ABSTRACT
Women were overlooked as potential leaders for the family business as a result of the stereotypes that business families and society held about women and work. Such attitudes were woven into the fabric of generations and shaped the family and also the culture of the business. Daughters were often viewed as temporary employees in the business until they married or had children and thus were not given the same encouragement and developmental opportunities in the business as their brothers. The absence of daughters as successors despite the prevalence of family firms in the United States of America (USA) and despite the increasing numbers of women in the workforce, offered an excellent research opportunity. The role of daughters in family enterprise is heavily influenced by the societal context that relates to the role and expectations of women in business, and in the family. Gender issues persist in some form or another for women in business as long as gender differences exist.
