Women, glass ceiling, and professionalization in family SMEs: a missed link

Literature and practical evidence on the glass ceiling have showed that women's presence in ownership does not ensure that they can significantly influence firm decisional processes. Similarly women's presence in governance roles does not entail glass ceiling removal, even in family firms, which are expected to be a more favorable context. Moreover, literature on women's role in family firms has focused mostly on women's expectations, values, and objectives, on the decision-making processes led by women, on their leadership styles and so on. Very few studies have dealt with women's contribution in strategy formulation, organizational structure design, implementing and using managerial mechanisms. This article focuses on two main topics: the role of women in family firms and the professionalization of the company. It aims at understanding both women's involvement in governance and managerial roles, and the relationship with the family firms' professionalization. The findings reveal, on one hand, that family SMEs are a more favorable context for the removal of the glass ceiling only with regard to the roles of member of board of directors and functional director. On the other hand, they show that some managerial mechanisms, such as incentives and managerial reporting systems, are more relevant when women are involved in governance and managerial roles.