and entrepreneurs. Eleven case studies drawn from a range of sectors and eras illuminate the significance of women’s influence in family businesses throughout the history of commerce. Bringing together approaches from the history of business, gender, society and culture, the chapters explore women’s multi-faceted roles within numerous enterprises in a new and enlightening depth.