How Family Dynamics Shape Women Entrepreneurs’ Energy and Initiative

What is it about?

This study examines how family-to-work relationships affect women entrepreneurs’ ability to sustain entrepreneurial orientation (EO)—a strategic focus on innovation, proactiveness, and risk-taking. Grounded in Conservation of Resources theory, it shows that emotional energy gained or lost from family life shapes entrepreneurial behavior. Family-to-work conflict drains resources through exhaustion, while family support and enrichment restore them, helping women sustain energy for entrepreneurship. Using data from women entrepreneurs in Ghana, the study finds that family-to-work conflict—such as competing demands and time pressures—reduces entrepreneurial orientation (EO) by causing emotional exhaustion, which weakens motivation and focus. However, family support and family-to-work enrichment—when family life provides skills, confidence, or stability—restore energy and offset conflict’s harm. Strong emotional and practical support enables women to stay innovative and persistent even under strain. By uncovering the dual roles of depletion and enrichment, this study highlights how family life can be both a source of strain and strength in women’s entrepreneurship. It provides evidence that balancing emotional demands with supportive family relationships is crucial for maintaining innovation and resilience. Family support thus emerges not only as a personal comfort but as a strategic resource sustaining entrepreneurial vitality and growth.

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Photo by Iwaria Inc. on Unsplash

Photo by Iwaria Inc. on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is unique in integrating family-to-work conflict, family support, and family-to-work enrichment into a single COR-based model of women’s entrepreneurship. It advances theory by revealing that family influence extends beyond time constraints—acting as a key emotional resource that shapes entrepreneurial energy and innovation. The research reframes family life from being merely an obstacle to business success into a complex system of both challenges and resources that determine women’s entrepreneurial sustainability. It is also timely, as women entrepreneurs in emerging economies such as Ghana navigate growing pressures between family responsibilities and business ambitions. The study captures this reality, showing that supportive family structures can transform emotional strain into enrichment and resilience. Its message is clear: in contexts of limited institutional support, the family remains a vital wellspring of energy—empowering women to innovate, persist, and lead their ventures successfully despite competing demands.