Abstract
Despite substantial research on business success, female succession, its associated process, the encountered difficulties within the succession process, and the suitable support are theoretically ignored. The low attention of this subject is preconditioned by some cultural factors essentially religion and habits favorable to man. Successors face some difficulties like acceptance, integration, insertion, and management. It differs from the context and the successors' identities. Some countries support men more than women; others support women than men while some countries refuse this distinction. Using 20 successors, this study aims to understand how religion interferes in supporting successors within the succession process. Muslim countries offer to contextually support and assure business continuity and business cohesion.
TopIntroduction
This chapter reveals that Tunisian successors face many difficulties before, within and after their business recovery process (Powell & Eddleston, 2013; Cucculelli & Micucci, 2008). These difficulties are regrouped respectively between personal, social, financial and strategically categories (Pavel, 2013). To overcome these lacunas, many entrepreneurial support elements remain necessary. The impact of these elements essentially depends on the relationship between actors; “Successors and accompanists”. Also, the support’s quality and quantity depend on the successor’s gender. So, religion interferes to orient support among genders in some countries, whereas, its impact is ignored in other ones (Scandura & Viator, 1994). For instance, Muslim countries support male successors who assure familial project and reputation and give less attention to female successors (Meier & Schier, 2014; Yesil & Kaya, 2013; Lisboa, skarmeas & Lages, 2011; Ensher & Murphy, 2011). In addition to that, Muslim countries encourage the virtual female support due to the difference between actors’ gender (Zhao, Qi & Pablos, 2013; Ensher & Murphy, 2011). None of Muslim countries declare that female successors are more qualitatively supported than men (Valdivia, 2015). Yet, the religion impact is still ambiguous within support practices and successors’ gender (Valdivia, 2015).
This chapter aims to identify how religion impacts successors’ support in relation to their gender. In fact, this issue can be divided into other questions likewise: what is the most appropriate entrepreneurial support for successors? Can the entrepreneurial support distinguish male from female successors within Muslim context?
Some theories will be employed in this chapter. For instance, the social capital theory is used to understand the nature of relationship between actors (Roxas & Chadee, 2013; Powell & Edlleston, 2013; Lisboa, skarmeas & Lages, 2011). Furthermore, human capital theory is fruitful to identify the necessary knowledge and competencies of the accompanists and the successors’ needs (Haynes & Ghosh, 2012; See, Morrison, Rotham & Soll, 2011; Soysekerci & Ertugut, 2010). However, the based behavior theory is conducted to measure the effects of religion within successors’ support (Valdivia, 2015).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Mentoring: An entrepreneurial practice that manifests personal or professional support between mentor and novice.
Training: An entrepreneurial practice that improves or/and updates knowledge and information.
Succession: A partial or a total transfer of family firm within generation.
Culture/Religion: Habits, values, and practices shared by a group.
Successor: A family member who tries to assure business firm continuity and survival.
Entrepreneurial Support: Some practices aiming to help entrepreneur or succession within creation or restarting process.
Consultation: Intangible support that assures efficiently business working.