We’re honored to share that Business Consulting Resources President, Jean Santos CMC®, and Senior Consultant, Celine Casamina, have contributed a chapter to the newly released academic volume, Women in Entrepreneurship and Family Business: Methodical Insights to Advance Research, edited by Helle Neergaard, University of Aarhus, Denmark and Naomi Birdthistle, Griffith University, Australia.
Our chapter, Walk Before You Run: A Cautionary Experimental Vignette Methodology Tale for Family Business Researchers, is the result of a dynamic collaboration with Dr. Monika Hudson, Professor and Director of the Gellert Family Business Center at the University of San Francisco. Together, we set out to explore the use of experimental vignette methodology (EVM) in family business research—an ambitious and less commonly used approach in this field.
What unfolded was not only a deep dive into a complex research method, but a revealing journey into our own roles as researchers and advisors. As Jean Santos reflects:
“What a journey this research has been. In writing this chapter, we set out to explore an ambitious research method and learned so much more than we expected about the method and ourselves as researchers and family business advisors. The process was humbling and insightful. The lessons we learned will shape how we approach future research in family enterprises. Like most in family business, we learned once again that sometimes you really do need to walk before you can run.”
This publication represents more than just academic inquiry—it reflects our ongoing commitment to thoughtful, reflective, and innovative approaches in supporting family-owned businesses. At BCR, we believe that research and real-world practice go hand in hand, and we’re proud to contribute to advancing the field in a way that is grounded in both rigor and lived experience.
Women in Entrepreneurship and Family Businesses
Methodological Insights to Advance Research
Edited by Helle Neergaard, University of Aarhus, Denmark and Naomi Birdthistle, Griffith University, Australia
‘This important edited volume shines a spotlight on the critical yet often underexplored topic of methodological rigor and transparency in the context of research on women entrepreneurs and women in family businesses. By highlighting both challenges and opportunities in this area of study, the editors and authors offer invaluable insights for entrepreneurship researchers and students. A must-read for anyone committed to fostering inclusivity and innovation in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.’
– Amanda Elam, Babson College, USA
This fascinating book illuminates the need for innovative research to better understand women’s roles in entrepreneurship and family firms. Underscoring the importance of using diverse methodologies to accurately capture real-world experiences, it explores the corporate challenges women face, such as gender bias and balancing work with family. Women in Entrepreneurship and Family Businesses advocates for the expansion of research into historical contexts using archival and documentary evidence, uncovering the stories of women entrepreneurs of the past.
Encouraging engaged scholarship and collaboration with practitioners, editors Helle Neergaard and Naomi Birdthistle emphasize the significance of studying cultural backgrounds that may be unfamiliar to researchers.
By pushing the boundaries of traditional research methods, they aim to advance knowledge and support the development of women in entrepreneurial fields. Scholars and students interested in gender studies, qualitative research methods, and family business will benefit from this book. It is additionally useful for researchers seeking to identify methodological research gaps in the field.
2025 326pp Hardback 978 1 80037 641 0 £125.00 / $175.00
eBook • Elgaronline
Interested in learning more about our research or how we support family enterprises?
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